By Larree Quixote I was standing in front of the Bellisseria Homeless Union house contemplating my next great adventure on the continent when a trash truck came tearing around Dead Man’s Curve and almost hit me. And it wasn’t even Saturday. Zombotomy Resident, the self-described “Trash Zombie of Bellisseria”, was behind the wheel. It’s always good to see Zombotomy. He joined the Bellisseria Homeless Union group early, and makes his home here. He is also the founder of the Bellisseria Monsters group. I have been fascinated with the Bellisseria Monsters group since I joined last Halloween. And this felt like a perfect time to talk to him about it.
I invited him inside for an interview and the conversation went like this:
LQ: Good to see you, Zombotomy. Life treating you well?
Zombotomy: Thank you. Yes it is. It’s a little weird right now with the stay at home rules. But we’re okay in my household. And you?
LQ: All is good in my rl house arrest role-play game. Thanks. You appear to have really taken to your role as the trash zombie of Bellisseria. Why is the Bellisseria Department of Solid Waste important to you?
Zombotomy: I always loved the trash man when I was a kid. When I was young I would run outside on trash day to wave at the trash man when he drove by. In the Summer I would offer ice-cold lemonade and he would stop. Most other kids wanted to be cops, firemen, doctors, or astronauts. I wanted to be a trash man. And the grown-ups thought it was cute when I would pick up all the trash after they made a mess. So it worked for me. Maybe I am subconsciously reconnecting with my childhood.
LQ: That’s interesting. I wanted to be an astronaut; then a pharmacist; and eventually settled on musician. Space, drugs, and music. Funny how life works.
Zombotomy: Dreams change. But I never stopped being a clean freak. I still run around my house with bottles of Windex and Lysol. But don’t worry. I don’t drink the stuff. Vodka works fine whenever I feel the need to drink some disinfectant.
LQ: You have been a zombie as long as I have known you. Was the zombie avatar your first choice?
Zombotomy: Yes. My rl wife joined before me and showed me the zombie avatar. When I saw it I knew it was me, and I joined that day. I spent my first months in sl exploring all the Halloween builds. I loved it because Halloween is my favorite holiday.
LQ: It sounds like you were into zombies long before you joined sl.
Zombotomy: I always loved monsters. My second childhood dream was to be Lon Chaney. I was obsessed with monster movies. I watched them all the time.
LQ: What were your favorites?
Zombotomy: I loved the classics. Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, the Mummy. And I enjoy the Halloween films, and Hellraiser. All of it. Stephen King is great. And of course I enjoy the sci-fi and fantasy adventure genres, too.
LQ: So let’s get back to Bellisseria. How did you discover it?
Zombotomy: I started hearing people talk about it in chat so I searched for it. I got some LM’s and started exploring. Then I joined a few Bellisseria groups, including your group.
LQ: Yes, you joined the Bellisseria Homeless Union and moved into the house.
Zombotomy: That’s right. I joined your group and set my home to here.
LQ: Here being the Bellisseria Homeless Union House. What do you like best about living here?
Zombotomy: Your motorcycle rezzer. Every since you showed me how you use the hill in your back yard as a ramp to take off and fly across the region and land on the beach I have been addicted.
LQ: lolol, yeah that is great fun. Let’s talk about your group. I joined your group last Halloween and I think I was your sixth or seventh member. Now I see you have 28 members. Congratulations on your group’s growth. Do you actively recruit people, or do the monsters find you on their own?
Zombotomy: I haven’t done any serious recruiting. I don’t have to. Monsters know when they find their home.
LQ: I notice you even have some famous Bellisseria monsters in your group. Do you know Slenderman?
Zombotomy: I have never spoken to Slenderman. But I would love to. I love his work. His photo blog is outstanding. Very impressive and fun.
LQ: What are your plans for your group?
Zombotomy: I have been thinking about doing something for Halloween. But that is all I can say right now. Something big. Something monstrous, lolol. We’ll see. I am also thinking about eventually getting a premium membership and finding a Victorian for my group. The Victorians are perfect for a haunted house. Kind of like your homeless house, only for monsters. And I have been meaning to say this to you. You looked a lot better last Halloween when you were wearing your brain in a jar head. You looked like a monster when you joined my group. Now you look like a hippie!
LQ: lolol, well, I have to maintain my barefoot, tie-dyed hippie image for my music gigs. But the jar could make a comeback this Halloween.
Zombotomy: I hope so.
LQ: I know you said that you don’t do any active recruiting, but do you have anything to say to any monsters out there who might be reading this interview who are not yet members of your group?
Zombotomy: Sure. Thank you for this platform. To all of the monsters of Bellisseria who are lurking in the shadows; shunned by people and all alone. I offer you a place where you can fit in with others like you but different. Whatever your intention or motivation, the Bellisseria Monsters group is a group that welcomes your presence among us. Be a part of something big. A coalition of monsters supportive and respectful of one another, and ready to take on all who oppose us. Join our group, fellow monsters. Halloween 2020 is going to be monstrous.
LQ: That was great, Zombotomy. You words of inspiration make me almost want to bust loose that brain in a jar head right now! But I have a music gig in a few hours, so the hippie look wins the day. Thank you for taking the time and granting this interview.
Zombotomy: Thank you, Larree. This was fun. See you around.
And with that final pleasantry Zombotomy stood up, walked out to the back yard, and rezzed a motorcycle and launched out over the horizon to the beach. I look forward to seeing him next trash day. Maybe I’ll bring him some lemonade. Summer’s coming.
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