On Brexit

The year is 1999 and Pemulis, as every young man should, goes to Paris. There's something in the air of France that does a young man good. He'd asked previously, "can I go to Paris?" and they told him "no, you're not French". "Well what does it matter?" Pemulis asked. It's just the ways things are. But he goes to Paris and he lives in a small apartment.

The year is 2003 and Pemulis goes to England. Ay, marry, was he sent to England? No he just wanted to go; he asked before, "can I go to England?" and they told him "no, you're not English". "Why does that matter?" Pemulis asked. It's best if we just stay where we come from. But anyways he goes to England and the people there don't seem so different.

Now it's 2012 and Pemulis goes to France. To the mountains. They said "you can't work in France, it's for French people". And he asked "why not?". They said "it's the law". But he goes to Grenoble and he visits the mountains and he goes to work. He travels through France and visits Spain. He goes to Switzerland and takes the train to Belgium. He drives to Italy. Everywhere people are different but the same. The food is different but it's also the same. The languages are different but the people understand each other. He takes a plane to Munich and Pemulis and Joelle decide to go live there.

And so it's 2013 and Pemulis and Joelle go to Germany. To the south. Again to the Alps. They said "but you don't speak German". And they said "we will learn". Then it's 2015 and a warm November and Helga arrives in the English Garden. One day she asks "Papa, can I go to Austria?". Pemulis tells her she can go wherever she wants. "But will the people be different?" she asks. "Everybody is different, but the same." "What does that mean?" "It means that being different is good, but we're never so different from each other that we can't live together and get along". "Good," she says, "because I was going to go anyways."