Earlier this year, photographer and filmmaker Robin de Puy's road trip across America concluded in New Orleans. Recently, she returned to the land of great ambitions but even greater division, in search of 'the American.' Episode 10: a slowly dying 'Zombie'.
Levi - my recently found zombie - proudly shows me his home. Whereas I typically associate chaos and filth with zombies, his place is remarkably well-organized. The cereal boxes are neatly lined up and sorted by brand, his caps are stored in plastic, and his bed is neatly made. Bella, his pitbull, sits on a panther-print blanket on the couch, wearing a red leather collar that perfectly matches Levi's outfit.
"Why do you have that tattoo, anyway?" I point to the bloody open-skull tattoo around his mouth. He resolutely replies, "One: I love zombies. Two: it's unique." While he struggles to articulate the words, his body continually and involuntarily twitches.
Later, it turns out that the muscle spasms are caused by the (hereditary) Huntington's disease. Speaking becomes increasingly difficult, as does sitting, walking, and sleeping. His grandmother had it too, and after a long illness, she died a slow death, something that awaits him as well. "That's why I hope for an apocalypse. Covid, but worse. It could be any kind of disaster." Besides the fact that an apocalypse will save him from his slow death, "the world could use a reset."
Levi's brain is slowly deteriorating, and as if that's not enough, life often throws obstacles in his path. After abuse at a young age, dropping out of school, the death of his mother and grandmother, and eventually a meth addiction, he ends up in prison. There, he befriends white supremacists. "You either eat, or be eaten." He earns some swastikas on his back in ways he'd rather not elaborate on, "but I had a high rank." Once out of prison, he unlearns his hatred towards black people. The swastikas are exchanged for ink-black saw blades. "Now I just hate everybody equally." There is a brief silence.
"Now I just hate everybody equally."
"I've been clean for two years now." I see a small smile. "My grandma and mother were strippers. I really want to start my own, women-friendly strip club. No one judges there. It's like free counseling."
Levi and his dog
Slowly, I begin to understand why Levi doesn't frighten me. While Levi seems to wish for death, I realize that he is saying the opposite: by dying slowly, he is getting closer to life.