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3 November 2008updated 27 Sep 2015 5:44am

Overheard in North Carolina

By Jonn Elledge

“Are there many jobs in London?”

This is Dusty, who’s in his early twenties with a neck covered in tattoos, and is kicking around outside a diner in rural North Carolina. He sounds kind of hopeful when he says it.

“Ain’t any round here,” he goes on. “A few furniture factories. Christmas trees. Other than that its all diners and convenience stores.

“You know what they say about this place,” he adds. “Come on vacation, leave on probation.”

And he mooches off to jump into his friend’s pick up truck.

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