tootoo

Her unusual attraction to objects dubbed 'objectum-sexuality' goes back to when she was seven and first saw the symbol ofCommunist oppression on television. Eija-Riita believes inanimate objects have souls and life-forces,which are beyond most people's perception. But when she first sawthe great Cold War monument, she says she immediately felt anintimate and lifelong bond. It was, simply, love at first sight. Somuch so, that she considers a small service in 1979 during hersixth trip to have been her wedding day. She changed her last name to 'Berliner-Mauer' German for 'BerlinWall'. This is not just a symbolic outreach to a powerful piece ofhistory. She truly considers her relationship with the Berlin Wall to be noless a marriage than what Julia and Lyle did only Eija-Riitta'ssays her union has lasted longer. "He's my husband and my friend," she tells me from her home. While she's never been intimate with a man, she says the wall hasfulfilled all of her needs including, yes, that one. How, remainsuncertain and bricked up. They have communicated, she says. She speaks and the wall, as wellas other objects, leave impressions on her mind. She's ogled other walls over these many years, but none can matchher husband. For example, the Great Wall of China is far too thick. She considers the fall of the Berlin Wall, in 1989, to be close tomurder or at least, a mob attack on her mister. "I saw it on TV," she recalls with a sigh. "I turned it off andclosed all the doors and windows and locked myself inside. Icouldn't watch what they were doing to my husband." Since the crowds tore at the concrete and broke the steel bones ofthe Berlin Wall, she has never gone back to pick up the pieces ofher marriage. Instead, she surrounds herself with pictures andscale models. But she still considers her marriage to be ongoing. Thanks to her frank confessions, and a website devoted to those who view objects in the same way, Eija-Riittasays she's become a role-model. "For me...I thought everyone thought like me. That gave me thestrength to be open with everyone," she says. While she has no hard data, she believes almost one in 10 peoplemust feel about an object the way she feels about the wall. "A lot of people try not to say anything...they try to live normallives," she explains. "Some (other) people get angry, but only because of the symbolismof the wall." It's not that they're upset she's in love with aconcrete wall, but rather, that the wall was pretty evil. "But I don't see it that way." She says there are a lot of people who don't have any emotions. "I say, I feel fulfilled," she explains. "The important thing is that you love...that you have empathy." Despite the ups and down, Eija-Riitta feels her marriage has stoodup quite well over the years. And they've never once argued about underwear on the Wall And Floor or whohas to get up out of bed and turn off the light at night.