Its greener out there.
Its a fine beautiful evening. Any evening between june and october would fit the profile. The location - Stone Arch bridge in Minneapolis. Right above the Mississippi. Neighbouring the St. Antony's Falls. The bridge. Connecting the academia and the corporate world. On one side of the bridge is the university with its leftist liberal academic crowd. A small theater. A coffee shop patronized for its coffee, atmosphere and the spirit of give and take - wireless net connection, books, newspaper etc. Nice lawns to run and tumble and chase butterflies. On the other side, straight jacket conservative corporate downtown with its plethora of skyscrapers and ambitions. Adored during the days and feared at nights. Filled with busy looking, worried, coffee in one hand, briefcase in other men; high healed high spirited women all in smart formals. Avenues and streets. Straight lines. Straighter faces. One side, tackling exams assignments advisors to reach the other side. The other, trying to get back to school part time, full time, longing for time, longing for purpose.
The time is when the sun is on its way to shed some light elsewhere. Moon just waking up on the horizon trying to catch a glimpse of the sun before it hides behind the facade of downtown buildings. Again, moon wondering when it can shed as much light as the sun. The sun, hoping someday to be as cool as the moon.
Folks walking and jogging up and down the bridge in a desperate attempt to lose calories and gain peace. Some cycling to the music of the river beneath, occasionally disturbed by the horns of the boats. A few resting on the side walk hoping to get carried away by the waves punctuating the river. A couple of small boys in their small bicycles. Weaving on the bridge lots of 8 between them, plotting routes for snakes to follow. Oblivious to what's on either banks, just concerned with riding from one end to the other in the longest possible time. The bridge - a nice place to cycle, cycle as they please. No constrains. No teachers pushing them to their limits and wits. No parents there to act like embankments of a narrow river, creating a very constrained flow for their activities and thoughts. Watching the kids, people wonder, why can't I be like them. Wondering if they can ever get back the childhood they seemed to have lost along with the first penny they ever got. The kids hoping they grow up to be those adults. And do big stuff. And do things like go to an office instead of school. Little do they realize what grown ups want.
Down below the ducks quack quack in the river much to the annoyance of none and the pleasure of most. Carefree, least bothered about where they will find themselves tomorrow and what will they be tomorrow. Not bothering to do groceries, pay bills and wonder about a thousand things. All the while,ducks envying the men who seem to be bestowed with everything and anything and absolute control over the ducks life - shoo shoot kill eat mock ridicule. People and ducks. Longing to exchange roles.
Reminds me of a conversation between two kids. Looks like they were scolded by their respective parents. Upset, they wanted to exchange their parents since they don't get scolded by the parent of the other kid. Each longing for the other. One hoping to go to the other and each assuming the other is better. Blessed are those who can see both from the same side and sigh alas I shall stick my foot here.
The time is when the sun is on its way to shed some light elsewhere. Moon just waking up on the horizon trying to catch a glimpse of the sun before it hides behind the facade of downtown buildings. Again, moon wondering when it can shed as much light as the sun. The sun, hoping someday to be as cool as the moon.
Folks walking and jogging up and down the bridge in a desperate attempt to lose calories and gain peace. Some cycling to the music of the river beneath, occasionally disturbed by the horns of the boats. A few resting on the side walk hoping to get carried away by the waves punctuating the river. A couple of small boys in their small bicycles. Weaving on the bridge lots of 8 between them, plotting routes for snakes to follow. Oblivious to what's on either banks, just concerned with riding from one end to the other in the longest possible time. The bridge - a nice place to cycle, cycle as they please. No constrains. No teachers pushing them to their limits and wits. No parents there to act like embankments of a narrow river, creating a very constrained flow for their activities and thoughts. Watching the kids, people wonder, why can't I be like them. Wondering if they can ever get back the childhood they seemed to have lost along with the first penny they ever got. The kids hoping they grow up to be those adults. And do big stuff. And do things like go to an office instead of school. Little do they realize what grown ups want.
Down below the ducks quack quack in the river much to the annoyance of none and the pleasure of most. Carefree, least bothered about where they will find themselves tomorrow and what will they be tomorrow. Not bothering to do groceries, pay bills and wonder about a thousand things. All the while,ducks envying the men who seem to be bestowed with everything and anything and absolute control over the ducks life - shoo shoot kill eat mock ridicule. People and ducks. Longing to exchange roles.
Reminds me of a conversation between two kids. Looks like they were scolded by their respective parents. Upset, they wanted to exchange their parents since they don't get scolded by the parent of the other kid. Each longing for the other. One hoping to go to the other and each assuming the other is better. Blessed are those who can see both from the same side and sigh alas I shall stick my foot here.
posted by d'na | 6:47 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Deena!
How are you doing in Chicago? How is your work? Classes starting today here. Keep in touch.
BTW, linked you up.
The Jack ;)
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