I strive to get out and see what others feel today. It begins with an infusion into the bloodstream of the city. I let the random turbulence of the traffic help decide where to go. I park and I fumble through old familiar bars from a decade prior and feel the same sense of social separation, uncertainty, and insecurity as then. The faces are younger now in some places. Have I grown older? All the fashion and careful attention to appearance is all too familiar. An air of status and restricted acceptance is found among the various cliques. I feel unsettled and aloof but move forward on my quest.
I finally stumble into a quirky establishment with esoteric music and an eclectic crowd. It is quiet and unassuming. Lucky to find the prized window seat on a sofa open, I settle in. So many faces come and go. If only I could capture their story. Happiness seems to be found in coffee, take out, a nice pair of boots, a huge German Shepard, and pizza. Lots of pizza. Pizza is joy. Pizza is liberation. More to come. Let me absorb.
