, (comma)
2025
archival inkjet print, plywood, LED tube, LED light bulb and acrylic
objects, walking, wandering, street, mundane
road signs, bushes, curbs, crack sealing,
layers, shapes, shadows, reflections, strips, spikes, sharpness, sunlight, sphere,
trees, branches, grass, bricks, pigeons, bins,
bushes, handles, spouts, stairs, bowknot,
bollards, paper bags, leaves, windows,
lines, chairs, cars, texture, spot light, parking lot, fences,
rocks, texts, paints
Today is a sunny day
That’s usually a sign for me to go outside and really feel myself in this world,
rather than rot on my phone.
I felt the heat immediately through my skin after I step ped out of the house. It’s April on the East coast of the States so I won’t get burnt yet. It usually takes a few seconds to let your eyes get used to the bright sunlight, which makes my indoor time feel more like a cave man’s life.
Walking down a street is the best way to wander around without thinking about anything, until you hit the junctions. I can’t see the message on the sign because of the angle I am looking from, but I’m guessing it is similar to the other sign next to it. There must have been something that happened to make both signs inclined towards the same direction. Maybe a sedan hit the sign on the right first and then hit the sign on the left after that, so the left one is less tilted. You can tell the accident didn’t happen lately —- It must have been a while ago. The bushes are too flourishing to reveal the thrilling scene.
I chose the main street and kept walking forward.
The large area of shadow produced by the building, like a stage curtain, reduces the contrast of things other than the plant.
People’s backyards are always full of things for me to count.
Three brussel sprout shape bushes, two door handles, a pile of buckets,
Fifteen traces of pigeon’s footprints,
a square well lid with grid of holes,
One dark blue drainage spout with one “M” shape or two “Z” shapes shadow,
I kept walking until I saw the giant shadow of a rooftop lying across its neighbor’s façade, which reminded me of my dad slumping on the sofa everytime he finishes his dinner.
Then I looked up, a light pink bowknot sitting on the arch of the house.
And I looked down, two paper bags of packed leaves cuddling together on the floor.
Everything seemed so peaceful:
Chimneys seemed to be waiting for the kitchen smoke of home-cooked meals;
There probably aren’t many stray cats around, since the food bowl left on the street is already covered in dust and dried leaves;
Toy boxes in the playground were stacked like stairs up to the third level, inviting for children to climb up;
Somehow, I met another junction of the road. This time is the end of the road — it's no longer possible to keep going along the same street. “DO NOT ENTER” sign appeared again. I decided to head back the way I came.
I passed by a bakery shop and ordered a cup of iced matcha latte, unsweetened as usual. This local bakery shop has sourdough loaves which I have never tried before. I asked them to slice it for me so I can freeze it for my future breakfast sandwich.
A man was sitting there at the corner in the bakery shop, drinking his coffee while reading the latest newspaper. I looked through that window in front of that man, seeing the gnarled bark of the trees seemed to echo the folds in the man’s sweater.
It’s around 2 PM in the afternoon.
Thankfully, summer hadn't arrived yet — there were no irritating cicada calls, and the waves of heat hadn't fully set in. Everything still felt comfortable. Even after walking for so long, only a light layer of fine sweat had formed on my skin.
“Maybe it’s time to get on a bus to go back home.” I would do that from time to time when the walking starts getting me exhausted.
My eyes kept looking around while I was waiting for the bus. I was glad that I didn't need to hide under the tree shade because of the cool weather, which gave me more freedom to move around and focus on the things that interest me:
Bent metal bollards from an old crash; Smoke rising from a chimney behind the restaurant, scented with spices and oil; A narrow path winding between houses, then disappearing from sight;
……
Before I got on the number one bus, I saw a pile of bricks with children’s doodle on it:
“Believe Beautiful things Can Happen even in times of chaos”
Today is a sunny day.