The observed world

As you know by now, I'm blogging daily throughout September. To make this a sustainable practice I've come up with a structure for posts. Thus far it is:

Tuesdays - A ramble. An essay of some sort or another, the kind of thing I've been doing all along.

Wednesdays - Work by others that I find inspirational. Poetry, visual arts, music, etc.

Thursdays - Feeding the muse. Creativity boosters and challenges.

Fridays (that would be today) - The observed world. The overheard and seen a.k.a. my life as a voyeur. Not the creepy kind.

I've written before about how much I love keeking (if this makes no sense to you read this). Observing the world, of it but not quite in it, is where I try to live. I love liminal places, where I can linger and pretend I'm watching the best movie ever.

* * *

Walking through a local shopping district this week, I overheard the following exchange between a middle-aged woman and a somewhat younger man. Both were white, missing some teeth and dressed casually in clean clothing.

She: I'm not saying do it for me because I'm your mother -

He: I'm not living large here!

She: You have a kid! You have to take care of her!

He: I'm going nuts with this shit everyday.

She: Oh, you have it so hard, shrimp every night, you come over and clean out the fridge -

He: Fuck you!

She: Would you say that to your kid?

Later on that same walk I saw two older black women, well dressed in neat, out-of-fashion, well cared for dresses. One was much taller than the other and very thin. She had a beatific expression on her face that may have been because she was wearing a truly glorious, large hat. She and her friend were walking slowly through the crowds of the homeless, of the iPod wearing oblivious, of the harried commuters. They were holding hands.

Who have you seen today? What did you hear?

Tomorrow, Saturdays, are for original creative work. Come back for a surprising glimpse into my strange, skewed world.

(c) 2009 Laura S. Packer