Paying attention to things on the ground
I've been paying a ton of attention to things on the ground. I've found at least four hats in the last two weeks. One, I am wearing now, another is perfect for my nephew, with a T-rex chasing a triceratops, so I took it home and washed it. Left the other two. And I've found as many scarves. In the course of a day's walking I'm bound to find at least 20 rubber bands. They're a very common sidewalk item, as are the little plastic doohickii used to clip bread bags shut, and many other things.
I also love to photograph all kinds of blobs that I find attractive. Yesterday I went wandering around and found some nice ball-point pens. Awesome! Next to them: two keys on a key ring, some unchewed gum, a designer's graphite pencil and an automobile insurance card. All of these things are useful, so I picked them up (except for the soggy gum) and looked up the name of the girl on the insurance card, found her on facebook and asked her if these things had been stolen or lost.
I continued on a bit and took some photos of blobs around City Liquidators, after seeing if they had any lumber I wanted (they didn't). Soon, a police officer pulled up next to me and told me I was trespassing. I was shocked. Trespassing on the fucking sidewalk? I asked him where the boundary was, so that in the future I can have a chance of walking along the sidewalk without breaking the law. He got out of the car to point to an ancient railroad rail embedded in the asphalt. I think it's pretty clear he was bullshitting me and just wanted me to leave so the people in City Liquidators who reported me would be happy. He told me they'd been having trouble lately. There are a lot of homeless people in that area, the warehouse district. He asked to see the pictures I'd taken, and when I showed him an interesting blob, he asked why I was taking these pictures. He also asked for my idea, and then took down my information. I didn't get a ticket, but I was rattled at having to justify my presence on the sidewalk, outside a place where I have been a customer, and at having to show him my photos, and at the possibility of being fined--robbed of money that I don't even have by a guy hired by society. And I was just cruising along the sidewalk looking for beautiful things to show other people.
Today the girl I contacted on facebook replied to my message, and her truck was indeed broken into and things were taken, so she's glad I contacted her. Yay!
I also love to photograph all kinds of blobs that I find attractive. Yesterday I went wandering around and found some nice ball-point pens. Awesome! Next to them: two keys on a key ring, some unchewed gum, a designer's graphite pencil and an automobile insurance card. All of these things are useful, so I picked them up (except for the soggy gum) and looked up the name of the girl on the insurance card, found her on facebook and asked her if these things had been stolen or lost.
I continued on a bit and took some photos of blobs around City Liquidators, after seeing if they had any lumber I wanted (they didn't). Soon, a police officer pulled up next to me and told me I was trespassing. I was shocked. Trespassing on the fucking sidewalk? I asked him where the boundary was, so that in the future I can have a chance of walking along the sidewalk without breaking the law. He got out of the car to point to an ancient railroad rail embedded in the asphalt. I think it's pretty clear he was bullshitting me and just wanted me to leave so the people in City Liquidators who reported me would be happy. He told me they'd been having trouble lately. There are a lot of homeless people in that area, the warehouse district. He asked to see the pictures I'd taken, and when I showed him an interesting blob, he asked why I was taking these pictures. He also asked for my idea, and then took down my information. I didn't get a ticket, but I was rattled at having to justify my presence on the sidewalk, outside a place where I have been a customer, and at having to show him my photos, and at the possibility of being fined--robbed of money that I don't even have by a guy hired by society. And I was just cruising along the sidewalk looking for beautiful things to show other people.
Today the girl I contacted on facebook replied to my message, and her truck was indeed broken into and things were taken, so she's glad I contacted her. Yay!