Loff NYC

[malsperanza]

So, my subway station is undergoing a long-overdue rehab--new lighting, rewiring, turnstyles, stairwells, restoration of the old polychrome terracotta cartouches, and lots of classy upscale retro white and terracotta tile. For months the station has been full of workmen in hardhats laying tiles, drilling, creating clouds of toxic dust, and so forth. Yesterday evening I noticed a wall of white tiles with a lot of electrical cords and wires looping out of it and hanging in a very picturesque way, all tied up with colored tapes.

So this morning I brought my camera and on the way to the train platform, I stopped to take some photos, dodging other commuters...

Workman in hardhat (glaring suspiciously): You with the Transit Authority?

Me (crouching to get the right parallax): No, I--

Other workman (also glaring suspiciously): You a lawyer? (hefts hammer, or possibly cudgel)

Workman with "Contractor" on his safety vest, carrying vicious-looking metal ruler: There a problem here?

Me: Uh, no, no! I'm an artist! I just liked the way the wires looked. Honest.

Workman #1: Oh, OK, then (turns away)

Workman #2: Actually, they are kind of visually interesting.

Workman #1 (turns back, considers wall): Yeah, I like the way the lines look against the white of the wall.

Contractor: Definitely.

(We all pause to admire graphically striking abstract pattern of wires against tiles)

Passing panhandler (reeking): Station lookin' very nice indeed, yes.

Comments

[folk.livejournal.com]

Oh, New York, how I miss thee...

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

Don't worry: it'll still be here when you get back. All the restaurants and stores will have changed to other restaurants and stores, but that happens every weekend anyway.

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

Anecdote of the Day!

You will post pictures, no?

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

I have no scanner :-(
By the time I get around to developing the pix, maybe I'll know someone who has one...