She said to me the other day, "Dad, why don't you put down who took the pictures?" (While V is the chief photographer, I sometimes have to serve that duty since--for some reason--other people think she should spend more time in school than wandering around Durham's crappy roads with me and taking pictures. People, go figure.)
So I'm not sure that I'll be able to do that every time, so let's just put it this way -- Violet took all the good pictures. All the bad pictures, on the other hand, were the work of yours truly.
For example, see Ms. Rumble's fine work below:
This is the little road that runs off of Corporation up behind the Farmer's Market, and before I go further, I just want to say: "Durham, well done on the Farmer's Market! Little chilly in the winter, but keeps the lines short -- I like it, can't wait to see it in the spring/summer/fall."
Now it may seem beneath the usual high standards of DHTWRITW to pick on such a tiny little road, but truly, I ask, do not people, perhaps even yourself, drive on that road? Do you not, therefore have to suffer from the city's rampant neglect of its infrastructure? See this picture to get a sense of the scale (now if you take the picture below and paste my profile pic on top, you'll sort of know what I look like):
That is like the gaping maw of the Leviathan just waiting to swallow up some poor, little Kia that's just trying to deliver some fresh cabbage to the market -- why must it be so threatened??
Particularly this road is regrettable in light especially of the wonderful farmer's market it purports to serve. And I'm going to have to set aside more than a few moments at lunch time to deal with Foster Street.
In any case, if it is not already abundantly clear, DHTWRITW would be a sad, sad, example of the simple-minded obsession of one clearly deranged man if it weren't for the fine work of one amazing 9 year old. Thanks, honey.
happy travels,
Ken
8 comments:
i'm going to work on the photo documentation of jersey's insanely bad roads. (considering patrick's comments on your earlier post, it may be that it's not the state, after all, just my own lovely jersey city, in which case i will have to go toe-to-toe with you and durham.) meanwhile, i will concede that this current photo suggests the beginning of a ramp that would lead to an underground parking lot or the like. just a few more inches... but no. back (with a bang) to your regularly scheduled road. my compliments to the photographer.
Sweet, if we've inspired one person to raise a blog in protest of bad infrastructure, then my work here is (not quite) done. Thanks, Evie -- will pass along the good word. And no doubt this little dip could lead somewhere underground, say.....the underworld? Is that a pillar of salt I see just beyond the entrance??
h.t,
Ken
you know, that divot would be a perfect place for a polar bear to curl up and take a nap. perhaps the city fathers are anticipating that with the cold weather this week.
Awfully considerate of them, but Chris, have they thought about the poor Porsches, Lamborghinis, and other exquisite European performance vehicles whose undercarriages would be surely marred by a roll over such an enormous bluff?
h.t,
Ken
My concern is with the leaves beneath your foot. I have come to believe they lessen the depth of the pothole. Is this intentional? Have the transit peopled already gotten to you? I mean, you said those kimonos were from your parents . . . Or is it just that Violet has to decide, is she a hard-bitten journalist following the story, or an art photographer, working towards a show? It's the truth that's beautiful, people! Show those holes for the horrors they are!
Joe,
Full sympathy to your concerns -- I share them. Never should we let a little leaf detritus cover up the burning bush of truth (what was that bush again?) At any rate, we decided not, explicitly, to remove the leaves because we felt that--instead of /concealing/ the depths of the neglect of Durham's roads--the leaves /heightened/ the representation of neglect. Not /only/ is there an enormous slab of concrete missing from the road, but it has been missing for /so/ long it has amassed a wad of leaves that have developed their own ecosystem, society, culture, hierarchies, petty rivalries, and pseudo- and pseudo-pseudo art movements! If we were to clear away those leaves, it would be like we verily lifted sweet Atlantis from the depths of some hidden Pacific trench....
h.t,
Ken
I am humbled. And in awe. Clearly there is much for me to learn from you and Violet. I withdraw my doubts. My mental reservations are gone. I live to serve your blog and its brave effort.
Yours,
Joe
Dear Joe,
Would that the clear light of wisdom would descend on all as it has, so clearly, descended upon you, my friend. Spread, as they say, the good news.
h.t,
Ken
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