Thursday, April 23, 2009

DC & Me

Today is kind of a dubious anniversary that I have with Washington, DC. 5 years ago I was driving myself home from working on a public art sculpture that I had been working on in the SW Waterfront mall. It was about 7pm, and the next day I was to create a number of flower arrangements for my dear friends Sean and Rania when some teenage thugs threw a brick through my front passenger window. I didn't know what had happened at first- i thought perhaps I had been shot at? There was a loud noise, an explosion, I was covered in glass and I no longer had a window. I pulled over (how I didn't hit anyone, I'll never know- i don't remember other cars on the road tho) and a woman yells something like "did those kids get you". I remember begging her to stay 'til the police came to give them a description, but the kids (taking a cue from their school uniforms) all basically have a street uniform- xxxl white t-shirt and dark pants. It's sinisterly brilliant if you think about it. If someone attacks you, all you'll really remember are the large color blocks. Not facial features) were like every other child on the streets of DC.
I called my did because I didn't have anyone else to call- most of my friends were at a dinner for sean and rania.
the police came and to the officer's credit- went beyond helping me clean a good deal of glass out of my car and checked my ears and eyes. he even (using gloves) took the brick that landed in the footwell of my car in case they could get prints. I knew he couldn't. Part of me wishes i had kept the brick.
That night two (colleen and alicia) helped me push back the crap in the garage and we moved ryan's dead van into the garage so i could park in the driveway and cleaned out the car more and taped up the window. I think i remember watching DVDs with them too and maybe falling asleep on the sofa finally. I'm glad they were there.
I'm saying all this as some work stuff is really bringing me down. Quite a bit. It's stupid stuff mostly brought on by stupid, petty people who either don't get public art, or have no eye whatsoever.
And on that note, there are a lot (a lot) of DC-centric blogs. Many of which claim to offer "creative" DC type things, and they're completely boring.
I wish I had moments of my day to report and post here and make this a destiation of all things artsy and DC, so I will have to try harder.
Starting with the next entry because no one will read down this far, i'm sure, to see it.

1 comment:

Bumpy Belly said...

I did. I'm sorry that happened to you - and I'm looking for things to love about DC. Help me find some!