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I didn't unpack every minute of every day. Thursday I went into Philadelphia. I drove to Exton to miss the train, then I drove on to Paoli to catch it. Main line. I've been on this train before, when Dave lived here three and half years ago. Short ride by Seoul standards, it felt like a quaint commute with nice suburban scenery reeling by the windows. A beautiful, warm day. Bright greens and red brick, so many shades of grey; all of it embraced by burning blue. I walked block for block looking at the row houses - is that what they are? (We don't have them out here.) Strolled by little groceries, the kind with enticing crates of produce stacked out front. Saw upscale shopping too, always the same ubiquitous brand names. Mostly what I think of is the small streets and short blocks. Brick buildings melting into one another or the shades of blue, black, silver glass and metal. City Hall and 12 Monkeys. On Sunday Dave came with me into the city. We were going to catch the train, but we were late and decided it would be faster just to drive. It was quite a bit shorter actually. Streets were empty and parking was free. We went to South street, which seems like a combination of Broadway and University Ave in Seattle. It felt older (because the buildings are so old) and more compact (because the buildings are squished together); as a result, it seemed like it wasn't trying as hard as either of those comparable Seattle streets. Nevertheless, the shops are the same tired shops that exist in all the South Streets and Capitol Hills of the world. One thing is true: trendy people look the same everywhere. (Universality of current fashion trends - including anti-fashion - was a salient feature of our around-the-world trip. I was disappointed at the lack of distinctiveness.) But I liked Philadelphia. I could live there. I would want a job in the city, make friends I would meet after work. It would be an escape route from the tacky tendrils of the suburban scape. |
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