06/04/2021
In Visible: Eddy With Arms Tucked
I was sitting on a bench in NYC by the Vessel. The park was mostly empty. I saw Eddy sitting by himself by a table in the middle of the square. He had a juice, some magazines tied together with a rubber band, and he had his arms in his sleeves. After sitting peacefully for a minute I walked over to him and asked if I could sit with him.
Tall skyscrapers were being constructed all around. The pools of water in the park we found ourselves in had the occasional jets shooting little streams of water into the air. I said the whole spectacle seemed like a waste to me, all theater. He said the water was meditative.
While talking with Eddy he asked what I studied, he got a kick out of the fact that I, someone who studied industrial design, didn't like all of the construction. Maybe I was just bitter. I asked him where he studied. Eddy studied business administration at Rutgers. At this moment, we found ourselves here at the park with a watershow for two. Maybe that's all there is to life? Maybe that is the plight of man, to build buildings, to put on a show, just for the few people that choose to walk by and choose to sit awhile and enjoy the spectacle you created.
Eddy offered the magazines to me, asked if I wanted to read some. I said no, but as he gestured and got a sip of some juice I saw a hospital band around his wrist. He was admitted to a hospital a few days prior. I don't know if it's for this reason or the cold that he kept his arms tucked in his shirt. I didn't ask.
This is the first peice in a series I'm calling "In Visible." I'm reminded of the phrase "the elephant in the room." Why do we look away from problems? Does it hurt too much to look at directly? How else can we find a solution if we can't even look at the situation? This problem isn't invisible, we are just choosing to ignore it.
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