Walking by the convenience store in the shady neighbourhood in downtown London, Ontario where there are several restaurants and a methodone clinic, I noticed some 'wanderers'. Its been a long time since I just observed people. My hairdresser who loves giving me advice once told me to buy a coffee, and sit in the mall at the food court and just watch people and observe. I ended up doing that today while munching slowly on a pizza with broccoli and zucchini (thats about as healthy as im going to get lol)
The wanderers were of many kinds, its like I could read the insecurity, the struggle to fit into society, the comfort of being an outcast, and the unsettling blank stares around them. How fitting I thought, that these people be surrounded by the buildings filled with graffiti. The buildings have no choice, they are scarred, they are blemished and become better targets for people to pee on. Those buildings dont have a choice anymore, they simple have to exist with their scars and almost seem to be dragging along day by day.
Its amazing, we have created classes even within the buildings around us. The people that inhabited the spaces around the dingy, dirty buildings reflected the same qualities, they seemed to have made peace with who they were; societal outcasts in a sense... people just struggling to get by, making do with second hand clothes, shopping carts filled with other people's garbage etc etc. These are the same people that get targeted by banks, their debts perpetuated, their lives disregarded as unimportant or beyond help. Granted, the people themselves have to want to make a change too, but I guess disillusionment and willpower play a huge role.
I took a look at myself, I recently moved from one phase of life to the next (student to professional). Not too long ago, I was struggling, I was praying for better days and by no means are they any better or easier, but there is slight movement upwards. I wondered how I'd avoided the alternate future that could have been mine, which was visible through the glass window. I looked at my clothes that I had bought for work, I realized I was clean shaven (dress pants and a dress shirt) Everyone, who smiled at me at the pizza store had no idea, I spent my last few dollars on a slice of pizza, they had no idea how much of a financial/personal burden I have at the moment. I smiled to myself and shook my head...
Inadvertently, I had figured out the secret, the secret that no doubt many have capitalized on.
The difference between me and them was simply this:
I have a fresh new coat of paint.
