there and then, here and now

A story of JB's reminds me of one of my favorite pasttimes...

The Federal Plaza Fountain in Memphis:

Back when I lived in Memphis, I would ride my bike down Vance Ave. in the summer to go downtown. After loafing around writing poems, or sitting by the river until the mosquitoes drove me away, I would continue on. I would go riding up the mall towards North Main until I reached the Federal Plaza foutain. I would either cruise through the jets of water on my bike, or hop off and stand there until I was soaked, washing all the sweat of August off, while watching the homeless wash their clothes and dry them on park benches. I would dry off on the way back home working my way back up the hill on my bike to Midtown.

Today was nothing like that of course. I think it might've hit 70 degrees at some point in the afternoon, but all day it was relentlessly cloudy in that Pacific coast sort of way; cool, with a fine mist. I hopped on my bike and rode down the Spring Water Trail heading east towards Powell Butte and hiked up the dirt trails into the stillness of the dark forest of confers. Eventually I came out on Ramona Street and gingerly walked down the steep hill, my arm stinging with nettles that I brushed against, and stopped to graze on some huge plump blackberries before heading back to the barn.