An artist’s struggle with conformity

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I saw this magnificent modern art installation on the wall of a building.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and told him that the juxtaposition of the curves and angles was surely intended to portray the artist’s struggle with conformity.

The tall person smiled and remarked that the plumber had clearly experienced a brainstorm, a moment in which one is suddenly unable to think clearly or act sensibly.

Hmm. The tall person clearly has no understanding of contemporary art.

 

The tree that walked

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I saw this.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and asked him why this tree had legs. He smiled and told me that it did seem unusual.

I suggested to the tall person that perhaps the tree had been unhappy living in a forest and decided to grow legs so that it could walk to a better place.

The tall person agreed and said that sometimes it is difficult to see the wood for the trees and it becomes necessary to remove yourself from a situation.

I didn’t understand that and asked him why the tree decided to come and live here by the side of a road in a city.

The tall person smiled and said that all journeys finish somewhere.

Very young entrepreneurs denied the opportunity to cook and sell fried chicken

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I saw this in a shop window.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and asked if he thought that we will soon be seeing very young entrepreneurs (from the age of 3) preparing and selling fast food on the streets of our neighborhood. He smiled and told me that despite its realistic appearance it was just a toy.

Hmm. That is disappointing. I sometimes feel hungry during our walks through the neighborhood and would have enjoyed some chicken pieces seasoned with Sanders’ recipe of 11 herbs and spices.

The Berber barber

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On my walk through the neighborhood today I saw this.

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I pointed the sign out to the tall person who told me that Berbers are an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa and their culture probably dates back more than 4,000 years.

Oh, because of the scissors and combs I thought it was a misspelling of ‘barber’.

And do all Berber men have white beards and dark hair like the man in the picture I asked.

The tall person smiled and told me that such a hair color combination was unusual but he really didn’t know if it was a distinctive characteristic of Berber men.

Hmm. I don’t recall noticing any Berbers in Tbilisi and I suspect that Mustafa is not very busy.

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Don Diego de la Vega fights injustice in Tbilisi

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I noticed the distinctive mark of Zorro on a door.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and suggested that the dashing black-clad masked outlaw who defends the commoners and indigenous peoples of the land against tyrannical officials and other villains had moved from California to Georgia to fight injustice in our neighborhood.

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The tall person smiled and told me that Zorro (Spanish for “fox”) was the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, a  character created in 1919, who wore a black costume with a flowing Spanish cape, a flat-brimmed black sombrero cordobés and a black cowl mask. An agile athlete and acrobat, he used his bullwhip as a gymnastic accoutrement to swing through gaps between city roofs, and was very capable of landing from great heights and taking a fall.

I suggested to the tall person that society should not have to rely on a 97 year old black-clad masked outlaw to maintain justice, especially as he might not be as nimble as he used to be.

The tall person agreed that it did seem unfair.

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A long way from Arizona

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I saw this fantastical creature.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and he told me that it is the legendary long-lived phoenix bird. According to various accounts, it has a lifespan of 500 years, 540 years, 1,000 years, 1,461 years, or even 12,994 years. As the end of its life approaches it builds a nest of branches and myrrh (the aromatic resin of a thorny tree), sets it on fire and is consumed in the flames. After three days, the phoenix is reborn and rises from the ashes.

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Hmm. The phoenix appears very interested in the gifts underneath the small Christmas tree. I suspect one of them contains myrrh. I suggested to the tall person that we quickly pass by. We don’t want to be caught in the conflagration.

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The sun worshipers

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I discovered a small island inhabited by several dogs who wore a symbol of the sun on their ears.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and suggested that we had discovered a previously unknown sun worshiping cult that had decided to live on the island to avoid religious persecution.

The tall person smiled and explained that the dogs were in fact ordinary street dogs that had found a safe place to sleep on the busy sidewalk. The yellow disc on their ears indicated that they had been neutered and released back on to the street.

Hmm. Then why were they chanting?

They were snoring replied the tall person.

We walked away very quietly, so as not to disturb their prayers.

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Whatever you do don’t blow your bugle!

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On my walk through the neighborhood this morning I saw this confusing set of instructions.

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I pointed it out to the tall person and suggested that as we had wandered into a highly restricted zone we would need to very careful not to transgress the rules.

The tall person agreed.

Hmm. I have one suggestion tall person. Perhaps you should stop playing your bugle before we proceed.

He reluctantly agreed but thought it was unfair that this simplest of brass instruments, that has no valves or other pitch-altering devices, had been singled out.

I couldn’t argue with that.

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