The view from 217 York
London, Ontario, August 2007 [Click to enlarge]
Quick life update: The man with the large green cast is resting comfortably on the couch. We're slowly becoming more comfortable with the somewhat clumsy routine that will define Zach's life - and ours - for at least the next couple of months. People from near and far have been calling us to see how he's doing, to hear him share the experience in his own words, and to make sure we all haven't gone stark, raving mad in the process. It's harder than the usual routine of life in our home, but it's temporary, not fatal, and nowhere near as challenging as some of the other patients we saw in the hospital earlier this week.
Don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Click here to catch up.
I'm brewing lots of words and more than a few pictures, and will post those in upcoming blog entries. For now, though, I'll set aside the dominant story of our week for something a little more quiet and static...
I captured this image while running an errand with my wife a few weeks ago. She was headed to a government office to update some government-issued card. You know, the usual fill-in-a-form, wait-for-your-number, admire-the-nondescript-waiting-room-furniture, avoid-eye-contact-with-strangers kind of place. It was a quiet, early morning, so I tagged along with her. I wasn't really adding any value. But I'm not one to turn down a hour of alone time with her. So off we went.
After she finished up and we were walking out, I looked out the window and noticed how we were almost at the same level as the building across the street. I rather liked how the skyline beyond was playing peekaboo with me. I wondered if any of the other zillions of people who had visited this place ever bothered to look out the window and wonder the same thing. I decided it didn't matter anyway. They're not me. And they didn't have an understanding wife who ruefully nodded her head when I started making noises about shooting the scene.
Your turn: Scenes from a government office. Please discuss.
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12 comments:
Great photo, and may I say, great government-issue scene from someone who has had more than her fair share of government-issue jobs (psychotherapist with a Master's in Social Work...what do you expect?).
Glad your son is healing nicely. One of my friend's sons just went through the same thing and thanked the ortho-gods repeatedly for waterproof casts. Tell your son to hang in there!
poor Zach... i hope he isn't in too much pain.
michele sent me today.
Sorry to hear about your son's accident. My daughter had to have an arm bone popped back into the elbow joint. She fell off her bike and it bent one of the arm bones (ulna or radius) which caused it to push into the other bone and pop it out of joint. She's wearing a hot pink cast. :) We had to go to two hospitals, too.
BTW, Hello, Michele sent me.
Carmi, I had to lean in and look closer. I thought you were seeing a man in a green cast through the window!
For some reason all the windows make me smile and feel hopeful, like wide open eyes.
I have to say that this is quite unlike any government office around here -- a window? For the public to look through? None of the government offices I go to have those. I feel really bad for the folks who have to deal with the public: I am sure that they are told that they can't have a window, "because citizens might look out of it, or worserer, non-citizens"
Michele sent me this time,
N.
I don't have much to say about government offices except they suck...but do want to say that I stopped by the Mrs' site and sent along b'day greetings.
I got a call from school last week too. A little boy bit my Princess' hand...not even one week into school and she's already been in the nurse's office. Don't you just love those phone calls where you just hear random words as the panic sinks in?
Hope your son is feeling better soon!
sorry to here about your son
I always love looking at your photos
well I came by to thank you for reading and the comment you left was as always very kind :) You made me blush again
I will prob see you again this weekend (never know when michelle will send you lol)
my guess is that other people have had the tendency to look across into the other building which is why their blinds are all shut! Which leads me to ask sarcastically, since the building you're in has their blinds open, are govt. employees up there all voyeuristic—if so, just blame it on your French voyager heritage!
Blessings upon your son Zack.
I work in a government office in a large complex of buildings set in wonderful gardens.
Michele sent me to say that from my office window I see trees and grass.....and the surrounding three storey white buildings of course!
[chuckle] did you write all our wishes on Zach's cast?
cq
The last government office I was in had no windows either- just cloth & 2x4 walls & a glass door.
Luckily I wasn't there very long!
Michele sent me to see your very paralell picture.
I told Morahmommy that I think that he will be fine for the first couple of days back at school -- but after a while the shine will fade: the thrill of him being in a cast will dull, and he'll get sad about things: that is when he's going to need the two of you to help him!
Ordinarily, I'd not post the same comment twice, but this is Zach we're talking about, and this is important!
Michele sent me, of course,
N.
I like old Govt buildings. They have soul. Walls speak out too.
One thing, I used to do was visit cemeteries. I get a very peaceful feeling there. (I am a Hindu)
I have written a poem on that recently.
Michele keeps sending me back like a bad penny!
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