There are a few scenes that really illuminate the inner corners of a person: saunas, extreme physical exertion, parking on a busy holiday. This evening my father and I sold parking spots to watch the fireworks in Burlington, fireworks we ourselves did not stay to observe.
We put a sign at the corner:
parking this way
$10
and a further sign, closer to us:
parking $10
Baby fund!
I don’t see many people on a day to day basis, and I speak with even fewer. Today I had to interact with, instruct, and take money from just under seventy. I am reminded that I am an introvert. My father would bike himself over to the lot, instructing folks to park, and I’d take the money and tell a joke.
Yes, we do actually work here.
Sure, you could call this a side hustle.
yes, you’ll be able to get out later.
yes, it’s hot.
no, we don’t do this every day.
Yes, Jesus loves you.
Every day interactions are strange. There’s almost, but only almost, a horror to them. After the parking I went home and watched Nocturnal Animals, perhaps the scariest movie I have ever seen. A few days ago I watched Reality, which is not scary. They both smack of the every day with capital E and a capital D. Somewhere between Nathan Fielder and a bad acid trip.
July the 3rd wasn’t far off.