The young men were two soccer club chums. Maybe around 22 years of age. They boarded the train together. One young man was dressed head-to-toe in black and white and the insignia of his soccer club was on his jacket. The other young man was also dressed head-to-toe in black, but without the insignia. They …
Author Archives: The Chronicler
Waste Baskets
These little individual waste baskets are each seat on the train. People use them. Seldom do you see trash on the floor or on the aisles. The first one is in the wall under the window. It folds back into the wall with a clank! You hear it in the entire car. The middle one …
Eating Out of the Wall
The exact translation to English of this automated food dispenser. These have been around as long as there have been students needing food and no resource in sight. This one is in Amsterdam and is recently upgraded.
Travels #4b
Travels #4
Saw this Stateside
Shorn Grass
My house owner planted a huge grass plant in a too small place. The house owner of the door on the right is not pleased with the sharp fronds of this plant crossing his threshold and blocking his entrance. Enter renter with shears. I have seen passersby with camera taking a picture. With a bit …
Travel Tales
This summer, while on the East Coast, I had occasion to travel to the Mid West by air. Part of that story is, though booked on one air carrier, there was such chaos and cancellations, within 42 hours I went, stayed, and came back on three different airlines. But I digress. This story took place …
Can Not Imagine
This row of trophies covers a complete shelf space in the second hand store. Why are they discarded? Did someone die? Did a parent clean house? Did someone quit? Try as I might, could not come up with a satisfactory story that wasn’t a melancholy tale.
Telling the Truth is not Always Wise
There is a short list of behaviors I find difficult with which to deal. Sometimes the behavior comes unexpectedly to the fore and I am unprepared. Such was yesterday. In July, signed up for a work-shop on language, in Amsterdam. There was unusually little information about this event but it was clear to be a …
Like Harlem
When I think of Harlem in New York, the pictures of neighbors sitting on their stoops is what comes to mind. This happens in my neighborhood. Because the houses are on a small brick road that abuts the water of a small harbor, every house has chairs or benches in front. [you might remember last …