edenland: Street Talk: Leaf The Fallen.

Friday, 7 June 2013

Street Talk: Leaf The Fallen.

I do my best to try keep Street Talk varied, but also not to stereotype, but also illustrate that we are different and sometimes completely gorgeous or even-keel or quite weird. But basically mostly the same, this experience we are having together.

I slouched off tonight, carrying shopping bags and just too shy to ask anyone, walking out into the blistering cold. Dejected.

Until:

"Hey. HEY - Down here. I'll be your Street Talk. Choose me."

So I did. I chose a leaf on this cold cold wet night, lying on the pavement opposite the public toilets. I didn't have to ask it any questions at all because things like fallen leaves have a lot to say if you stop to listen.

"So it's spring, right? There I was, a bud. I grew up towards the warm sun and I gotta say, lady - I was glorious. Top of my game. There was no better looking leaf than me. My colour! Rich green, speckled with dark red. I was the best looking leaf in town and all the trees knew it.

What nobody knew, nobody saw coming ...... autumn. What the HELL? We changed. We couldn't move as freely. Rigid and fucked up, man. I seen some shit looking down on these public toilets for over three months but I aint never expect to see my friends and family wither and die like that and just fall off right in front of me. I lasted the longest. Until a coupla hours ago. Lady you ever fall down and you can't get back up?"

I tell the leaf yes.

"I'm gonna break into tiny pieces and cease to exist. There is no god. Everything is meaningless! It's just me and this cigarette butt over here, waiting to see who'll go first. I tell you what, those new leaves that start sprouting come September - they're not gonna know what's coming for them. Hey. Maybe that's a good thing. Who wants to know when your time's up?"

"Thanks for listening, lady. Thanks a lot."

Friday Street Talk is an unfolding art project. I'm so grateful and blown away that people (and on occasion, things) ... say yes to talking with me, trusting me with some snippets of who they are. It keeps changing.