... and less than 24 hours later I learn that the lift's walls have been painted. Either that's just a coincidence, or the graffiti is newer and the building less neglected than I realised.
Nevertheless... now destroyed, still true.
Someone has proclaimed Her love for Him on the wall of the lift. Scrappy graffiti in crappy biro. It's clearly provocative, possibly intended as a teen-to-teen cuss. Underneath, the no-nonsense capital letters "IDST" emphasise the irrevocable finality of the announcement.
I smile. It's been a long time since I've seen that. Who knows when it was written? The interior of the lift clearly hasn't been painted for some time. The building is shabby; not exactly unloved, but neglected, out of fashion and apparently due for demolition over the next year or two.
Until then, this love will rise and fall at the whim of those who live there and those visiting them. I wonder how old the graffiti's protagonists are now. Are they still together, married with kids, was it a squalid one-night stand or even just a false friend's flight of fantasy?
You can gaze the other way, take the stairs, walk around the block, pass through the area without alighting, live on the other side of town, never visit this city... it makes no difference. These words will still remain, exercising their silent power. If destroyed, still true.
Posted by Hg on Thursday 03 September 2009 at 22:14.
Received 3 comments so far.
Comments
Oh that made me just do a really big sigh.
That was lovely.
( I'm glad you saw it before the lift was painted)
Thanks Isabelle. Sometimes I wrap myself up in knots trying to think about Big Themes to write about, but eventually I'm always reminded by something like this that small and simple is easier and more satisfying.
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