Good city, Providence. Rolled through for a couple hours today and got all the things I need from a little city day trip. I moved to southeastern Mass last year from downtown Atlanta where I had lived for a decade or so, but I’m not new; some family is here and I’ve been in and around. Boston kinda sucks these days, and so usually if I get some free time and need to get some culture I head to y’all. Today was one of those days, and so I hit it. Nothing crazy, no plan or events, casual day - mid afternoon I jumped off the exit. Headed to Wickenden cause I felt like a slice from Fellini’s. Best pizza around? No idea, but it’s consistently good and I like the atmosphere. Slightest amount of hipster stink but not in an intolerable way, just in the sense that your aunt might say it’s ‘funky’ and they have bathroom graffiti and the local free papers. But the slices are tasty, so I had one outside and went back in for a brownie (technically a chunky blondie if you’re into that) which was also good. Now when I walked outside with a slice, did a big drop of stank gutter water fall directly from the awning onto my crust? Yes, and did I eat it anyway because I like to test my immune system? Also yes. Then I stroll to the Dickblick to look through and remind myself that I actually already have a mechanical pencil like that one, and I wonder how often they’ll rework the mural if at all and so I stroll a bit more, window scoff, check the telephone pole posters and so on. Thayer streets pretty tame now huh? Then I remember I don’t get to the west side much, so I cruise that way, taking a few small detours if I smell a graffiti spot or alleyway or some other thing I wanna see. Graffiti is good here, in quantity if not quality (but I like drippy scrawls and dirty tags and fillins, so you might not be as pleased). There are some talented writers up here, plenty of garbage too. I see a coffee shop and I like coffee so I pull over and turn around in an abandoned diner. Too late - PVD police see me riding dirty in Georgia plates, think I’m evading so they double back and blue light me as I stop in front of Sin Bakery. Ms. Officer! Got damn young lady, thank you for your service baby you really doing it justice. She gave me attitude like I pulled her over, shit. Classic kind-but-not-nice, busted my balls and told me to keep it moving. I didn’t tho, because I was at the place and pulled over into a legit parking spot. So I hop out and run in and pretend like everyone didn’t just watch me get pulled over. But they did watch! Two beautiful Sin bakers were watching, and they both shared my disdain for silly road pirates and they gave me a free iced coffee to help ease my pain! Thanks guys! (Guys in a nongendered way) Then I meet and chat with Andrew, friendly stranger doing what I was doing more or less - enjoying coffee on the sidewalk, thinking about life shit. If you live here you might know him, he’s a gift. I was surprised to see what I assumed was another wild ATLien - man walks by in some fresh Braves gear so I speak ‘ayoo sup Atlanna good to see some South’ or something dumb like that. I’m not always this social, but Andrew and the kind bakers had me feeling friendly. Man, that dude gave me coldest cold shoulder and lady with him said some negative ish I didn’t hear. Fair enough, most people want zero street interactions and that’s fine. I’ll keep it pushing, and ah shit now I’m in olneyville. Any way, I love ya I’m glad you’re doing okay, I’ll be back soon probably for plant city and some art if I can find it.