Guerilla Tales: Minneapolis

Chalk can make you more courageous than you would be otherwise.  It makes you climb ladders, crawl on crowded streets, connect with strangers.  And sometimes, such as this magical moment in Minneapolis it can result in conversations that you would never otherwise have:

In Loring Park, a large group of men were having a wee of a time Barbeque-ing.  Emboldened by their laughter, I approached their leader and asked if they would write some haiku with me.  He was unimpressed.  But one gentleman was curious; Amir. He had a cast on his foot, and told me that he was waiting to hear if it was to be amputated.  I wrote a tribute to his endangered limb, whereupon the ice was broken- and conversation flowed.  We talked of homelessness and patience and dreams and why people are uncomfortable opening themselves to others.  His dream is to open a Black Thai restaurant in Minneapolis combining curries of the Caribbean with Thai varieties.  It sounds delicious.  He made me think.  And then he decided to try his hand at writing haiku.

All things understood
Never need to be explained
Silence is golden

Enough said.  Thank you, Amir.