A Tale of Two Buildings

Another building downtown; another building in a long line of buildings that shared blocks with other buildings in a city choked full of buildings. Towering over, stubbing under, blocking right and left, killing down the middle and sneaking from behind. This building in front of him now, occupying space, resting on this city earth, shooting like an uppercut to the sky might as well be alive, might as well exhale, reflect sunlight off its windows down on to those senseless, unaware people below; people getting into their taxis, leaving the restaurant, checking their phones, holding hands… something might as well be alive. Why not this building? Give it hands to hold, give it arms to hug, give it feet to stand on. What does it lack, this building? The morning sun hits it, the air runs through it, people need it…Something might as well be alive. 

“I couldn’t live without the light in the morning” she chirped like an excited bird. She had been up an hour or so already, made coffee, made breakfast, a load of laundry, and was now staring out the window. They had a prime apartment in the greatest city in the world. Coming from good stock had its rewards. She held her coffee and smiled. “Architecture is taken for granted. I mean take this building here, this is a beautiful building, I mean heck this is a beautiful block of buildings. The way they seem to play off each other actually, how the lines flow into one another and how the contrast excites instead of disrupts, well done Mr. Architect! But this guy, this building here is my favorite! What would we do without the arch? The fact that it is at once functional and aesthetically pleasing is a marvel. Yes indeed, architecture is underrated. To throw that arch there with that detail of brickwork is pure delight. To think how many people pass by this beaut every day and never give it a second thought is a travesty. Just follow the lines with your eye, how they meander yet hold; the windows, reflecting and capturing…just gorgeous.” She was bouncing on her toes now, grinning ear to ear; she might as well have been floating.

Describe a building as seen by a man whose son has just been killed in a war. Do not mention the son, war, death, or the old man doing the seeing; then describe the same building, in the same weather and at the same time of day, as seen by a happy lover. Do not mention love or the loved one.