I have
been in Germany for a few days and - finally - the sunshine touch my cheeks.
I just
returned from a walk in Bad Godesberg where I am staying (near Cologne and
Bonn).
I love
the odd faces at the local market. Especially because I cannot decide
whether I like (or not) the things I found.
Abandoned
dolls. Useless things. Innocent teacups. LPs from another
era. Keyboards from the days when computers looked like buildings. And
all these old clothes and shoes whose smell calls for a trip to the
washing machine.
And yet I
love these markets. Watching people look for things. Observing
things being pushed from an era onto the next. And as I looked at cash
transactions I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the story behind each item. How
did it get there? Who was the owner?
Some
things are hideous and my imagination creates the story of the birthday present
that ended up at the charity shop. Other things have aged with grace:
classic leather bags, classic novels, and silverware. Some do not age
for example the crystal glasses and chandeliers. And others, perhaps a majority, will never be owned again.
And I think of the owner who passed away. I imagine those owners' reversal of fortune that made them sell
her precious items - against their will.
The
imagined lives of the owners have tickled my imagination and I hope to soon
return to writing short stories.
Below are
the photos from some of the items with the strongest personalities.
| One, two, three. . . "cheese"! |
| When I grow up I want to be Barbie! |
| Glimpses from another era |
| Life in plastic is not fantastic |
