Walking Normandy

Even though I have a paid for the incredibly expensive parking pass, many days I still find myself having to park blocks away from campus. Although it is annoying leaving my apartment 40 minutes early, the 7 minute walk from my car on Normandy isn't that bad, sometimes even interesting. There are certain things that I come across everyday that catch my attention. There is one duplex that stands out like a sore thumb. Its modern architecture greatly contrasts with its neighbors. The residents of both sides of this duplex have some of the most untraditional art and furniture displayed in their living rooms. I am able to clearly see this not because I am creeping around in their bushes or anything, but because one huge window serves as the front of their homes. It's almost the equivalent of living in a fish tank. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum there is another residence hidden tightly behind a brick wall and gate. The thing that arises curiosity about this dwelling is the smell that hovers around the property. There is such a strong smell of trash... or decomposition... or something else wretched. At first I figured it must be trash day or close to it, but the smell hasn't disappeared as the days go by. Glancing through the iron gate I can only see cheap lawn chairs overturned and dying plants, so the mystery remains. Probably still pondering the mystery smell I'll sit and wait for the crosswalk to change. The minute it changes, time to run. I will have made three steps before the white, walking man disappears. How can anyone cross the street that fast? Grant it I may have short legs but I am pretty sure one of our SMU basketball players couldn't sprint across Hillcrest in that amount of time. Anyways, I have learned to appreciate my routine walk for what it has to offer; the little things that make life more interesting. I have even looked around my walk for inspiration. The weathered "no parking" spray-painted on the side of the road gave me the subject for my mind map.