Mark Phillips' Pages: Workbook: 7/30/04: Utility meters behind the building.

Jacob Lawrence, "Harriet and the Promised Land No. 3," 1967 — Jacob Lawrence, *Harriet and the Promised Land No. 3, Lullaby* (1967)

July 30, 2004:

Utility meters behind the building. Rough feel of stucco as you hug the wall. Concrete sidewalk if you fall. But, you don't.

The sticky smell of pine cones. In the vending machines there are apples. The colors are light green, light gray, and white.

Little black kitty belongs to the neighbors. Fascination: rapt. A living thing you play with like a toy. A toy that loves you. Fascination.

One day you climb a steep hill. Houses, sidewalks. Very steep. A child, younger than you, outside the garage with his father, sees your fatigue and asks, "Did the Boogy Man 'pank you?"

"Don't put your finger in there!", says the sitter with horror. "What if there are spiders inside?"