In the crosswalk

The day I went kayaking/to the Science Tunnel I also wandered to Plaza Victoria (bored? go wander in Valpo, there's nothing better). Here there was a nice crowd, at least 200 people lining the streets of a T-intersection. There was a clown in the middle of the road, harassing every vehicle that passed by. This was done in varied ways; by chasing them, throwing shoes at them, climbing on top of them, directing traffic the wrong way. When a police van came by he laid down alongside the road, and they did nothing. My favorite was when he used his whistle to make that 7-tone song-thing that everyone always does when they knock on doors, except he omitted the last two notes and left these to the driver he was harassing. The driver didn't get it, so he got out and let the clown do it. He then drove the car away. He brought it back eventually.

One afternoon I walked home from Sausalito (an hour and 45 minutes by the way) and at the Journal intersection there was a man on a unicycle, the seat of which was, no kidding, over my head. He juggled three bowling pins, rode the unicycle with one foot, balanced a soccer ball with the other, and actually scratched his back with the pins as he juggled. I marveled. He fell. I was still impressed.

Another day, on Errázuriz, during the red light, I saw a man jump onto I don't even know, a large box thing on the sidewalk, and commence playing guitar while two others, all with suits and painted faces, ran into the crosswalk and began throwing suitcases at each other and screaming stuff. Only from the photo did I realize what this was; the suitcases had the name of a theater company; they were advertising.

I enjoy the fact that these events take place during the short span of the red light. They dash into the crosswalk, do their thing, and then run back to the side to avoid speeding micros. This happens frequently, everywhere that there is a lot of traffic. Sometimes it is just dudes doing handstands and flips. It doesn't matter what it is; I am always impressed.