Quiet Sundays

Inspired by August Landscape, 1973-74 - Sidney Goodman

Staring up at the blazing sky, Jim picks up the Sunday paper. He opens it, not even reading. Just opening and looking. He does what he always does on a Sunday morning; Wakes up around 10:30, slips into a pair of old slippers and steps outside to retrieve the paper featuring yesterdays news. His attention turns quickly to the next door neighbor whose name he does not know. They trade no words. Only a nod of the head before they return to their papers. A quick rush of wind blows through and Jim's focus turns to the cliff face to the right. The cliff, like a large hole in the side of a mountain, stands tall and stern, guarding the precious cargo above. On top of the cliff sits a collage of houses and office buildings, apartments and roadways. The large buildings masked by the light haze of automobile exhaust from the mornings church rush gaze upon the old, empty street below. Two cars take advantage of free weekend parking along the sides of the wide, faded mainstreet. Heat radiates from the exposed rooftops of the cars while a cool breeze blows through the open windows.

The buildings and houses lay stacked, row upon row from top to bottom. Each row distincly separated by a roadway, elevated slightly from the one before it. Atop the neighborhood sits two tall office buildings perched like two corperate giants, each watching over his or her associates with a sharp eye. Jim peers up and waves as though someone was actually watching. He chuckles to himself and turns to go back into his house. He pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath of stale, damp air, and continues onward.

(Another English project. This is a scene based around about 20 minutes of recorded observation of the painting. This painting can be found at the Palmer Museum of Art.)