Friday, July 28

When I arrive at 40th and Walnut today, a group of high school students is gathered at the library wall. As soon as I put the station down, I approach them, and a pair of friends agrees to try it out:
When they finished, I asked them what it was like. One said it was hard to just talk for the whole time, but that she liked it. The other said she noticed that she liked the feeling of just listening.
Another pair of friends decided to try it too:
Soon after the group leaves, a pair of boys walks by, both eating candy bars. I ask them " would you like to try the listening station?" and they shrug at each other and sit down. They take 1 minute each, and go on their way again, after declaring the listening station "fun".

My last interaction of the week is with a man who has come by a few times going in and out of the library. He comes back after declining to use the station, and tells me that it's a " sweet piece" and that he really likes public art. I remind him that it's meant to be used, but he doesn't take the hint. He asks for my website, and while fishing around for a piece of paper, finds a book in his bag. He insists that I take it as a "fair trade", for what- I am not sure.
Upon later inspection, it appears to be a book bought at the library sale table, or at The Last Word down the street, and seems to be a useless analysis of the minor painter and orientalist, Eugene Fromentin.

For the last few minutes of the hour, I sit at the station, asking passersby, " would you like to try the listening station?"