This city is a close, tight knit, supportive, creative, intelligent, progressive, sometimes dirty, sometimes clean, loud, busy, and very very small city. It is full of characters. From the CEO in the elevator, to the UPS lesbian carrying boxes across the street. The characters make up this city. They are also, sometimes the only things you can count on. The one stability in all this craziness.
From the teeny tiny homeless woman, who I can guarentee is always at the top of the 24th BART station. To my drunken neighbors on their stoop. Its that fact that I walk down 7 blocks and can run into 4 people I know. Sure, its the small, but packed neighborhoods that we live in, where we spend our time, that of course we are going to run into someone we know. But it even goes beyond that.
I have had the same courier come to my office, more than a few times. I have stood next to the same woman in line at the lunch place (with the really amazingly delicous veggie sandwhiches) on multiple occasions. I have seen the same security officer, looking bored as ever (probably wishing he could be spending his time watching the playoff games), guarding the bank on a daily basis.
It is not that fact that I will run into someone I know. It is the fact that it is entirely probable. Its not that fact that I know the security officer, or the UPS woman, or the guy at my deli. Its the fact that I know they are there, and I can rely on their consistencies. Their actions, movements, personality. These are the day to day interactions that become habit. I know to place my food on the weight rather than the counter to save the check out person time. I know which guy at Walgreens is an ass and which one is the nice one. I know what time of the day to go to FedEx, and which FedEx to go to, based on who's working, and who's actually going to help me.
As much as my life can get routine. As much as I can feel uninspired because of lack of time to fulfill my creative or personal needs (whatever the crap that means). As much as life can seem to much like a record, it's the comfortability of the consistencies of the day to day that continually makes me step back, and smile, and appreciate LIFE, in its everyday. Because really in the end, that is all we are really doing. Its interaction, and relationships, and building upon who you want to be, for yourself and to others, that makes you the consistency in someone else world. That makes you the character. That makes them step back, and appreciate Life.
And no matter what. No matter how much I feel down, or throwing a pity party for my god damn self. There is one thing this city and this life is not. And that, is boring.