#crosswalk convos

[phylum-crosswalk]

introduction!

woohoo! i haven't used tumblr in a long time. i decided to make one for animal crossing because i've been absolutely obsessed! my random talking tag is gonna be "crosswalk convos". you can call me miles! i'm not pinning this because i just kind of don't like the look of them, but i'll put a tag to easily find this again.

BELOW IS A LITTLE ABOUT ME!

i've liked animal crossing since i was small. it brings me so much nostalgia. i personally don't hold any opinions on "taboo" things in animal crossing (eg. treasure islands, modding switches, time travel), so don't worry about me blocking you for that. play how you want to play. you gotta do what makes you happy!

i love horror so villages like hitokui village and aika village are my childhood. i love art and animation, and my main accounts (zirconmonkey) have some of my art on 'em. i'll post specifically animal crossing art here but i'll always have a link back to my main on the posts (my main, zirconmonkey, doesn't have a tumblr anymore because i used it to make this, so it'll be linking to my instagram most likely).

send asks to get to know me! i love getting asks. especially if they're super weird lol.

i will share headcanons, art, ships (i really don't have many honestly it's really just tom x redd lol), and of course stuff related to my island. on december 13th 2022 i reset my old island, inktopia, to start a new island. this new island is called "reisei", meaning serenity. the theme is a sort of traditional japanese, rural small village in theme. not from a past period such as the heian period, but just a more laid-back countryside "everyone knows each other" type of place. when it looks a little pretty, i'll upload a dream address, but for now it's doodoo with weeds everywhere, just the start of a town.

[handsinterlaced]

hi this is gonna be my niall experience as I just need to get it out and I’m sure irls are SICK of me talking abt it <3 pls enjoy or ignore up to u

proof being delusional works!

june 27: I fly my ass out to toronto!!! and at this point I’m just giggling w a friend joking around what if I meet Niall

june 28: today is niall’s 1st show in Toronto hehe

I was eating lunch at a random restaurant I stopped by on queen st and I was soooo excited / nervous I couldn’t eat! basically forcing myself to eat so I don’t die at the concert fjdjskks but yeah after like half an hour of picking my food I start to feel unsettled.. and a lil bit uneasy! idk it was suchhhhh a weird feeling but u always gotta listen to ur gut!!

U GOTTA LISTEN TO UR GUT!!

DONT IGNORE IT

it was sooo strange like at that moment I knew I had to leave the restaurant RIGHT NOW and so I did! I was like half an hour walk away from my air bnb so I’m like that’s fine I’ll just walk back & still have plenty of time before the show to get ready and stuff! there were so many different ways to walk back. I could’ve crossed the street earlier or turned the corner sooner but the path I chose led me right to Niall 😭😭 I wasn’t even looking for him!!! but I was waiting for the crosswalk… look up and who do I see? NIALL FUCKING HORAN RIGHT THERE

- ngl tho niall in a cap and sunglasses is such a great disguise FJKSKAKA I would not have recognized him if tour manager wasn’t with him! shoutout to jstir (I met him when I was like 13 when he was working for Cody simpson and taking everyone’s m&g photos fjdjskks that man’s face is engraved in my mind so I was able to recognize him pretty quick!) like who knew my 13 year old phase would come back 10 years later and help me out !!!

anyways so Niall is across the street and I’m just fighting w myself debating if I should go up to him or not 😭😭 the saying never meet ur heroes is kinda true JDKDKAKA it changes u & all the expectations u have! Ultimately I figured that this was my 1 chance to say something so I just went for it. If I didn’t I’d probably regret it for the rest of my life!

I just know my voice was shaky and I was super nervous but niall was so sweet and patient <3 like I felt so bad just going up to him 😭😭 hes just out and about… trying to be incognito & enjoy some free time FJSKKA like I am quite aware but when else could this happen u feel 🥲 anyways here is the convo from what I remember bc I blacked out (as u do when u meet ur fave)

me: hi Niall!! just wanted to say hi and let you know how excited I am to see you perform tonight and tomorrow <3

niall: hi how are you! oh you’re going to both shows? is that right? we’re actually headed to the venue now

me: oh! If that’s the case I don’t wanna keep you guys. Would it be alright if we took a photo?

niall: yes of course!

the photos (cropped myself out bc Toronto humidity is my enemy & I was a sweaty mess from walking back to the air bnb)

and then I just say thank u so much! see u at the show hahaha and SPRINT OFFFFJFKSKAK like I ran so fast bc I needed to get away and scream 😭😭

mind u I be carrying my leftovers the entire time JFKSKAK SO FUNNY

I DIDNT EVEN INTRODUCE MYSELF! WISH I TOLD HIM I FLEW MY ASS OUT! THAT HE NEEDS TO TOUR MORE CITIES IN CANADA! TO PUT NEW ANGEL ON THE SETLIST!! so much I wish I said but again thankful they were on the way to the venue so I was forced to keep it short so I didn’t continue to yap and embarrass myself further. it could’ve been so much worse! just gotta remind myself that.

sat in the air bnb for like 2 hours in silence trying to process what happened fjdjskks would’ve been longer but I had to get to the show! anyways I was like 15 rows back on the floor and had the best time <3

june 29: Toronto night 2!!!

I’m sat 2nd row floor… right next to the barricade and I’m so close I know that niall can see me 😭😭😭 idk if it’s the delusion but I keep making eye contact with niall and he keeps looking at me! probs thinking oh is it that weirdo from the street yesterday 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 LMFAO but U TELL ME!! IS IT DELUSION BC I THINK I GOT PROOF RIGHT HERE

felt too perceived by him tbh JDKKA needed to run and hide! like eye contact was crazy djdjjsjs

OKAY THAT IS ALL FOR NOW I THINK! if u made it this far I am so amazed ty for reading the rambles <3

[solar-sunnyside-up]

Imma add to this bc this keeps happening to me its wild so here's some random connections ive made by just being extra kind or giving a random compliment to someone:

Met a guy at my coffee shop almost a year ago while I was randomly ranting about hydroponics and now hes working in his maker space community to build a community ran coffee shop

I found out about a regenritve farm who holds soup festivals and classes, the community coffee shop will probably be held here bc I introduced them bc I thought the hydro guy would like their farm.

I've been sharing stuff on instagram and the artist will message me and thank me, and now I have like 3 different artist friends?? One of them fairly well known in solarpunk sphere depsite them not knowing they where popular at all. They are now working on a community piece out of a fun interaction we had over dutch bikes!

Also on insta, I was gushing about someones stationary and now she is sending me a giant box of craft supplies her kids used to love but never used in the mail.

Reaching out to neighbors on various social medias to help them with gardening and bothering my community assoiation on insta now has the community on the verge of doing a bunch of crossroad murals ontop of stargazing events and debating a space for a tools library

Im finalizing a community event for August for a different crosswalk mural for my workplace which will have the community assoication, a nonprofit, and the green party in my area all connect. All bc I showed my boss the fun artwork you can do and how it cools down the store which saves her on the power bill

All of these just are from just randomy convos ive had with a LOT of people. People want change they want to help each other out, they want cool art projects and stuff libraries. But no one feels like they can talk to one another.

Isolation leaves us thinking we are unlovable, that we're the only ones out there who want this. But we're not.

Don't be afraid to connect with a stranger. People are more receptive to that than we think.

The other day, someone I'm in a server with submitted a suggestion to add it/its to the pronoun roles. I had been meaning to suggest that myself, since I partially use it/its, but I'd kept forgetting and I was a little worried it would be taken the wrong way. So I was grateful to this person, and wanted to thank them, but I'd never spoken to them before and I hesitated.

I went for it anyway. As it turns out, the server had been talking about it/its pronouns lately, and this person had randomly clicked on my profile and seen my pronouns. After those conversations, seeing my profile was the final push for them to submit the suggestion.

People really do look out for each other more than we realize. And if I had given in to my hesitation, I never would've known about that. So don't be shy to reach out a little. You might find something very heartening.

[lyssafreyguy]

one of my fave convos with Charlie of all time was a few years ago when he told me that someone called him a "f****t ass homo bitch" while he was walking the crosswalk before work and not only did he take like 15 minutes mid-convo to make a meme of the dude from TWD with "I'm f****t ass homo bitch?" in impact font but also he apparently spent most of that time looking for the original template but could only find the version of him wearing the Burger King paper crown. I've had the meme saved on my phone this whole time it's so fucking funny I think about it constantly.

[svtscutie]

The Dating Form: #13

__ Y/N's POV ____________________________

This man keeps on staring at me, I think this is the guy I'm meant to be going on a date with. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking? Cause...

Where did Seungkwan find this man? Like I just want to know. I actually need a minute to take it in. He's so good looking. Like so good looking that I usually don't get caught up with looks but he's just so handsome.

Oh, he's walking over here. Is it actually me?

Okay he's in front of me. Time to panic. I mean not panic, let's be cool.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"Are you the friend of Seungkwan? The one he made a dating form for?" He asks and I nod.

I offer my hand for a handshake - this isn't an old move right? - and say "Hi, yes that's me. My name's Y/N, lovely to meet you".

He chuckles lightly, and responds "my bad, I was expecting a hug". He takes my hand and gives it a shake.

"Oh and my name's Mingyu, I'm nice to meet you too" he says, slightly blushing now.

Oh my god, he's so cute.

"Have you been here before?" He asks and I shake my head and respond "Nope, which is surprising cause I like finding new places".

"You're going to love it then, come on, let's head inside" Mingyu says, holding my hand and we head to the front.

"Did you two have a reservation?" The waiter asks us both. I look up at him, oh my god, is he actually this tall? I've never felt so small in my life.

"Yes we do, table for two for Mingyu" he says and the waiter gestures for us to follow him.

Oh we're going upstairs.

Oh and again.

Oh my god it's the rooftop, it's stunning.

As we reach our table, he slightly pulls out the chair for me. I sit down and he pushes the chair back towards the table. Wow like a gentleman. I don't think anyone's done that for me.

"Is everything okay?" Mingyu asks me and adds "You seem pretty quiet".

I really haven't been in a date in a while, I'm getting stuck in my thoughts rather than being present in the moment.

"Oh yeah, I'm okay, sorry... It's just been a while since I've been on a date and I forget how overwhelming it is" I say and he smiles at me.

"Same here, I'm not the type to date often"

Oh that's interesting, I thought for sure he'd get so many dates. Like look at him. He looks so good in that black shirt right now.

"Why's that?" I ask him.

"Well, I'm happy as is, I got my mates and my family. I only applied for that dating form since I've seen you around campus and I didn't have the courage to ask you out in person" he says and adds "I guess what I'm trying to say, being single isn't so bad, but you're making me question my choices".

Okay bold.

And open.

And honest.

And values the people in his life.

And is happy and not desperate.

Swoon.

I ask "where have you seen me at campus?".

I actually have not seen him around. Surely.

"You're in my economics class and my accounting for business class" he says.

"NO WAY! surely I would've seen you around" I say and he laughs.

"I sit next to Wonwoo and he tells me you dated his best friend and you've been avoiding him because since you and his friend broke up" he explains. He's not wrong, until recently, I've been trying to avoid Wonwoo.

I'm working really hard to get over Jihoon I guess.

"Oh.. you're right there. I'm sorry, I should've at least said hi"

"Don't worry about it, it seems like you're determined to move on and that's why you were being distant from any connection to your ex. It's actually good to see, some people get too caught up in the past and what they could've done better" he says. He's not wrong.

Oh no... It's too silent.

Think of something quick.

"So dark, milk or white chocolate?" I ask, hurriedly. WHY DID I DO THAT?

He chuckles at me and I blush again.

"Random, but milk chocolate" he says.

"Ewwww no get out of here, dark chocolate is where it's at"

"Hey look at it this way, more dark chocolate for you if we need to share"

"oooh good point, I like that"

"I shouldn't be so bothered because I'm here with you, but our waiter has literally forgotten about us up here and hasn't given us a menu" He says.

"Honestly I haven't noticed, I'm too busy enjoying the convo" I say and he blushes now.

"Wow my cheeks are so warm" He says openly and I chuckle.

"Cute"

"Stop that, you'll make it worse, I'll overheat" he says, laughing with me.

"Hi excuse me, could we get a menu?"

__ Mingyu's POV _______________________

This date has been perfect. I've learnt so much about her and her about me. We get along so well.

She's spoken about Seungkwan. Spoke about dancing. Also, she knows Hao which is so cool like everyone's connected in a way.

She's heard about my mum and dad, and how I'm friends with Wonwoo, Vernon, Hao and Chan.

"Tell me about your family" I ask and she fiddles her thumbs a bit before beginning.

"Well, my main family is just my brother" she says to me.

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that" I say. She must've lost her parents to something.

"Oh no it's okay, like my parents are alive at least, it's just my brother and I didn't have a good relationship with either of them and they divorced recently too. We meet up like once a year but that's it" she explains.

"What happened?" I ask her.

"It's a long story" she warns me.

"I got all night"

"Well... Before all of this, my parents fought a lot, they fought more than even looking after my brother, Seungcheol, and I. Instead, it was my brother who looked after me more than my parents. I think my parents only stayed together for appearances, they always wanted us to look like the perfect family even if we weren't." She says and sighs.

"My brother went out to one party one time and got like really wasted. So wasted, he hooked up with this girl but someone caught them two and recorded them" she says and adds "especially with the family temper, we all kind of get angry easily, my brother ended up bashing up the person who recorded the video at school" she explains.

"My parents found out about the whole thing since the school had to let them know" Y/N states then adds "when they got home, my dad started throwing Seungcheol's stuff out the door and my mum didn't even want to help, she didn't even want her own son to stay, I started panicking as I didn't know where my brother would go".

"luckily his best friend could house him for a while but as soon as my brother was financially stable, he got an apartment and asked me to move out with him" she says.

"I think it took him a year but it was definitely worth it" she says and adds "him and I also owe his friend our lives".

"He helped us out so much, it was such a rough point in our lives" Y/N says.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in... I wasn't expecting that" I say to her and she nods.

"Yeah, so my main family, is just my brother and probably his best friend" she says. I couldn't imagine having that happen to me.

She remains quiet and I just sit and take everything in.

I lean over the table and she mimics my actions. The wind blows a piece of her hair in front of her face and I tuck it behind her ear.

"This date has been so good, you've made things so easy for me, thank you" she says, quietly. Wow, that quiet voice is so attractive.

"You're welcome, thank you for giving me a chance" I say, matching her vocal volume and she smiles at me.

The way the lights are illuminating her face are just adding to her good looks.

The smile slowly fades but she's still looking at me intensely. She looks down, away from my eyes. And back up again, biting her own lip. That's so hot.

"I want to kiss you so bad"

Oh my god.

Do I go for it?

Is it the right time?

"but I think you should work for it a little more" she says, chuckling, leaning away from the table.

"You're killing me" I say and she laughs a little more.

"Next date, just wait, you'll be swept off your feet with my cooking" I say and she gasps.

"Wait you know how to cook?" She asks me and I nod.

"And I know how to cook good, my mom taught me" I say and she throws her head back.

"What is this perfect man in front of me? I'm being tested so bad" she says and I laugh.

"You still have other dates, you know?" I say and she nods.

"and a part of me wants to risk it all right now and tell Seungkwan to not bother with the other dates... But I've jumped into a relationship before and regretted it. I got to get to know you more." she admits.

"I get it honestly, take your time, I'd rather you sure that I'm the one for you, then you doubting us whilst being in a relationship with me"

"ughhh you're too good"

___ y/n's pov ___________________________

"You didn't have to split the bill you know? I could've covered for the both of us" Mingyu mentions as we head out of the restaurant.

"No, it's fine, I would've felt bad if I let you pay for both of us" I say and he smiles. See, he liked that I covered for myself.

"Did you want me to walk you home?" He asks.

"If it's not a bother, then yes please" I say and he grabs my hand. I start walking towards my apartment and he moves me to the side of the crosswalk away from the road.

Cute, he's keeping me safe.

"I don't want this night to end, but we have classes tomorrow" Mingyu says and I nod.

"Gotta love that 10 in the morning start" I say and he chuckles.

"Are you a morning person or a night owl?" He asks me.

"Morning person, love the quiet rise of the sun and people. You?"

"Night owl" he says and adds "I like how alone you can be in the middle of night, or you can choose to get lit and have fun".

"I always struggle staying up though unless I'm getting lit at a party"

"Don't worry, I can keep you up" he says, winking.

Oh no, don't test me.

"I u-um uh I-"

"Cute" he says.

"You're really blushing" he adds and pokes my cheek softly.

"You caught me off guard" I say and he responds "that's exactly what I wanted".

"Don't worry though, I won't do anything you don't want me to do" he whispers in my ear.

Love me a man of consent.

Oh, we are near my place already, nooo.

All of a sudden, I get pulled into the convenience store.

"Ice cream run!" He says and heads to the freezer aisle. I laugh. He's so cute.

I follow him and he wraps his arms around my shoulders, hugging me from behind.

I feel so warm.

And happy.

"Which one do you want? My shout, full stop" he asks me.

"You won't let me object, will you?"

"If you object, you have to give me a kiss" he responds.

"Okay I won't object"

His arm from shoulder moves down to hold my waist as he gets his ice cream.

"This one is my favorite" he says.

I grab a green tea ice-cream as he holds the freezer door open for me. He closes the door and I hug him tightly to warm my body up and he hugs me back.

Mingyu chuckles as I stay there hugging him. I can hear his heartbeat, it's beating so fast. Am I getting him nervous? I pull away and he grabs my hand again and goes to pay for the ice cream.

___ Mingyu's POV ______________________

So this is it.

The front of her apartment.

The end of the date.

"I really enjoyed tonight, it was perfect" she says and adds "besides the whole 'giving our order to the wrong table issue' but it gave us more time to talk".

"I really enjoyed tonight too, like I had a good feeling about you, about us, even before we met. That's probably sounds weird but tonight made me feel like I'm not crazy for crushing on you in class" I say and she begins to unlock her front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow" she says quietly.

"You got something on your cheek"

She turns to face me and asks "what?"

I lean in and wipe the ice cream off her cheek.

She stares up at me and looks at my lips again. She catches me noticing her lips too and smiles.

"Good night Mingyu" she says, kissing my cheek softly.

Holy shit.

The door shuts. I can hear giggles and someone yelling "SO HOW WAS THE DATE?".

I guess it's time for the walk home alone.

________________________________________________________________

Day Four: #13

[masterlist]

—–

6 months after a breakup, a girl asks for some spice in her life. What she didn’t expect was a dating form being posted in honor of her. Multiple love interests, a regretful ex, a nosy brother and his friend and the college life ensures that the spice level is 1,000,000 on the Scoville Rating.

—–

A/N: SURPRISE! HOW DID WE FIND THE DATE? I personally don’t know which one I want more,  a brother-sister relationship like Seungcheol and Y/N or a mans like Mingyu? What are your thoughts? Do we like the Mingyu and Y/N dynamic??

___ taglist ___

[if you would like to be added to the list, just send over an ask and I’ll be happy to add you here]

@itsdnguyenxoxo​ @dy-mglzz​ @noniesgirl​ @arohatiny​

[hearsayhorizons]

In my experience, people are mostly thrilled to have conversations in this hellsite full of little islands made of tags and rubber bands. I had a short convo for the first time last week and I'm still stoked!

But I get where you're coming from. I spent the first 18 years of my life compressing myself physically and socially because I needed to survive more than I thought I needed my own space or voice.

I'm 31 now, and I'm still unpacking myself, reassuring myself that I won't get hurt for breathing too loudly and that people enjoy my presence.

I'm a lifelong pedestrian. (gray disabilities rise up). When I made it to safety, I couldn't feel safe. I carried a water bottle no matter the weather SPECIFICALLY so that when I came to a crossroads with a vehicle waiting, I could stop and obviously be busy until they moved. This was not because I was afraid of some Masshole hitting me, but because I was terrified that someone I would never never meet in their probably-aircon vehicle would be inconvenienced by missing their opportunity to pull out and I might make them more frustrated with pedestrians in the future. The slightest maybe and what-if were worth more than my actual time and discomfort BY DEFAULT.

I'm always as quick to cross as I can safely and I still have to fight the voice that says, "oh, they waved at you and called good morning through the window? They're just fulfilling the social contract; they're actually disgusted you wasted their ten seconds." If there's no input, that intrusive thought gets so much worse.

I relate that anecdote because you're the pedestrian waiting at the road and OP, the driver. If you reply or add info, and they don't agree or dislike it, you waste about ten seconds of their time (if somebody hates the first line of your lengthy response and lets it eat five minutes of their time, that is on them).

what if you do say something stupid, and the op or peanut gallery deride you? You'll probably make someone go "oh, yeah!" even if that person doesn't comment. As long as you're respectful (and I mean reasonably so, not softening your comments or requests until they're incomprehensible, ask me how I know that's bad).

In the course of relearning my space and my voice and that humans are social creatures that probably are good or neutral with existing physically and socially nearby me and that I'm not a pariah or burden for being, I have definitely put my foot in it, said the wrong thing, said too much and realized that faces have glazed over. Said not enough because I tried trimming too far and made both parties frustrated.

Yeah, you might say something tone-deaf or it might get taken in the wrong way because you leave off a sarcasm tag because you think it's impossible to interpret otherwise and direct indicator might maybe possibly come off as condescending.

I definitely have. Red down arrows on reddit continue to harsh my mellow entirely out of proportion.

But I've discovered that I have no sense of these things myself, that I make what feel like profound observations about the world and get taken for an idiot but say other things that feel like nothing much but end up in three-hour conversations that change us both.

I can't tell, I still can't judge. But even when I waste people's time, I'm calibrating. I'm learning to take that feeling and fight it off with the refrain that "they have aircon," which is... whatever. Patience. Understanding. Empathy. The option to walk away. As long as you don't keep engaging when someone gives you a clear no, you have the right to a crosswalk.

So you might frustrate them. Is the guaranteed lack of potential frustration worth the lack of potential connection? Your brain will say yes, because it weighs you less than them. You have a right to speak as you will--but you don't have a right to manage other people or their emotions.

If you skip out on a possible encounter because you're anticipating other people's reactions, that's what you're doing. What I'm doing. It's the only thing damaging my life with the people who help me become the person I want to be, and I hate it. If your brain dives off the social cliff before you start to type, choose to believe people are good and gregarious, not that you're mundane or empty of worthwhile perspective.

Take the plunge. I just did.

working up the courage to add actual reblogs onto other people's posts and Say Things is so hard. i promised myself i wouldn't keep not doing this soley out of Feeling Awkward About It and i'm trying to remember that i have useful things to contribute to conversations and i'm allowed to take up space and all of that. but i'm still like, what if OP of this post hates my addition and i have to go hide in a hole forever

[cleo-serotonin]

u know how i know the h2o girls are gay? none of them can drive. i imagine the convo went a little something like this

cleo: i didn’t pass my drivers test because i hit a cone while parking :((

rikki: same. except i hit them at a crosswalk 😾

cleo: yeah it- wait why was there a cone at a

[stuffromymind]

All The World’s A Stage

(Or how I have a sinking suspicion I’m an unwitting participant in a clandestine, scripted, reality tv show......)

      So the latter part of the previous week I decided to go for a walk down at the lakefront. Been a year since I've been down there due to winter, the plague doldrums and the number of cattle that invariably wander there. I decided to go to the most southerly part of the park. I followed the trail which goes in a loop that encircles a hill in the middle of a spit of land surrounded on three sides by water to the north, east and south.

     I soon hear a very loud and animated voice before I can see its source. As I come around the bend from behind a stand of trees I see a, somewhat dishevelled guy sitting on top of the knoll alone with a furry, Russian style hat. He appears to be having this quite loud conversation with someone but he’s alone.

     I look for a phone and I don't see one. He didn’t have a screen of any sort nor did he appear to be the sort of person who has one of those bluetooth things in the ear that the loud talking, cool guys wear so you know they're 'connected' and having important convos.

     He's talking to Janet.

     "Janet: Got to eat meat but not just any meat, chicken! Has to be chicken, definitely... chicken's going to be chicken, definitely chicken."

   He continues: "Fruit and veg, gotta eat fruit and veg! Definitely fruit and veg.... have to eat fruit and veg.... a lot of fruit and veg. It's good for you, Janet, and chicken, don't forget the chicken."  

     He sees me and we make eye contact from about 30 feet distant. I’ve always had a habit of looking people right in the eyes. Part staring contest and partly to keep their eyes off me. This time it is more out of a wish to acknowledge the poor dude.

   "Let's play hide and seek: You go hide but I'm not going to come look for you so you will hide but I'm not coming to look for you, fuck that. Fuck that. I'm not coming to look for you. Let's play hide and seek, you go hide."  

    Huh. I have a large smile plastered on my face. These are the wee and rare moments that make my life enjoyable.

    I keep walking around the bend, in behind another clutch of trees and am now out of sight but still listening. Not much choice actually. An old couple that's 10 meters behind me must have looked at him as well because again I hear him shift from menu suggestions to proclaiming:  

     "Okay we going to play hide and seek - you guys go hide, you will hide but I'm not going to come find you, I'm not going to come looking for you. Fuck that!   You go hide an' hide."  

   A minute passes and as I came around the loop on the other side he saw me, I again made eye contact with him and he looked at me and he said,  "Hide-and-seek, hide-and-seek is over. I'm not coming to look for you."  

   I went on my way. I thought about calling the cops but he seemed in good spirits and not a danger to himself or others and I knew, thanks to the ever deepening, apparently inexorable and necessary, flow of tax dollars from social programs to corporate bank accounts that he’d get no help and would likely just get hassled with no good outcome.

   Fast forward to tonight when I see that a person with a similar hat, (but it didn't click that it was him), 2 duffle bags and a really long stick, more like a tree limb with two short branches on one end, is poking the crosswalk button vigoursly at the intersection I'm stopped at. He’s having trouble connecting as he’s also holding a cane and getting sent off kilter by the 2 bags slung from his shoulders. I get a green and proceed on my way to the grocery store. On the way back I stop at a thrift shop to see what's up and who do I hear in there but my buddy from the park!

   I exit the store front vestibule into the store proper and he's standing there with his bags on the floor, sans 6 foot, 2 pronged tree limb. He’s talking, having an animated conversation but, again: There's nobody there and he's talking at the glass jewellery display case and some of the merch on the wall behind the counter. Quite vigourous in is exhortations is he. Mr Hidenseek looks my way and then he walks away from me.

    I continue into the store and take about 5 steps when he turns and starts walking back towards me. We make eye contact. He looks friendly, eyes are gentle but slightly vacant, tinged with a bit of the wild -dare I say madness- but he smiled at me while sweating profusely. A good soul despite his issues.  I give him the peace sign.

     "V for victory. Obviously, definitely.... obviously V for victory. Victory.", was his only acknowledgement of our interaction. Clearly it registered so that was good. Sucks to be alone with one’s thoughts allllll the time. Of this I speak from experience.

     I went on my way towards the back of the store but I could hear him clearly no matter where I strolled. He was a welcome distraction to the utterly shite Muzak that is piped in from the ceiling mounted speakers. I’ll take the ramblings of madness over auto tuned dreck ANY day please and thank you. 

     A few minutes later, on my way out, my loop is bringing me past him again and he's just standing there -feet spread wide- at the jewellery counter and he's reading from his phone and this sound file is what he was expounding to the audience on.

   I've long thought I've been living in a much, much darker sequel to The Truman Show due to the sheer number of crazed and fukt events that have befallen me since being spawned. I’ve warned some friends and family that if this proves to be true I will rain holy Hell, (and want a large percentage of revenues with requisite interest ).

   Now it appears I'm in a more madcap version of Rain Man.

   He looked way too young to be Moses.

   Did have the beard going though

[capysimulator]

—day 12

i’m still doing this but super sporadically.

Day 12 - Bullet your whole day.

i set my alarm for 8am and 9am last night when i went to bed at SURPRISE 12am!!! i usually sleep at ~4am so that was a FEAT.

i woke up at close to 7 because i was dehydrated lmao but went back to sleep. it was nice to wake up so early not wanting to face death. reminded me of the summer i sort of had my life together

i ended up waking up at TEN. but it was fine.

i washed my face and did my skincare. important!

i had an assignment draft due later in the day so i edited like a motherfucker 

i was reluctant to work on it because of some stuff i was salty about but i DID IT

i ordered food in between

and did my makeup and put on non-pajamas

the delivery guy called and said a bunch of things but my phone korean is so bad so i was like “i don’t understand sorry” and he was like “ok just come down” lmao sdfbfhnh

there are two doors to my building so i went tot he back door first and saw an unknown logo on the motorbike so i thought it wasn’t him

when i went to the front there was no one thoug h so i ran back lmao

thankfully the guy was nice

i ate and worked on my paper some more

struggled with the ending

texted my friend grace to ask how to print at the library because i’d been printing at a nearby coffee shop most times and it was impossible today bc i was cutting it so close to class

i went on the course website to check where we were meeting bc today my class was going to see a talk and submit at the end of it. i thought even if i was late to the talk, i could just catch the tail end and submit

turns out the talk ended at 3:30 and i thought it ended at 4 and i still hadn’t printed

my dumb ass RUSHED to take the bus

then RUSHED to the library

on the bus i found out gongchan my love from 2015-2017 was in sinchon which is where school is located... so i was like BLEASE be there still once im done submitting my shit

i went to the library and printed at the library for the first time in my life (convenient now that i know how to do it!)

i ran into a classmate while printing (she said hi to me first??? wild) and she was like “oh you didn’t submit?” “no... is the lecture over” “yes...” “oh shit ok” “maybe u can go to her office?”

she was really nice and sympathetic even though our convo was just that pretty much

good thing she told me it was over or i’d have run up to the 7th floor of the lib where the talk was at lmao

but instead i ran up the damn hill to the building where my prof’s office was

she is on the 6th floor....... when i got there she wasn’t there she had a CLASS in the next building

so i ran there too

my dumb ass waited on the fourth floor for 1 1/2 hours for the class to be over bc i thought it would be rude to just be like knock knock im a terrible student please accept my paper

i was hoping she would come out to use the bathroom some time in that time but NO

anyway she accepted it very kindly

i RAN in case gongchan was still filming in sinchon because 2016 me is not dead

but it was dark by the time i got there so i knew he wasn’t

i went through the underground to the sinchon intersection instead and went to my fav udon place for dinner

the udon guy who looks like he judges me for being there all the time was not there so i was thankful

i ate... it was nice bc i was so COLD

i considered going to yoga but i have More Work To Do lmao

health is impt but i have deadlines

i reloaded my transportation card... got on the train

IT WAS RUSH HOUR so i was sardined between so many people and had to face upwards to breathe bc all of them were tall

or i am just.. small......

i should have taken the bus but i was one train stop away and i needed to reload my card anyway

passed by coffee bean on the way to the crosswalk back to my place

went back to coffee bean and got an iced caramel macchiato even though i was JUST cold

worth it

climbed up the 45 degree hill to my place

now i am here

wrote in my diary for a bit

planned out the rest of my night

now i’m writing this post

after this i’m going to do some commissions and hopefully go to bed early again tonight!! yay !!!!!!!!