James VS The Recession II

After the Trouble I had with The Recession late last year, the outlook for 2009 was looking grim. I retreated to the coast mid-January and jumped off some rocks into water a few times - returning invigorated and inspired.

Sydney was all of a sudden a different place; the city opened up to me. I no longer felt conscious of my own body (like when you have an ear infection). I went for a stroll around Crown St and soaked in the atmosphere. This is what I saw and felt.

Billy Kwong's, Crown St:

A group of people were waiting in line for the 6:30PM sitting. They were mostly a bit older than I, and in spite of their relaxed discussion about fused dinners, you could tell that The Recession was lurking somewhere around the middle of their minds:

'I got tickets to The Presets AND season passes to the Swannies!' Said one.

'I hear The Presets are spectacular live.' Said another. This was greeted by a series of solemn nods and mentions that both members were trained at 'the con.'

I paused to do up my shoelace. Oh no! It wasn't today, it was summer (I was wearing thongs). Instead of standing up again, I remained crouching and updated Twitter from my phone. I will never, ever understand why I did this. The conversation outside Billy Kwong's continued.

The main man in the conversation had a shaved head and Barcelona chairs in his heart - which was easily visible from the sleeve of his flanellette shirt. His pre-dinner conversation managed to extend beyond his immediate, incorporating almost all of the waiting diners.

'... It was the strangest thing.' Said a peripheral lady. 'On the way here we saw the word "UPROCK" written in plastic cups on a fence.'

'It's called Cuprocking.' Said the Main Man. 'It's done by a guy from around here. It's pretty cool, huh?'

'Yeah, it's really expressive. And fun!'

'It's a far more efficient way to "bomb a public space," than with spray cans. It's very guerilla.'

'Oh wow, it sounds like it. I don't know very much about street art - working in accounting and all -'

The group suddenly went silent and stared at the ground as several young residents of the Oasis shelter - some of the best real estate in Surry Hills - walked past. The Main Man shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot and pulled out his iPhone to make sure he hadn't been outbid on one of those knife blocks that look like the knives are stabbing the contemporary stick figure man.

I could feel the awkardness. You know, with them not knowing each other too well, homeless junky kids walking past and me crouching several metres away just typing their conversation into my phone. It was understandable. I decided to diffuse the situation by talking to them, like I had been part of the conversation  all along. I stood up and took a step towards the Main Man.

'Woah! Those homeless kids are so ugly!'

He looked up from his iPhone. 'Sorry?'

'It was probably lucky they walked past when they did though.' I said. 'I mean, like before you referred to Andy Uprock as one of the main "Cats in the scene" to this lady.' I tried to wink at the lady, but ended up just rapidly blinking (don't know how to wink).

'What are you talking about?'

'Do you also Get performance art?'

'What do you mean?' 

'You know when someone decides to stop going to their job and relating to people? Performance art is what happens when that person wears black slacks and is in a room when Clover Moore is making a speech. THAT, is what I mean.'

He looked at me horrified. 'Who are you?'

I extended my hand. 'Here's my card.'

It read:

James Ross-Edwards.

---

EXTRA UPDATE:

So I'm starting a thing where I interview someone each week about the weather, and what they like/don't like about it. My first interview was with myself, taken last week...

James: Do you like the weather we have been having lately?

James: Maybe not the rain, but I do generally like Autumn.

James: They call it Fall in -

James: I know.

James: Describe what you like the most about Autumn.

James: Yummy blue skies, washed out earthy shades, Pimms and Lemonade while Beirut plays in the background.

James: Wow, that sounds okay.

James: I don't know what Beirut is.

James: It's just a word people say if they are not threatening anyone at all and it is 2007.