phoenix is just a bunch of concrete and questionable energy drinks right now
i woke up with a cactus in my hand and a grudge against the sky. it was that one of those days where the temperature is 20.11 and you’re basically wearing a sweater made of doubt. i checked the app and it’s 20.11, which is like a lukewarm hug but with a side of existential dread. the forecast said ‘sunny,’ but the sun felt like it was judging me. maybe it was right. maybe i should’ve worn more shoes.
there was this moment where i stood in a parking lot talking to a stranger about the weather. they were annoyingly specific-‘it’s 18.62 out, feels like a ghosts dance party.’ i didn’t know if they were a yoga instructor or a professional liar. either way, i left with a new appreciation for ambiguity. if you get bored, the nearest place to yell at a tree is 15 minutes east. don’t ask why i remembered that. i think it was a dream.
the neighbors here are… complicated. not the kind you nod to at a potluck. these are the people who leave their AC on 24/7 and then act shocked when the power goes out. i heard that once a week, someone tries to start a fire in the alley. not a campfire. a real fire. like the kind that eats your trash. i’m not sure if that’s progress or a cry for help. probably the latter.
i took a map and it looked like a spiderweb of highways. the coordinates? 34.598,-112.3185. not sure what those numbers mean. i just trusted the google thing. theiframe was a last resort. i don’t even know if it works. probably not. but here it is:
i found two images on unsplash. one was a brown stanchion with a Trump poster. the other was a dog in a polka dot shirt. both felt like they belonged in a surrealist movie. here they are:
i heard that the local coffee shop has a secret menu. not the kind you pay for. the kind where you ask for a ‘mystery latte’ and they give you a napkin with a drawing of a sad clown. i tried it. it was okay. maybe i’m just too cynical. i also heard that the city is a ghost town at night. not literally. just like everything here. empty eyes, empty streets. maybe that’s the vibe. maybe that’s why they call it phoenix. rising from the ashes of your sanity.
i looked up reviews on tripadvisor and yelp. some people said the food was good. others said it was a scam. one guy wrote, ‘i came here expecting a dive bar and left with a existential crisis.’ that’s not a review. that’s a warning. i also saw a post on a local board that said, ‘if you’re not careful, phoenix will swallow you whole.’ i don’t know if that’s true. but it sounds like a good story. maybe i’ll write a book about it.
the weather kept changing. i just checked and it’s 21.24 now. that’s like a warm hug from a stranger. or a warning. i don’t know. the humidity is 17%, which is basically a desert whisper. i tried to drink water but it tasted like regret. maybe that’s the point. maybe phoenix is trying to teach me something.
i met a guy who said he used to be a consultant. now he’s a street artist. he painted a mural of a clock melting on a wall. it looked like it was done by a toddler with a crayon. i asked him why. he said, ‘time is a lie. so is this city.’ i didn’t argue. i just bought him a soda. it was 5309858 yen. not sure if that’s a real number. probably not. but it felt right.
i don’t think i’ll be back. maybe. the dog in the polka dot shirt looked at me and smiled. maybe that was a sign. or maybe it was just a dog. either way, phoenix is beautiful in its messiness. it’s the kind of place where you can get lost and find yourself. or at least a good coffee. if you’re luck.
links to try:
- tripadvisor phoenix
- yelp phoenix
- local events board
- unsplash phoenix photos
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