*As the fence gets closer I enjoy the symmetry of its diamonds that the metal wires create. And taking a large step I jump, grabbing the top bar of the fence doing a sort of push-up swinging both legs up and over the pole. Landing on the other side in a crouch I get myself back to vertical and hug the wall as I make my way through the alley. There are a few puddles and tons of things that would be nothing except for their identity as fixtures of the alley. A few blocks deeper the buildings grow closer together. Fewer windows too, and the windows that now look out to this place must be in bathrooms; small, frosted glass. Nothing anyone could see out of, or open. Who would want to look into this dark alley anyway. And finally I make it to the back of the alley. To the back where someone 40 years ago, (or 140 years ago, I couldn’t tell and it didn’t matter) the owner of one of the buildings, tried to seal the alley up. A brick wall laid with irregular red bricks and way too much morter rose between the buildings almost 30 feet up. So really it isn’t an alley. It’s an urban cul-de-sac of sorts that feels more like a cave. But there at the back are more things that really would be nothing. Except they are here, and so they are forced to be something. And yes, my pack.