Being an Observer

I enjoy being in downtown Seattle for a number of reasons, including the streets. Yes, the congested streets that mostly smell like uric acid. One of my mom’s hobbies is observing the streets whilst enjoying a cup of coffee and it turned out made a new interest for me too. Although the coffee wasn’t really my thing, I’ve developed a new love for watching folks pass by the open window.

Seattle is .. uh interesting. People here are very diverse. At one point, you’ll see a group of people just came out of Nordstrom with their Louis Vuitton paper bags, while wearing their newly bought Balenciaga shoes. Additionally, you’ll see cosplayers striding around confidently with their costumes who just came out from the Washington State Center (I just saw Wonder woman walking down the street and it inspired me to write this). You can also see the rushing worker who grabs a tall pink drink from Starbucks while on a shift break. Not to mention the groups of people who sleeps on the sidewalk, sometimes with their pets as company. 

It’s insane really, how a small part of a bigger area can be filled with different personalities and stories. Who knows that the person you walked past 3 seconds ago might have killed someone in the past, or that 11-year-old girl might become the world’s leading celebrity for the next 10 years? One can be happily content with their life, and the other condemns their life even if you can’t see it. I always imagined if I had switched places with the people walking down the street. What would they assume of me from the way I dress, walk, talk? Is it that obvious that I’m a pessimistic international student who’s still figuring her life out? 

One thing about being an observer is that you’re aware of the little details someone or something can have. I had a roommate/friend, who’s been an observer all her life, that can know the simplest things I usually do in my routine, from how I put my dishes, the way I sit, and many more. It’s surprising, almost even terrifying if I’m being honest. So if one day, you’re trying to stroll to the subway and you make an eye contact with a guy sitting alone in a cafe, it’s most likely they’re analyzing you.