Day 15: Suburbia

"That's the trouble with the suburbs: it's not a city, so you're not anonymous, and it's not a small town, so that people really care about you, but everybody kind of knows each other's business, so you're very judged" - Anne-Marie Duff

Project 365: #15

So, this is just at the end of our driveway, a couple of houses down, in pretty-much true suburbia...even illustrating the functioning public transport system! This patch of grass is between the road and the pavement....so efficient here that the pavement has a line painted down the middle indicating the cycle track. Cycle track is on the left, pedestrians on the right....do NOT cross the white line!!! This piece of grass is actually public property, but the retired neighbour tends it carefully, so that it produces these bountiful blooms each spring. He was leaning over his garden fence when I asked whether I could take a photo...he was very proud of his garden and pleased that the blooms could bring joy to passersby. I proceeded to introduce myself, which was clearly not necessary, as he already knew all about me and my family, our history, where we were from, what we ate for lunch, etc...he also invited me in to see his begonias, which I politely suggested  "maybe next time"? Ausländers are quite an enigma...about suburbia!! Not sure where he gleaned all this information from, as we have not really shared very much information, some possibly lost in translation between my very bad German and English! On one hand, it is good to know that you do not go unnoticed, on the other it is a little creepy! PS. Do NOT EVER park on green grass anywhere in the city or suburbs, you will be ticketed!! Green zones are very much revered! After all, green is kinda uplifting...