Three months ago, Sally Marbry conceived the idea to transform a utilitarian electrical box in front of the Greyhound station in downtown Redding into a piece of public art. This 18-part series is a chronicle of her work and her observations of life on the corner of Pine and Butte.
Part 9: Indian Joe
August 13 The usual in and out of people shuffle. The usual nice compliments. The trunk seems to be the new accepted kid on the block: Street people have given me my space. There are the bums, the nice bums, the street people who are sort of bums, the business people, the travelers and the transient travelers. There are also the keepers of the street who facilitate the link between the street and survival.
Should I call him the New Arrival Host or the Tour Guide Facilities Director? I’ll call him Indian Joe.
Indian Joe is one of the local hangers. Is he an undercover cop, a social worker, a guy who runs the local mission and keeps his radar out to swoop up any lost and lonely? Is he waiting for drugs or selling drugs, or is he an insomniac and just needs the anchor of the building to keep himself sane?
Soda and coffee cups in cigarette container… need a trash can now. Hmmm.
The buses careen over the curbs to exit. The quiet ensues. Crows clatter to establish their territory again. I paint until the hot creeps to the trunk. My time is over to dodge the sun.
Indian Joe disappears.
to be continued…
Click here to find all the Greyhound Chronicles.
Visit Sally on September 12 on Pine and Butte as she reveals her electrical box turned masterpiece as part of September’s 2nd Saturday ArtHop.
Sally Marbry has shared her fine art, ceramics and sculpture skills as a teacher, product designer and interior designer. For the past year, Sally has been the host and writer of “Home Zone,” weekly on KLXR. She also chairs Viva Downtown Redding’s Design Committee, which spearheaded the public art and street beautification project. Reach Sally at Earth2Sal@charter.net.
