Urban Harper

The weather has been unusually mild, so tonight was the night to tuck screens into the windows. After this chore I retreated to the front porch to play my harp. Eventually neighbors on four nearby porches lit candles, sipped wine and microbrews, and listened as I ran through more of my repertoire than I thought would be possible in the waning light.

As the light dimmed, the white strings disappeared until only the darker C and F strings were visible. Their red and blue colors were indistinguishable, but they were vaguely distinct by the larger or smaller gap between them. The larger gaps were really the unseen G, A, and B strings; the smaller gaps were the D and E strings.

Neighbors strolled by; some walking their dogs, others wearing short skirts and carrying fancy handbags. Cars rumbled down this brick neighborhood street. The police chopper circled nearby, and sirens from fire engines and police cars wailed. I've been playing nearly 90 minutes. My neighbor, Lindsay, thanked me for playing and remarked about the interesting contrast between the harp melodies and the urban soundscape.