Sunday, October 15, 2006

Where in the world am I? (7)

I live in a country where it is perfectly normal for people to leave piles of building materials obstructing a side-road or a gateway or other access point.

Today, I encountered a broad sidewalk completely blocked off by several piles of loose bricks laid across it.

Now, in general, sidewalks in this country are impossible to traverse for numerous other reasons (the impassability of sidewalks - and what people use them for instead of passing to and fro - could form the subject of several posts in itself), but this was an uncommonly wide and uncluttered one - until I came upon this impromptu wall created by a gang of inconsiderate builders.

[And several of my pedantic British friends will whinge mightily at my adoption of the US term 'sidewalk' here; but I am sufficiently 'Mid-Atlantic' now to embrace certain Americanisms without shame. The meaning of 'sidewalk' is self-evident, and it is therefore universally understood; 'pavement' can mean other things besides the pedestrian walkway at the side of the road, and thus often causes confusion to non-Brits. Quibble, if you will.... My aim is clarity and inclusiveness, rather than a dogmatic adherence to "the Queen's English".]

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