Reportback from Kielbasy #2

Better late than never... Here is a report from our second Kielbasy resident, Meredith Arena.

While at Kielbasy I dreamt in abundance--buttery dreams that slid through one another. I walked around exploring the awkward boredom of Wilkes-Barre, PA and lingered in the rooms of 234 and 238 Scott Street.

I photographed cracks in ceilings, cracks in walls, broken statues, a headless gargoyle, an upturned swimming pool, signs at the nursing-home, the owner of a wig shop, curtains, fences, a ballerina sculpture, the manager of a rock venue, a couple with their baby, the Susquehanna, a guy in a Superman costume, ivy on aluminum siding, teenagers, peeling wallpaper, staircases, porches, reflections of decay in shiny glass, signs, old houses with triangle roof tops under dramatic skies, a guy on his porch, metal, parking lots, stuff in piles, the children next door, Alexis, Cynthia, myself, mirrors, train-tracks and doorways.

When it was raining I wrote about my uncomfortable memories: Richard, Tiffany’s debut album: Tiffany, Mr. Blain, Mrs. Levitsky, the male neighbors, Raimond, Lauren, the Puerto Rican girls, Richie, my virginity, the schoolyard at PS23, Egbert IS2, LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and 101 8th Street. The rain was especially loud in the studio. Cynthia lent me a Russian hat that I didn’t take off until I went to bed at night.

The light in the Wyoming valley is enchanted. On the last day, the sun came out followed by the kids. I let them in on Lex’s secret about importing acorns into the backyard for the squirrels. They anxiously posed for pictures and threw acorns. I told them I would visit in the spring. We drove out in a blazing autumnal sunset.

(Freddy's report arrived by mail and will be posted once someone types it up.)
(Meredith, could you share a link in the comments to the Miraculously Mundane album?)