I usually write and post when I have been out on the road. Local scenes can be mundane and unworthy of my time. When I think about it that’s ridiculous. If I were visiting from somewhere else, I would post about unique or interesting things so what makes it different when it is right down the street?

So, a couple of nights ago I took a couple of cameras down the street to a local outdoor shopping center. The builder put a public fountain in front of the multiplex theater. When it was built about twenty years ago, I’m sure there was a lot of traffic. The plaza and the traffic from the theaters must have guaranteed a crowd, especially on the weekends. Post COVID the theater is struggling and who knows when the adjacent Buffalo Wild Wings had a full house, or even half a house of customers. So the area around the fountain was mostly empty.

The towering fountain was on a timer when we arrived. It was about a minute and a half on and for the same duration the water was off. As the sun set the amount of time the water fell in the fountain increased until it was always on after sunset. Like the stream of water, activity around the fountain increased as the sun set. We saw couples sitting or sharing a Cold Stone. A young boy chased his father around the fountain, always coming close but never catching him. Selfies and family portraits in front of the fountain were also popular. As the heat of the day subsided the moisture of the fountain helped to cool the evening and release the tension of the day.

I was reminded of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, a great place to relax and spend time with someone you love, or by yourself. My local fountain isn’t as lavish, but it’s still draws people on a warm summer night. We have the Mediterranean climate; I think we should adopt these outdoor public places also. And don’t forget the fountains.