jump in a public fountain

The scene: A snooty, corporate high-rise building with a big fountain out in its plaza.

The lead-up: Years spent climbing the corporate ladder only to realize that I don’t like where the ladder is going.

The catalyst: A sudden desire to feel the sunshine on my face, to work with my hands, and to change the world.

The action: I precipitously tender my resignation and give a dramatic speech about how “there’s more to life than this” before leaving the building never to return. Then, as I’m walking by the taunting fountain for the very last time, I kick off my uncomfortable dress shoes, peel off my knee-highs, and jump in the fountain with nary a care for my business attire. After making a complete spectacle of myself, I get out, leave my shoes behind, and continue on down the side-walk whistling to myself.

I did this once for some bus kids I know. It sure was fun.

protesting the war on Iraq in about 2002, I think it was a student protest, a lot of the kids were swimming and playing in the fountain in hyde park, Sydney. We joined in, it was a lot of fun. Although the media report on it was very negative.

I was seventeen, a little timid, traveling abroad for the first time. I had just graduated from highschool and my parents sent me off to stay with a friend of my mother’s in Sweden. It was absolutely a life-changing experience.

This was in 1994, a year the World Cup was held in the United States. I don’t for the life of me remember who got first or second place in the WC that year, but Sweden was in competition for third. (Funny enough, I can’t even remember who they played against … but I digress …)

I went with some friends into Stockholm to watch the game, and I was amazed by the energy in that city. Everyone was so excited. People were wearing face paint like Swedish flags, folks were carrying around huge Swedish flags, groups were chanting and singing. Even though I’m not a soccer fan, it was super exciting to be around this vibe.

We watched the game in a bar; everyone was rivited to the television the whole time. When the game ended and Sweden was victorious, thousands of people simultaneously flooded out of the bars and into the streets. The entire city was singing “WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS” in unison. Strangers were kissing, everyone was dancing. It was a warm summer night, so lots of people jumped into the many fountains of downtown Stockholm. I jumped in along with them and danced in the water with a random handsome stranger.

Just then a bright light went off, and it took me a moment to realize a newspaper man had snapped my photo. The next day there I was in the Aftonblodet. I stuck out like a soar thumb as the only dark brown girl.

This is great for memories. My friends and I loved doing this in NYC in high school, starting with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the fountain in Washington Square Park. I highly recommend handing off a camera to others first (for the 2 obvious reasons-picture and not busting it).

Unfortuneately, I can’t do this yet, because I wanted it to be in the summer, when I could almost pass out from heatstroke, and then jump in the fountain for maximum satisfaction. Makes sense, right?

Downtown Downers Grove train station 2002, then again in the Buckingham fountain in Chicago 2004. Unbeknownst to me, that fountain has more alarm systems on it than a Super Wal-Mart, and within three minutes I had city workers chasing me through Grant Park. What REALLY did me in was that I emptied three bottles of dish washing soap in there while I took my dip, and for hours the Buckingham Memorial fountain looked like a kitchen sink. I got away with it, but I later found out that it was a serious offense, and I could’ve been paying muy grande dinero if they had caught me.

Jumped into the fountain that I mentioned in this entry yesterday (walked all the way to the middle where the water shoots up, so I got soaking wet!). It was very cold, since I went in the evening! It was a Saturday too, so many people were watching! I don’t really like the attention, but it was fun!

I already have a public fountain in mind (pictured above) to jump in…now on to find who would like to jump in with me!

I did this in downtown Sacramento, partly on purpose, mostly on accident, while Myriah stood there and took pictures. It was quite refreshing and I reccomend it! :)