tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53977092012-02-16T00:51:18.506-08:00Keeping An Eye On That Business Park Across The StreetRick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.comBlogger2191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1064595363816038372003-09-26T09:47:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.805-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, due to an unfortunate new seating arrangement here, the Business Park Observer will be unable to continue its coverage. The Observer staff regrets this development, and apologizes for any inconvenience it may cause, especially to anyone whose job requires them to know when the UPS truck has arrived, or whether or not claw-on-a-stick man is clawing at the lawn with his claw.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063659109182727562003-09-15T13:51:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.812-08:00

Some kind of orange earth-moving vehicle sitting on a large flatbed truck by the karate studio today.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063309089493509142003-09-11T12:37:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.818-08:00

What miserable weather we have today. Wet wet wet. Very fine raindrops.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063125973307190842003-09-09T09:46:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.824-08:00

A landscaping crew pulls up in an Isuzu truck. On the dashboard the driver has a spread of some kind of orange food on aluminum foil, and he shakes some hot sauce onto it from a bottle. He and the passenger both take some of the food with their hands and eat it before getting out.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063125757929215322003-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.831-08:00

A truck drives past, on the side it displays the words "Specialty Gases" and an image of a tall gas canister anthropomorphized into a superhero with a valve for a head.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063040186473247062003-09-08T09:56:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.837-08:00

We have: two vans with ladders on their roofs, three sedans (two Fords and a Chevy), two mid-sized S.U.V.s (Japanese), two small pick-up trucks, a Subara station wagon, two Jeeps, and two large Ford trucks, one red and one blue.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063039122109704432003-09-08T09:38:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.843-08:00

Water droplets line the bottoms of the low-hanging power lines.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1063038584207275302003-09-08T09:29:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.849-08:00

The business park is solemn under grey skies this morning.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062771316771774312003-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.856-08:00

Through the trees up on the hill the sun rises. The sleepy business park grunts at the light, rolls over, and tries to get another five minutes of sleep.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062703395850756232003-09-04T12:23:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.862-08:00

A day that started off sort of hazy has become another beauty. The parking lot is relatively empty today. Now, here comes the baby blue VW bug, parking in its usual spot by the little evergreen tree. A woman gets out, and crosses over to Dana's. She either can't get in or doesn't find what she's looking for, so she returns to her car and drives slowly away.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062630727904268802003-09-03T16:12:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.868-08:00

An oversized Acura minivan/SUV stops in the parking lot, and out pops a tiny, black-clothed karate student.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062630659140601982003-09-03T16:10:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.874-08:00

The girl who works at PPA is taking a smoke break. She edifies her mind with a hunk of literature as she drags on her cigarette.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062004259379163162003-08-27T10:10:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.880-08:00

Two fellows in t-shirts are standing by a Toyota, one guy is leaning on the car with his arms resting on its roof, looking at a piece of paper, the other guy is gesturing at the building. Now the piece-of-paper guy gets into his little car and drives out. Other guy gets into the Electric company's van, and also drives away.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062004081344378852003-08-27T10:08:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.889-08:00

It's claw time. He walks with his claw-on-a-stick along the freshly mowed median. He's kind of swinging the claw-stick lacadaisically, but his face is serious. Serious because he's just chopped all the trash that was in the grass to bits with the lawn mower, and now he's got to decide what pieces are big enough to bother clawing out of the lawn, I suspect.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1062003349195496882003-08-27T09:55:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.895-08:00

The groundskeeper is keeping the grounds well-groomed with his lawnmower.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061936021968763512003-08-26T15:13:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.901-08:00

The UPS truck has been stopped for a while over by the karate studio. A woman in khaki shorts and tennis shoes is polishing the door of the dojo. She disappears inside. UPS truck drives out of the lot.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061935821201077342003-08-26T15:10:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.906-08:00

Reliant Electric's white Chevy van returns to base.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061922341440072242003-08-26T11:25:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.912-08:00

Time for a smoke break at PPA. The smoker girl smudges out her cigarette on the ground. As she walks back into the building, the FedEx truck drives around the back of the lot.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061918557033580442003-08-26T10:22:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.918-08:00

The Culligan man pays a visit to Pro-Pac. Culligan is water.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061571992476854862003-08-22T10:06:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.923-08:00

A new Nissan pickup pulls into a spot near the Jeep. A Ryder truck driving too close to the curb briefly hangs up on an innocent bystander tree, frees itself, and makes a right into the business park. A UPS truck follows it around the back of the building.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061571314886817072003-08-22T09:55:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.929-08:00

A yellow Penske truck drives by far too quickly.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061571251735047592003-08-22T09:54:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.937-08:00

A little Chevy SUV driven by a man who appears to be wearing a colored button-down shirt pulls up right next to the fire hydrant, then has to back up to be legal. A green Mitsubishi parks right behind it, and out comes a red-haired woman, who gets out, and gets into the Chevy. Off they drive together, to consummate their forbidden love.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061571054437270552003-08-22T09:50:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.943-08:00

Entering the final eight hours of the work week under grey skies, the business park's lot begins to fill with the cars. A slacker-styled girl in a white sedan pulls up and gets out with her coffee, walks to the door of Dana's, bounces off of it, and walks back to her car. She's waiting, now, to get at her paycheck, so she can go buy some new distressed pants.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061405495396998012003-08-20T11:51:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:02.951-08:00

Three guys are working on a little green hatchback on the street. The hood's open, the front is jacked up. One guy is in the front doing something, the other two are standing behind the car watching, it seems, the varying level of exhaust being produced. Now they've all stepped away from the car, and are standing by a mean black chevy truck, an older one. Now they're all looking under the hood of

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061398545574314442003-08-20T09:55:00.000-07:002008-11-17T08:02:09.638-08:00

The furniture fellows, having delivered a single stack of chairs, put the ramp back up into the back of the truck, and buckle their safety belts before driving away.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061398305577812122003-08-20T09:51:00.000-07:002003-08-20T09:51:45.430-07:00

The lettering on the side of the Cort truck has a beautiful RT ligature.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061398249238395022003-08-20T09:50:00.000-07:002003-08-20T09:50:49.093-07:00

A moustached man wheels a load of stacked black metal chairs out the back of the truck. Up onto the sidewalk, up to the driveway, into the parking lot, and into the employment agency.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061398142013796582003-08-20T09:49:00.000-07:002003-08-20T09:49:01.876-07:00

A medium-sized semi truck has pulled up on the street in front of the business park. It's grey, and reads "CORT furniture rental" in letters thousands of points tall. Two guys have rolled some wheeled devices out of the back, down a ramp.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061316636181577762003-08-19T11:10:00.000-07:002003-08-19T11:10:36.220-07:00

Now he's hosing down the thirsty plants.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061316161746465802003-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:002003-08-19T11:02:41.650-07:00

Claw man, having mowed and watered the lawn, now disconnects the hose from the sprinklers and the wall. He has put on his headphones.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061309976006498722003-08-19T09:19:00.000-07:002003-08-19T09:19:35.970-07:00

Claw-man is out, picking quickly through the ivy with his claw-on-a-stick. Putting tiny pieces of trash into the bucket he carries in his other hand. He zig-zags across the lot. He claws up a little discarded plastic bag. He steps over the ivy, briskly, business-like. He's in a hurry this morning. It looks like there is a lot of trash to be picked up, because he's all over the place, and

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061252460609719552003-08-18T17:21:00.000-07:002003-08-18T17:21:00.600-07:00

Man in a striped shirt walks straight from Pro Pac to a Taurus that appears to have endured a side impact, puts something in it through the driver's side door, walks back into the building.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061252398713370252003-08-18T17:19:00.000-07:002003-08-18T17:19:58.713-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have spotted the driver of the oft-seen Mercedes convertible, and declare him to be a slow-moving fellow with a cooler.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061241492805549992003-08-18T14:18:00.000-07:002003-08-18T14:18:12.813-07:00

Pro Pacific girl enjoys a cigarette.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061231496807127212003-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:002003-08-18T11:31:36.763-07:00

There goes a man with a tennis racket, walking two big dogs.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1061224316424998312003-08-18T09:31:00.000-07:002003-08-18T09:31:56.370-07:00

It's a beautiful day at the business park. A lone crow strolls through the grass, pecking occasionally.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060992218377089922003-08-15T17:03:00.000-07:002003-08-15T17:03:34.670-07:00

Meals on wheels Geo Metro speeds out of the lot on a mission of hunger alleviation.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060992177376300832003-08-15T17:02:00.000-07:002003-08-15T17:02:53.653-07:00

A while truck parked on the street, twenty feet from the coffee drink can, has a visibly flat front left tire. And tinted windows.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060992100476105022003-08-15T17:01:00.000-07:002003-08-15T17:01:36.730-07:00

Spotted on the side of the road: a Starbucks doubleshot™ can. Thrown there by an insensitive coffee-drinker? Or blown from a pile of trash by the significant wind? Either way, it's disrupting the feng-shui of the whole business park. Claw man is unfortunately no where to be seen.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060988489009714192003-08-15T16:01:00.000-07:002003-08-15T16:01:48.683-07:00

The wind is picking up.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060878796452810652003-08-14T09:33:00.000-07:002003-08-14T09:37:50.623-07:00

Plenty of vehicles parked in the lot this morning.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060797379269072192003-08-13T10:56:00.000-07:002003-08-13T11:01:05.483-07:00

It's time for the Pro-Pac lady to smoke another cigarette, and she does.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060797343329722072003-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:002003-08-13T11:00:29.546-07:00

Uh oh. A an emissary from Eden Advanced Pest Technologies has parked out on the street by the lawn. He's sitting there, with his baseball cap, looking over some papers. Vermin beware.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060735354825251602003-08-12T17:42:00.000-07:002003-08-12T17:45:49.426-07:00

Just when you think the day is going to end without an event, a teenager rides through the parking lot on the front of his friend's station wagon. He was just sitting there on the hood with his legs out if front of him, pointing the way. They successfully turned the corner by slowing down, avoiding more excitement that that might have been caused. Maybe next time.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060706347500048832003-08-12T09:39:00.000-07:002003-08-12T09:39:07.490-07:00

The sometime claw-weilding landscaper is mowing the median. He pushes the mower with one hand.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060623709389129582003-08-11T10:41:00.000-07:002003-08-11T10:41:49.243-07:00

A UPS truck makes a stop at Pro-Pacific.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060623319634694142003-08-11T10:35:00.000-07:002003-08-11T10:35:19.513-07:00

A fellow wearing a t-shirt and a fleece vest strolls southward on the sidewalk, looking at the ground.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060623279001269842003-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:002003-08-11T10:34:38.883-07:00

A man pulls up in a white truck, gets out and walks into the security company's offices, carrying a yellow piece of paper.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060379540007178882003-08-08T14:52:00.000-07:002003-08-11T10:42:43.250-07:00

Basketball guy and the girl he was waiting for get in the Honda. He sticks his arm out the window and grabs the coke can off the roof before they pull out of their spot, which is immediately taken by an older grey Mercury sedan with what appears to be an unrolled scroll of paper hanging from its rear-view mirrow. Likely a Bible verse. Also: UPS truck makes a visit to PPA. And: a big red Pontiac

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060378679620569592003-08-08T14:37:00.000-07:002003-08-08T14:37:59.506-07:00

The little blue VW bug is back. It's parked in the same spot where it was a couple of weeks ago, when it was proven that Hitler was not behind the wheel. The driver is sitting in it, I think she's looking at her pay check she's just picked up from Dana's. But she could be reading a book or something else. Or just staring. And she drives away. Guy's still bouncing the basketball. He's a showman.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060378358354423762003-08-08T14:32:00.000-07:002003-08-08T14:32:38.253-07:00

Basketball guy is all over the parking lot, dribbling, throwing the ball high in the air. Blonde girl in the car talks to a girl who's just come out of the employment agency, who now goes back in.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060378064287836362003-08-08T14:27:00.000-07:002003-08-08T14:27:44.210-07:00

A young man in baggy attire bounces a basketball between his legs as he stands in the parking lot, chatting with a young lady in the passenger side of a Honda. He's set a can of coca-cola on the roof of the car. She's smoking a cigarette.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060364310707312762003-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:002003-08-08T10:38:30.623-07:00

The brown delivery truck moves up to PPA and stops briefly. Now it's pulling around the back, playing chicken with a red semi-truck with trailer. The trucks move awkwardly back and forth, trying to wiggle enough room to end the stand-off; UPS truck scoots successfully around and out of sight.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060364016413100912003-08-08T10:33:00.000-07:002003-08-08T10:33:36.393-07:00

UPS truck is making a stop at the mystery office next to Pro-tec.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060363126395112132003-08-08T10:18:00.000-07:002003-08-08T10:18:46.356-07:00

The park's landscape manager assembles the hose system necessary for the sprinklers to function. An unimpressive hydration of the parking lot's slim lawn ensues.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060301269949247162003-08-07T17:07:00.000-07:002003-08-08T10:06:51.093-07:00

Another work day draws to a close. The south end of the lot empties as employees go home to their spouses and televisions. The north end of fills with the vehicles of parents who expect their children to punch and kick their way to self-esteem at the karate studio this evening. Traffic picks up on the road.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060293646581444932003-08-07T15:00:00.000-07:002003-08-07T15:00:46.546-07:00

UPS truck arrives at Pro Pac, then drives around the back of the building.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060276656692127302003-08-07T10:17:00.000-07:002003-08-07T13:42:07.556-07:00

Two days away from the window, and signs of change are obvious. The Mercedes convertible with the gold trim and the gigantic grill medallion is parked where the little red Chevy truck was the other day; the Jeep Liberty has occupied the central parking space in the otherwise empty row in front of Pacific Pro.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060022390622487562003-08-04T11:39:00.000-07:002003-08-04T11:39:50.593-07:00

A guy in an orange shirt gets into the pro-tec truck. He puts on his seatbelt and drives off to combat insidious criminals, or whatever it is they use that truck for.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060019061005782082003-08-04T10:44:00.000-07:002003-08-04T10:44:20.976-07:00

Trees sway in a gentle breeze.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060018871268198542003-08-04T10:41:00.000-07:002003-08-04T10:41:11.263-07:00

Curbside lineup: At the fore we have a small blue Toyota pickup, parked way too close to the fire hydrant. About thirty feet behind that (leaving room for a fire department vehicle) is the pro-tection-moblie, parked exactly parallel to the pro-tec offices. Behind that grumpy-looking truck: a meek red chevy pickup. And bringing up the rear, the mysterious VW rabbit.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060017561662525502003-08-04T10:19:00.000-07:002003-08-04T10:22:22.533-07:00

There are three sections to the row of angle parking spaces at the front of the building, divided by little curb-enclosed gardens of bark and ivy and plants. Anyway, the southern two thirds of the lot, the ones in front of Reliant, Pro-tection and Dana's, are totally full but the area in front of Pro Pacific is completely vacant. This is not unusual recently. Maybe PPA has a back entrance that is

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1060017249759838342003-08-04T10:14:00.000-07:002003-08-04T10:14:09.740-07:00

Right around 9 o' clock the guy who walks his beagle walked by with his beagle.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059762686543518132003-08-01T11:31:00.000-07:002003-08-01T11:31:47.733-07:00

Sources inform me that there has been a candle vending operation running for some time in a distant corner of the business park, unseen from this vantage. This new information will be factored into our ongoing investigation.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059755552185731942003-08-01T09:32:00.000-07:002003-08-01T09:32:32.150-07:00

Pro Pacific has its door open and an oscillating fan stands in it, blowing mostly towards the outside.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059755319624430862003-08-01T09:28:00.000-07:002003-08-01T09:28:39.583-07:00

VW Rabbit is still parked where it was yesterday.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059755274492525992003-08-01T09:27:00.000-07:002003-08-01T09:27:54.453-07:00

A man in shorts and sandals talks on a cell phone while he takes his beagle for a stroll. He's dressed for the beach, but it's a chilly, grey day.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059691092419234022003-07-31T15:38:00.000-07:002003-07-31T15:38:12.390-07:00

UPS arrives at PPA, leaves again.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059682405880052582003-07-31T13:13:00.000-07:002003-07-31T13:13:25.846-07:00

Some movement inside Pro Pacific. Door is propped open.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059675557842966512003-07-31T11:19:00.000-07:002003-07-31T11:19:17.793-07:00

The funny little United States Postal Service truck with the speeding eagle head pulls up in front of PPA, and just as quickly drives away.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059675476845055252003-07-31T11:17:00.000-07:002003-07-31T11:17:56.796-07:00

Red Explorer-driver just came back from a trip to McDonald's, with a big brown bag and a red cola cup.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059668834826915262003-07-31T09:27:00.000-07:002003-07-31T09:27:14.790-07:00

Hmm, the VW Rabbit usually parked south of the fire hydrant is north of it today. It's parallel to the window here and in a position that offers a bit of a view into it through its tinted windows. It's full of crap.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059608510999304492003-07-30T16:41:00.000-07:002003-07-30T16:41:50.970-07:00

A sweating giant and a guy in a pink shirt go into pro-tection.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059584973529236192003-07-30T10:09:00.000-07:002003-07-30T10:09:33.506-07:00

There's the skinny bald man who drives the oversized truck. Smoking a cigarette in the shade, 20oz. Starbucks coffee in the other hand. Now he heads back indoors.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059584679284812752003-07-30T10:04:00.000-07:002003-07-30T10:07:37.740-07:00

I ran across this device this weekend, and am almost certain that it is the claw-on-a-stick used by the business park's landcape artist, Captain Claw. Although I'm pretty sure that he previously had a more claw-like utensil.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059584363360583882003-07-30T09:59:00.000-07:002003-07-30T10:01:40.733-07:00

It's going to be a hot one. The asphalt is almost visibly hot. The blue of the sky is withering with heat.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059428066404912332003-07-28T14:34:00.000-07:002003-07-28T14:34:26.303-07:00

White Ford Focus pulled up into the lot, girl driver got out, left the boy passenger in the car. Some sort of absurd antenna ball on the antenna. Guy has left his seatbelt on, looks like he's playing with the stereo.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059427778017105182003-07-28T14:29:00.000-07:002003-07-28T14:29:37.933-07:00

Claw man watered and picked up trash with his claw earlier.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059427689743588952003-07-28T14:28:00.000-07:002003-07-28T14:28:09.670-07:00

The grass is getting kind of ugly, lots of dead patches. I think this guy is watering at the wrong time of day. Maybe he needs to use some kind of fertilizing treatment in addition to the mowing at watering.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059409079340931342003-07-28T09:17:00.000-07:002003-07-28T09:17:59.320-07:00

The parked cars stare stupidly out over the sidewalk at the open road.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059174611556605312003-07-25T16:10:00.000-07:002003-07-25T16:10:11.520-07:00

Finally, we see the puppy outside again. Girl with pink shirt has carried it over to the grass and set it down. Yep, it's cute. Hey, there's a piece of paper in the ivy. Where's the guy with the claw when you need him? A man in a tank top and a wheelchair rolls up towards the karate dojo. Puppy is walking around on the sidewalk now, following pink girl.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059151914896108722003-07-25T09:51:00.000-07:002003-07-25T09:52:19.400-07:00

Now there's a lady leaning on the red caravan, smoking a cigarette. Pigtails. White shirt. Surly demeanor? Too far away to tell. Also: somebody needs to wash these windows. She puts on her sunglasses, now she's standing in front of the car door. Great clouds of smoke are emanating from this gal. Now she drops the cigarette and gets in the car.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059151200948134522003-07-25T09:40:00.000-07:002003-07-25T09:42:47.083-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be another beautiful summer day for our friends at the business park. The sun has risen behind the big beige buildings. A ketchup-red Dodge Caravan parks in the lot. A young white couple walking a beagle stops so it can say hello to a tiny puppy following an older hispanc woman. They move on; the puppy is walking around in the grass now, wagging its tail. It's

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059001616703921862003-07-23T16:06:00.000-07:002003-07-23T16:06:55.973-07:00

A guy in a purple shirt leaves pro-tection with a cell phone cupped to his head, awkwardly carrying some folded garment and a gigantic Super Big Gulp in the other hand.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1059001393129927992003-07-23T16:03:00.000-07:002003-07-23T16:03:41.660-07:00

It's totally sunny today. Imagine me swinging this computer monitor through the window glass and then standing up in the broken window and smelling the wonderful outside air. Not going to happen. I'll bet it's really hard to break this window.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058814249829884192003-07-21T12:04:00.000-07:002003-07-21T12:04:09.806-07:00

Here he goes with the hoses again. The snake-dragging ritual.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058812273766534652003-07-21T11:31:00.000-07:002003-07-21T14:53:17.096-07:00

Claw man has kept the grass alive with frequent watering, and today he's cutting it down with the mower. Make the grass grow, cut the grass down. Maintain a careful balance. He navigates the mower around the fire hydrant.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058561192140136212003-07-18T13:46:00.000-07:002003-07-18T13:46:45.553-07:00

White Chevy Lumina, faded little American flag sticker in the upper corner of the windshield. Blue truck, space station sun blocker deployed in cab. Humble, brown Ford Taurus, with headlights that make it appear as though its eyes are facing out to the sides, like a character on the Simpsons. Big white Expedition, sporting what appears to be a battering ram over the grill. That'll save the bumper

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058543668608750682003-07-18T08:54:00.000-07:002003-07-18T08:54:28.456-07:00

The sprinklers are spraying water, much of which I expect to quickly evaporate, onto the sun-lit grass.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058477760652025542003-07-17T14:36:00.000-07:002003-07-17T14:37:11.633-07:00

The gigantic chrome-laden semi remains outside. People over in this building are beginning to worry, and look to www.ready.gov for an understanding of how to deal with a suspicious truck.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058472790412578332003-07-17T13:13:00.000-07:002003-07-17T13:13:24.910-07:00

A small, dark blue truck with red stripes parks, and out comes a lady with a long white t-shirt and an enormous behind. The shirt is all bunched up at the top of her butt, but hangs freely down her sides and front, making it look like she's leaning forward. Making it apparent that she has a strangely enlarged posterior.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058459239961572862003-07-17T09:27:00.000-07:002003-07-17T09:27:19.930-07:00

Claw man is out with his bucket and garden clippers. He's got his headphones back on, hooray for him.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058459190144262072003-07-17T09:26:00.000-07:002003-07-17T09:26:30.110-07:00

A semi-truck of the United Van Lines corporation is parked on our side of the street, and it's an impressive beast. Sunroof, lots of windows, twin chrome smoke stacks, horns, antennae, two banks of orange lights that look like robot locusts.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058400868865999622003-07-16T17:14:00.000-07:002003-07-16T17:14:28.830-07:00

So the garage next to the karate place is open, and I think it's actually the karate class's garage, because there are a bunch of women standing with their backs to the open door, like they're watching something. And yeah, there are some kids doing some fighting stuff now. Well heck, who knew. Those must be the moms standing around.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058400724416041952003-07-16T17:12:00.000-07:002003-07-16T17:15:08.930-07:00

A serious, serious woman in purple shorts and matching top, book under her arm, walks up the street to the karate studio, opens the door, and goes in to wait for her ferocious child to finish punching and kicking the air.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058380481252098612003-07-16T11:34:00.000-07:002003-07-16T11:34:41.220-07:00

Two young men with white shirts and ties heading south on the sidewalk, one with a backback and suit jacket. Mormons? Private school kids?

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058375345364405442003-07-16T10:09:00.000-07:002003-07-16T10:09:05.340-07:00

UPS truck arrives, driver with pig-tailed hair pulls up in front of and goes into Pro Pacific. Then she gets back in the truck and drives out.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058313703766366052003-07-15T17:01:00.000-07:002003-07-15T17:01:43.630-07:00

A dragonfly flies past, heading north.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058306839113024722003-07-15T15:07:00.000-07:002003-07-15T15:07:19.093-07:00

A tall, blonde man with a limp and glasses walks down the sidewalk, looking into his wallet. He puts it into his back pocket.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397709.post-1058306496711102232003-07-15T15:01:00.000-07:002003-07-15T15:01:36.543-07:00

A blue Ford sedan pulls up on the street, and a couple of girls in red gym clothes get out, get a bunch of red gym bags and backpacks out of the back, and haul it all up to the karate dojo.

Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081613597015683685noreply@blogger.com0