Sidewalk Art

Summary

Teresa, a recent homeowner displeased with the neighborhood's child-friendly and artistic atmosphere, unsuccessfully attempts to distance herself from the community's vibrant sidewalk chalk art and subsequent events, leading to her frustration and desire to move.

Abstract

The narrative revolves around Teresa, who, after cleaning the chalk art from her sidewalk, realizes she regrets moving into a neighborhood filled with children. Her discontent grows when she finds her newspaper damaged by the delivery person, and her angry letter to the editor is juxtaposed with a positive one from the neighborhood youth arts council president, highlighting the importance of supporting children's creativity and neighborhood cooperation. Feeling out of place and unable to sell her house, Teresa contemplates moving again, particularly after the lively Halloween festivities.

Opinions

Teresa is dissatisfied with the neighborhood's lively atmosphere, particularly the presence of children and their sidewalk chalk art.
She views the children's artistic expressions as "graffiti" and is relieved it's not more permanent or difficult to remove.
Teresa's perspective on the neighborhood's activities is negative, as evidenced by her letter to the editor, which is perceived as an "angry old shrew's" rantings when compared to the positive letter supporting the arts and children.
The neighborhood youth arts council president values community engagement and children's creativity, contrasting sharply with Teresa's views.
Teresa's inability to sell her house and move before Halloween adds to her frustration, suggesting she feels trapped in an environment she dislikes.

Sociological neighborhood dynamics

Washing clean the sidewalk in front of her house, Teresa felt better. The trash and dirt and chalk art were bugging her. The neighborhood kids had gone on a chalk binge, drawing flowers and happy faces and animals on the sidewalks in front of every house in the neighborhood.

Teresa had regretted moving to the neighborhood from day one. Apparently, the real estate agent had shown her the house while all the kids were in school. She had no idea the neighborhood was so infected with kids. If she had known she certainly would not have bought the house.

Ten minutes with a garden hose and all the graffiti was gone. Thank goodness it was not spray paint and eggs… or blood. She would have been even more pissed if she had to get down on her knees and scrub. Of course she worried what all that chalk would do to her lush green lawn.

When Teresa was done with the garden hose she immediately rolled it up and put it away. She then took one more look at the now clean sidewalk in front of her home. It was the only clean one on the block. Her anger subsided a teeny tiny bit.

She then went inside her home and wrote an angry letter to the editor of the local newspaper.

Teresa was very upset the next morning when she went outside to fetch the morning paper. The newspaper delivery brat had thrown her paper right into one of her prize rose bushes. Not only was there damage to her rose bush but the newspaper had been slightly shredded by the thorns on the bush.

Luckily, she was still able to read the paper. She went straight to the editorial section to see if the paper published her letter. She smiled when she saw that her letter was the first one printed at the top of the page.

But then she read the letter just below hers. It was by some woman who claimed to be the president of the neighborhood youth arts council. This woman thanked the entire neighborhood for coming out in unity to support the arts and the children. She went on to reiterate how important it was to empower creativity in children as well as cooperation within a neighborhood. She pronounced the weekend sidewalk art event a resounding success.

The contrast between the two letters was glaringly obvious. Compared to that woman’s very positive letter, Teresa’s letter sounded like the rantings of an angry old shrew.

That does it! Teresa thought to herself. I’m moving!

Sadly for her, though, she was unable to sell her house and move before Halloween.

Speaking of neighborhoods…

Sidewalk Art

Sociological neighborhood dynamics

The Fighting Couple

And the neighborhood they ruined