Trip #1 Dornbush Street, East Hills, Pittsburgh took place on June 3, 2017, and was published on July 5, 2017.
The first time. It wasn’t the first time not feeling the pain, but it still surprised me. I expect it, but then when it doesn’t appear, I’m surprised, pleased even. I wonder why I haven’t come to the place where I don’t expect pain – is it the possibility of disappointment? Is it because I connect with the pain and don’t want to give it up? Perhaps it’s more a part of my identity than I want to admit. For now, I’m pleased. It’s my indicator the day will go well. I am sitting here enjoying a sandwich listening to the sounds of the birds and the insects – a lawnmower starts up a few streets over, and I can hear cars in the distance. The breeze falls on my skin and I watch an ant crawl over the developing Polaroid. I am here right now and will not miss you.
Field Notes: First one! Kind of nervous but I sat here and ate lunch and did my thing. It was good.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
