Trip #443 Crotzer Ave to Sedley Way, Westwood, Pittsburgh took place on May 10, 2020, and was published on May 27, 2020.
Once upon a time, calling long distance on the telephone was very expensive, and as a result, every minute, every word, was important. Your focus on a long-distance call was undivided. You savored every word, every sound that traveled through those telephone lines as the clock ticked the minutes off. In between those lightning-fast, infrequent calls, letters would be written and sent, perhaps taking days, if not weeks, to reach their destination. But when those letters arrived, they would be read and re-read with anticipation, savored, and committed to memory. Nowadays, there are many ways to keep in touch. We email, text, Zoom, and Facetime. We share photos and thoughts and stories on social media. It’s all so easy, convenient, and generally inexpensive, and it’s nothing more than digital flotsam and jetsam if you aren’t giving the messenger your full attention. A wandering, inattentive mind sends a signal far worse than a static-filled connection, or a letter dropped in a puddle.
Field Notes:Another set of red brick sidewalk steps! Quite an interesting find on this street that is right on the edge of city limits. It’s sure to become overgrown, and the wooden rails are in tough shape in spots but it still looks rather quaint right now.
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.
