Trip #7 Sterret Street, Homewood North, Pittsburgh took place on June 17, 2017, and was published on July 19, 2017.
I’m crouching, squatting really, in the sun. The concrete slab is too hot to sit on. Everything is too hot. It’s hot and humid, and I’m hungry, and thirst is starting to come on. Sweat is running down my face, and I can’t concentrate. I’m looking at the shade, but the thought of moving into it doesn’t enter my head because I’m slowly being cooked like an insect under a magnifying glass. I’m jotting down notes, but they’re gibberish. My heart is racing, my agitation is growing by the minutes, and that high-pitched whining of the heat bugs is louder than the cars speeding down the street. Question. Where’s the connection? Question. What am I missing? Answer. Equilibrium, for starters…
Field Notes: Was pretty hot and thirsty by the time I got here – this one was really Trip #8 as I found North Homewood Ave first. Lots of trash and overgrown vegetation. There were two young kids sitting at the bottom of the stairs when I arrived but they were gone by the time I came back down.
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!!
