"i like this song," i thought, so i turned up the volume up-up-up and then he passed by. a man in white sneakers and rolled-up jeans and a brown sweater. he was plugging his ears - a finger in each - and holding a crumpled nestle crunch wrapper.

"what is it that he's trying to block?" i wondered.

when i rolled down my window to check, there was only the low humming of oncoming cars.

--stoplight at or near 20th street, wilshire boulevard, santa monica