The Life of a Tourist

Those people who wear tube socks and take pictures of everything

Tourist Angel at The Grove, L.A. Photo copyrighted by Mark Tulin

I look for strange memories
buildings as high as Sequoias
people as odd as Martians
streets made of cobblestones
the smell of barbequed food
and the exotic drinks
that go straight to my head

I am prepared for a long walk
My REI hat covers my neck and eyes
I wear knee-high tube socks
in my brown hiking boots
tied in a bow knot
for maximum ankle support

There’s an energy bar
and bottled water in my backpack
a camera hangs from my neck
snapping pictures of funny billboards
and strange names of local shops
and birds that squeal
as they fly over me

I wear wrinkled cargo shorts
bring an extra sweater
and a pair of dungarees
in case the weather changes
and a tiny umbrella
if the rain happens to fall