City Scapes // Morgan Mackey

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Denver Central Market.

I was feeling cheap and I didn’t want to spend $7 on a Lyft to a destination I could easily walk to, so I decided to walk, save money, and get some fresh air. As I began my walk, I popped in my headphones and started to listen to the Elton John Pandora station. My walk was peaceful until about 20th Street where all the bars were having some sort of St. Patrick’s Day celebration. I ran into a few people I went to high school with and chatted with them for a moment.

As I continued down Larimer Street, I was almost impaled by a bagpipe while a group of men in kilts played for all the people drinking. I made my way past the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to continue onto my destination in RiNo. Both the Five Points and RiNo areas have gone through considerable gentrification in the past few years, and, as I walked, I noticed the waves in which this process has happened.

As I crossed Park Ave, I saw a man fiddle with his pants and then take out his penis to go to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, this is the third time I have seen someone publicly urinate in Denver. I still have this image burned in my brain though.

Because seeing a penis in broad daylight when all you wanted to do was meet up with some friends wasn’t shocking enough, my walk only got worse from there. I made my way to 25th Street and I was happy to be only a few blocks from where I headed. Ahead of me I saw two friends chatting outside a bar, nothing at all out of the ordinary. Moments later, one of those men began to projectile vomit all over the sidewalk. As his friend moved to assist him, I snuck past to avoid the spray of vomit.

At this point in what was supposed to be a leisurely walk to meet up with some friends, I concluded that I should have just taken a Lyft. By the time I met up with my friends outside the Denver Central Market, I was ready to take cover because I had no idea what I could be exposed to next.

All I wanted to do was listen to some Elton John and take a stroll.