SUN SONG 12: Zero Day

Why I walk and the reality of moving through the city.

May 26th, 2021
Baltimore, MD
1.25 miles

Zero day today and much needed. 

I wasn’t quite honest about what happened yesterday and left out a huge part of my day. I hesitated to write about it, but with some distance, it feels appropriate.

While walking the Inner Harbor, perhaps the biggest tourist trap of Baltimore, I was assaulted by a group of teenagers. 

It’s not that I was walking in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact, it happened in broad daylight on a regular afternoon. 

I wasn’t doing anything to call attention to myself. I was about halfway through my day, getting some shade underneath the awning of the Harborplace Mall. Around the corner, probably 20 yards away, a group of middle school students played among themselves. For all I know, there were people around me, who likely witnessed what happened. Phone in hand, I was checking my map trying to decide which way I’d walk next, when suddenly a fist connected with the left side of my cheek.

What the fuck!

I was blindsided, completely frazzled, and before I could look up, another fist connected right beneath my eye. At that point, I saw three or four teenagers. I might have been hit more than twice, but I can’t remember. It was all a blur as things unfolded so quickly. 

My immediate reaction was to hit the bricks and I’m glad I did. Who knows what the teens had in store for me. I still had my phone, my camera around my shoulder and my backpack on me. SoI hopped through some bushes and got the hell out of dodge. 

Across the street now, I looked back to see if I was being chased, but the teens were still standing right where I left them. Instead of coming after me, they shouted indiscernible profanities from across the street.

I was safe. 

I continued up the block, cursing to myself, when I noticed the taste of iron in my mouth. I spit, noticing my saliva had a light brown hue. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when the fist connected with my face, my tooth busted into my cheek, creating a gash. I was bleeding a fair amount, but it wasn’t of enough concern to justify a visit to the ER. Everything else was A-OK and nothing was missing. I was fortunate, things could have been so much worse. 

The attack left me shaken for the rest of the day. I considered calling a friend to come pick me up, but decided to finish the day’s walk. Instead of walking to Patterson Park as planned, I cut the day short, turned around and made my way to Moorish Tower (as I briefly wrote about in yesterday’s newsletter). I went slow and took as much time as I needed. I called a friend. Drank lots of water. Sat in the park. Felt stupid. Contemplated why I was doing this walk in the first place, but ultimately decided I needed to keep going. I can’t stop now.

I hate to write about being attacked. It’s really the last thing you want to happen (aside from getting hit by a car) while walking, especially on the first full day in a city that is already plagued with violent stereotypes, but as I wrote days ago: to walk is to accept the good and the bad. Moving slowly leaves you with no choice but to contend with your surroundings. It is the most intimate way to experience the world. It is my choice to walk, therefore, I must accept the risk.

Unfortunately, that means experiencing some uncomfortable situations, no matter who you are. To walk in the city is to experience the poetry of everyday life wholeheartedly, but every coin has another side, one that I often choose not to write about in much detail. Instead, I focus on the positives, making note of the beauty I see, the history of a place, the wonderful people, and the mental benefits of a long, long walk.

But walking isn’t all peaches and cream. Walking is not only considered inconvenient because it is a slow form of transportation, but because it forces us to contend with the realities of society. And sometimes that reality is a sad one, full of heartbreak and pain. To walk, especially within the confines of a city, is to often witness widespread homelessness, drug addiction, poverty, mental illness, pollution, carelessly planned infrastructure, and unfortunately crime. 

This isn’t the first time I’ve run into trouble while walking, although it is extremely rare that I have any issues. Years ago, I was held up at gunpoint and robbed while walking with a couple friends. And while that was traumatic, I think being with others helped soften the blow. There’s something about experiencing this attack alone which makes it all the more startling. I can’t believe it happened. 

I’m often asked why I haven't hiked the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest. While I’m sure it has its merits, they are for reasons so completely removed from why I do this work. I’m a walker, not a hiker. I’m not doing this work to get away from society and spend time in nature (although I won’t complain about hanging in the park).  I want to be with and experience society

That’s not to say it’s all bad. I witness so many beautiful things, day in and day out. While Wednesday’s events left a sour taste in my mouth, all it takes is one good day to get me back on my feet. The streets always provide if you’re willing to receive.

So why keep doing this work? By walking a city, we gain insight as to how others live and the way they interact with their environment. Walking is a way of meeting the city on its terms. It allows you to see how others experience a place, and if you’re willing, it can change how you see the world. 

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not here to see the hits nor visit a laundry list of tourist attractions. Those places have their value, but often paint a caricature of a place, only scratching at the surface of what a city has to say and what it offers.

It’s unfortunate I was attacked. It’s something that’s always in the back of my mind, and thankfully, all my positive experiences outweigh the bad. I’m not mad at these teenagers, but wonder what circumstances led them to randomly punch a stranger without regret.

I’m not sharing this to ask for your attention, nor your sympathy. This was an opportunity to further explain my practice and why I do what I do. No matter what, given my body holds up, I’ll always keep walking.

Anyways, I’ve just arrived in Washington, D.C. I didn’t know it at the time, but it’s Memorial Day weekend. How appropriate. I’m excited to be here, in this complicated place, and hope for peaceful walking in the future. Thanks for your continued support. It means a lot. 

All the best from Washington, D.C.
–Alex

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