“It definitely stands out,” she said as she passed me on her bicycle.
“Yeah,” I replied as I was trying to take in all the uniqueness the house flaunted.
Its whiteness hit me first. Then, the blue accents caught my eye. Finally, the sculptures gracing the balcony, and the relief statues on the pediment; that had me totally engrossed. This façade, on Mykonos or Santorini, wouldn’t look out of place, but the bones of the house, it’s structure, was in fact, typically Toronto.
The differences between this house and its neighbours was glaring. Here was a house that screamed identity, and though its body was much like that of its neighbours, its soul was thousands, if not millions of kilometres away. I was mesmerized by the place.
As I was taking some more pictures, she cycled back and said, “Yeah, that’s one of the 10, most unique houses in Toronto; according to the internet anyway. I can’t help staring at it whenever I pass. All the other houses are just a blur, common, unremarkable… but this one; I’m enthralled every time.”
“It definitely makes a statement,” I replied, “a real expression of style. I’m not sure I like it, but I also don’t think I hate it.”
We both stared at it for a few moments, fascinated by its character.
“I like what it does,” she said.
I didn’t quite follow, but I let her statement pass.
Then she said, “I feel like I should do that. Make a statement like that. I am such a plain, boring person. I have a deep, unfulfilled need to be noticed; and talking with you about this house made me realize that.”
“Are you going to buy a house and decorate it so that it stands out,” I inquired?
“Ha,” she laughed, “with Toronto’s house prices! I can’t afford that. No, I’m going to do something that will draw people’s eyes whenever they pass. Something that makes a statement about who I am, just like that house does.”
She could see I was perplexed, so she continued, “I’ve decided to get a large tattoo on my forearm, a tattoo that acknowledges my heritage. A tattoo that’s not hidden but will draw people’s eyes against their will. And just like us here, they won’t be able to draw their eyes away…”