Take a walk with me; I’d love some silent company. It’s been a long day, and I haven’t had time to think. I’ve been hanging out with people or in front of a screen, and my thoughts couldn’t flow. Sleep won’t come unless I unplug. I need to remove the debris and let my mind breathe. I need my thoughts to be free.
I put on a few layers to stay warm and the clunky boots I wear when no one can see me. Stragglers might still be drinking, but the sidewalks are clear, thanks to the Brussels rain. I call the elevator and leave home.
I head down the shopping street; it’s different at night than during the day. This morning, the air buzzed with capitalism, and now it’s filled with ghosts of emptied bank accounts. Homeless families find safety under awnings of multi-billion dollar conglomerates. They’re settling in for the night, children and all, with blankets and cardboard and whatever else they can find to keep them warm. One mother stretches out her hand, it’s her last request of the night. I don’t have any change.
The street spills into a plaza filled with nothing. A couple of kids are chumming around, their cheap music blaring from tucked-away speakers. I want to join them, chat, and bounce to the heavy bass. Their camaraderie is calling. Tonight, though, I’m not talking to people. I’m just walking.
I think I’ll visit the Grand Place. It’s extravagant and has a reliable beauty I enjoy. I’ve never stepped into the square without holding my breath. Spotlights shine all night, making the ancient buildings seem prettier than during the day. The buildings are so tall, I swear they’re leaning inwards. I wish I could run my hands over their carvings, across the wooden doors and stone walls. I’ve never been inside the buildings, and I wonder if it’s all just a facade. Does it matter if it is, though?
I circle the square once, twice, and head back. There’s no reason to linger. I’m halfway home, but there’s more to digest on my nighttime stroll.
I take a different route. The streets are a little dingier. There’s a kebab shop on one corner, and its smell defies the drab interior. I’m hungry again, though I don’t want to eat. I peek inside, and rolls of shawarma glisten in front of the fire. Someone once told me that cheap kebabs are made of cats, and I still can’t believe them. Grilled cat wouldn’t smell this good.
The road splits in two. I can take a dark route or the brightly lit, noisier one. I want solitude, so I turn left. I wonder if the city turned off the lights, or if there weren’t any to begin with. Someone coughs, and I jump. It’s coming from the shadows behind me. It’s late, I grip my phone and keep walking. This area is supposed to be safe.
I’m coming up on my building. The road is blocked; they’re resetting the bricks. Have you ever seen bricks being laid? Here in Brussels, they do it by hand. One by one, each red or gray stone is tapped into the ground. Barriers and construction litter the view, but it already looks nicer than before. I remember when they laid new asphalt on my street when I was a kid, and it smelled for a week afterward. I wonder why they don’t use asphalt here too.
I’m still thinking about the kebab, so I stop for a snack at the night shop downstairs. I'm feeling better and lighter, so I chat with the owner. He promised to order nondairy ice cream for me, and I keep checking if it's there. 'Tomorrow morning,' he says, and I smile hard. It feels good to be friends with a shop owner who stocks both what I need and crave.
I'm feeling better, lighter. Each step helped rectify my day. I've never meditated properly, but I think a walk does the same thing. I listened without trying and heard everything I needed to say. My thoughts flowed, and I watched them go like clouds on a windy day.
I take one last breath and call the elevator. I'm back home.
If this piece made you feel something, let me know. Click the heart or drop a comment - thank you ❤️
Walking alongside with you my friend, removing my own mental debris.
Beautiful, soothing imagery... I too feel better and lighter after reading it.
I love walking through Brussels with you 💜