A Portrait of Seattle's Pioneer Square
The cobbled stone street carried rain into the gutter. Occasionally a wheel splashed some of it against the buildings. Drops that hadn’t found a crack slipped into the storm drain and headed out to sea. “Bad weather doesn’t keep people off the streets in these parts.” commented a cabby to his fare just as the weather broke. A large plate glass window, retail shop marvel of the late 1800’s, refracted a neon sign’s light and mixed its message with the reflections of late afternoon. Inside, a restaurant, with a waiter looking of a time when these surroundings were new. And yet, the years of weathering had fooled the average viewer into seeing him as they saw the street scene outside. However, despite his facial cracks, that man was full of life. On inspired nights, he sang and played the accordion; juggled glasses and bottles; and made up rhymes. “Fat fifths.” muddled a customer as a ferry boat blew a wall of sound from its whistle against the spectral explos...