Feeding my Addiction

And it was not pizza

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After cutting a bunch of leaves from the basil plants growing in our yard, I drove to the strip mall near our home, where our favorite pizza place is located. I have been a loyal customer for decades, and over the years, I’ve gotten to know the independent business owners well. The establishment is operated by a friendly immigrant family.

I have known the young woman who greeted me since she was an infant. She now seems to run the place.

She knew what I wanted. I didn’t have to ask. I handed her the basil leaves, and she proceeded to construct a Margherita pizza to my liking. Tomato sauce, double cheese, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. Simple but delicious.

That pizza is not on their menu. It is custom-made for me. I feel special.

While the pizza was baking, I walked outside and looked for something to photograph. The late evening light was beautiful. The shadows it created caught my attention. Yet I was in a suburban parking lot. These were not the Rocky Mountains or the beaches of the Algarve. This was asphalt.

The intensity and angle of the light had enhanced the vibrancy and contrast between the yellow markings and the grey surface of the parking lot. Grey and yellow. My strange addiction.

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I shop at this compact strip mall almost daily. It houses my preferred grocer, bakery, pharmacy, and sushi bar. Yet, I had never paid close attention to the markings on the pavement. The interplay of graphic shapes, textures, and colors surprised me once I slowed down and looked with intent.

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The simplicity of this minimalist composition made me smile. The single diagonal line created by the black triangle is the star of the show. Without it, this image would not work. That small shadow is carrying a heavy load.

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A thick yellow shape and a thin yellow shape. A thick white shape and a thin white shape. A chaotic grouping of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. Order in disorder.

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Well, well. Who invited the bright turquoise-colored metal post to the pizza party? Looking loud and powerful with its strong shadow, I say. Looks a bit show offy for my taste, but it demands attention.

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Loud and busy on one side, quiet and restrained on the other. Acting as negative space. You would think this composition should not work, yet somehow it works for me.

I looked at my watch and twenty minutes had elapsed. I returned to the pizzeria. The young woman was sliding my pizza into its box. Perfect timing. I thanked her and returned home.

I had fed my addiction. It was time well spent. Now it was time to feed my lover and me. The basil-infused aroma that filled the air when I opened the pizza box was intoxicating. Bon appetite.