A Roof Rat’s View

Mid December 2021. I had a very long and sad few months, I was going through a very confusing 3 month long breakup that would continue on for 3 months afterwards. The world didn’t seem like it had anything in it left for me. I was lost and upset I really didn’t know what to do with myself. The pandemic had gone down in cases for a little while so I figured i’d get out of town for a little bit. I searched for hotels in New York City because I spent a lot of time on instagram, watching fashion reels and reading fashion blogs. I wanted to become a model because I resembled many of the runway models that I saw on the internet. So why not visit the place where people go and do that? Anything to get me out of the house. I’d been to New York a few times in my life so I wasn’t too afraid of the crowds that I was soon to see. So I took a bus from Washington DC, where I lived at the time to New York City.

I remembered this bus ride very well. It felt quite different from the other times i’d taken it because of the strict mask mandate on the bus. Four hours had passed, I already had loaded up several musical albums that I wanted to listen to. I usually save them up until a special occasion when I can listen to them. The few albums I had listen to were Brent Fayiaz’s “Fuck The World" (aptly named) because I was very angry and upset with the world, Ellie Goulding’s Halcyon Days because I liked a few of the songs there and I discovered it was about a breakup. and a handful of random songs that popped into my head. A few being, Soft Spot by Piri and Tommy, Rock That Body by the Black Eyed Peas. and This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads.

I was paying attention to my footsteps and the tempo of a lot of the music for this. That’s because if I know New York, I know that my legs will be very tired by the end of the day.

I get off the bus at Penn Station around midday and took in the air, not the best smell but.. It’s New York. I watch the enormous buildings go by as I begin my walk towards my hotel. Noting the thousands of people. They were all shapes, sizes and coming from different places. I saw their clothes and the way they walked. So many different stories. Gave me a little hope.

But I wasn’t feeling great, still upset over my passed relationship. So I just keep trudging along. Eventually I signed in at the hotel got settled in. The hotel had an accessible rooftop that I checked out and it had a beautiful view. I wanted to make my stay in New York count so I noted that for later during the nighttime.

I walked around midtown for a couple hours, just people watching, I went to the spots that I had gone to before, like Bryant Park.

I went back to the hotel because I didn’t really have a plan. It was nighttime now so I figured i’d go back onto the roof to look at the view.

I stepped out onto that roof. That was it. It is THE photograph you’re looking at now. I was just absolutely overjoyed at this. Having all of these buildings and glowing lights surrounding me had me just.. Smiling. I was alone on the roof. There was a very noticeable no-smoking sign. So I pulled out my pack of cigarettes and lit one up. It immediately reminded me of Tyler Childer’s song “Feathered Indians.” I played the song on my phone with a lit cigarette in my hand and I danced my heart out on the roof. I pretended I was dancing with someone who just simply wanted to dance with me. I watched the sparkling city lights twirl around me.

This all reminded me of the story I started writing in the middle of the pandemic. It’s about a near-future America, flying cars (One can be seen in the center of the photograph) and the future of humanity and earth. I felt like a “Roof Rat” like a Skate Rat, Street Rat or Hood Rat. I was hanging out on a roof doing Roof Rat shit.

I felt so much joy in the middle of so much sorrow. It was a little haven for me. I’ll never forget that little 20 min dance on that roof. That’s what this photo is. It was a flourish of ideas and it was the place where I found some hope again.

After this joyous period I went back down to the street because other hotel guests walked out on the roof. I was not having that. So I walked around on the streets a little more. I’m only in New York for 2 days, so why not stay up late? Sadness creeped back in again unfortunately. but I was prepared. I queued up Brent’s Faiyaz’s “Fuck The World”

I want a disclaimer on this album if you end up listening to it. I have a respect the music and the visual ideas that it creates for me, I don’t identify with the lyrics entirely. I have a whole rant that I go on about musical artist’s lyrics vs the sound of their voice. I always lean towards the the sound of their voice being an instrument in itself and I listen in that way.

This album made me feel like I was gliding through the streets of New York. My weak legs from the walk earlier in the day weren’t even a consideration at this point. As far as I knew my legs weren’t there.

I watched the city above me. Imagining flying cars like blinking fireflies in the night sky. I held a mean look on my face, eye contact couldn’t be found if you looked at me. I was too lost in the sorrow and the world that I had created in my head. I ended up walking towards a New Balance Store because because I had been following an internet magazine that was promoting the upcoming New Balance 550’s and I had been looking everywhere trying to find a pair. but they weren’t available yet, I was very confused. I’ve never bought designer clothes before but I knew I wanted those shoes. Unfortunately I never got them. because they weren’t in stock yet and also they are very expensive. I’m still on their trail though. JJJound and other designers, I will understand you one day but that day is not today.

My side mission of finding those shoes had failed and I was feeling tired, so I walked back to my hotel and went to bed. The rest of the trip wasn’t extremely eventful. I just went to the hot spots of New York and experienced New York as it is. I did however notice after the couple days that I was there, almost all of the City MD’s and other health clinics had lines around the block. In central park there was a few covid testing booths and I got a test done just to commemorate the event. nothing like sticking something up your nose to feel just to feel solidarity. I stayed away from people as much as I could. Shortly after the fact after I had gotten home, a huge covid boom had happened over winter break. the end of December 2021, I’m sure you probably remember it.

Now Let’s talk about the art!

What’s the idea of a “Roof Rat”? Back in the middle of the pandemic in 2020 I began to write a science fiction novel, screenplay or whatever it may end up being. Taking place in the future in the 2080’s to the 2090’s. It’s about a slew of characters from different walks of life finding a new way to live after a half century of division in the US and the devastation that global warming made on the world. Covering topics of racism, classism and finding solutions to those through Mysticism. You can probably guess my inspiration for some of that. Being from Washington D.C. and living there on a certain January 6th. The characters are finding a new school of thought into connecting technology and nature as well as connecting with themselves and each other again. Subsequently reintegrating humanity into the Earth’s ecosystem instead of humanity dominating it.

“The Roof Rat” is typically a young person who spends most of their time on rooves of tall buildings. Flying cars or “Flyers” as i’ve named them, are the basis of their culture, getting them from one rooftop or elevated landing pad to another. This photograph would be a typical sight for them. The’d be watching the warm summer steam rising up from the depths of streets below. You’d be calling your friend who lives a few blocks down and wait for them to come pick you up in their flyer.

This was the original image that I had created, shortly after coming back from New York. I just loved the orange glow and the memory that was made on that roof. I have since revised it, going further in my story writing. I’ve had more inspiration and training since then. (This is written in November of 2022)

If you have seen some of my other works you’ve probably noticed that I have an obsession with the painter Maxfield Parrish. So I found a way to place a little ode to him and his work. Note the round the round tops of the lamp poles in the smoky area of the photograph. A nod to his painting, “A Venetian Night’s Entertainment.” The purpose that those lamp poles serve in the meta of the (as of right now) unnamed Roof Rat story is to designate the lanes that a flyer can fly through. Like lanes on a street. A little less chaos and crashing into buildings when flying through the city. I have more infrastructure things that I’ve written in the story but we’ll get to that another day.

This entire art piece taught me that I can enjoy things even when they are at their worst. Solace can be found if I look hard enough for it. I should travel the world, because It has so many things that I’d never expect. and if i’m searching for love in a time or place where none can be found, I can and will always dance with myself.

Special thanks to Laura Armstrong, Jordan Armstrong and Avery Miles