Solange's Side: Personal Space
This is my dance space, this is your dance space. Spread out, friends.
“Solange’s Side” is a reader-supported Tuesday letter in which I ramble on about idiosyncratic or divisive topics, à la Carrie Bradshaw or Larry David—minus the high-heels or bald head.
Picture this: You’re in San Francisco’s Dolores Park in the Mission. It’s late afternoon, probably around 5 p.m. The park is full of dogs running around, lovers kissing in the grass, and singles keeping to themselves or talking quietly into the air; earpods tightly positioned in their ears. You choose a swathe of grass in the sun, far enough away from anyone else that you can lie back and be both alone, but amongst this energetic community. You close your eyes and suddenly hear someone say, “Keep close to me.” You assume it’s someone with a dog, reminding her four-legged friend not to stray too far, so you close your eyes and carry on with your relaxation. Then, you hear it again: “Keep close to me.” Only, this time she’s singing it? You turn the volume up on your podcast. But unfortunately, it doesn’t drown out this woman who, in fact, doesn’t appear to have a dog, but rather has decided to sit two feet from your head because why not? She sing-says it again: “Keep close to me.” You sit up to see she has headphones in and is not at all concerned with her proximity to you or anyone else, nor the fact that her repeating this phrase, out loud, in a public park, might be disturbing. There is plenty of space. You are not in your own house or inside your car. Why must we “keep close”??? You move.