Letter writing sessions

This week, I was out Monday and Thursday offering my type-writing services and I promised a third date on the weekend but unfortunately it won’t happen as I am nursing a cold.

This Thursday I was at Grandview Park on Commercial Drive. I chatted with a few people and also typed three letters for visitors. The park proved to be a nice setting as it is conducive to casual conversation and it is also accessible to anyone and because of this, it is a leveler in terms of inclusiveness. This is something I’d like to try again on a more frequent basis but I may have to wait for the summer. Perhaps after repeated sightings, people will recognize me as ‘the typist at the park.’

The goal of the project was to enrich public life through chance encounters in public spaces. If we have meaningful interactions with strangers in public spaces, we are bound to feel more connected to society and less lonely. Another benefit will be experienced by the recipients of the letters—a typed letter really says ‘I was thinking about you’ so much better than emails and text messaging can. Hopefully your action will be reciprocated.