From the day
Perspective: The Anxious Local · Sound
The rhythmic *ay-ay-ay* of Rihanna’s "Live Your Life" blares from a passing sedan, vibrating against my chest as I stare at the gas pump's cruel flickering display. Three dollars and twenty-seven cents—I can barely afford the bread in my bag, let alone a ticket to a movie just to forget this tightening knot in my gut. The street is a chaos of noise, from the tinny pings of new iPhones to the distant clatter of the construction site nearby. I catch sight of a kid in full "scene" attire—tight black jeans and neon hair—scoffing at the price of a Wall-E toy in the window, and I can’t help but wonder how we’re all supposed to keep breathing when everything feels like it’s about to break.