Observational Writing

For my Narrative Journalism course, I had to go somewhere and sit there for an hour, just observing the things that went on. I could not place myself in the piece, could not analyze the action, could only write about the place and what was happening. I think I managed with perhaps one or two tiny exceptions.

I'll let you figure out the location and style by yourself. I hope you enjoy!

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Cream sign, chocolate border, chocolate lettering:

15A
Cereal Peanut Butter
Oatmeal Syrup

Rainbow boxes lit by white gym lights hanging from clay-colored rafters. White red blue red white green yellow orange red red…Small print: ENLARGED TO SHOW TEXTURE. Giant flakes and puffs.

GOLEAN Stay Fuller Longer!*

Silent weaving brown cart, double basket, moves with authority – purpose. Propelled by man in a leather jacket and red baseball cap.

“Where’s Travis?”
“I don’t know. I thought he was with you.” Cart swoops back.

Clop clop clop high heels clop. Squish-squish squish-squish: white, wet, sticky-soled sneakers.

You found me, you found me

Red box: Kellogg’s Product 19. $3.99 12 oz. (340g) Unit Price $5.32 per pound.

grunnnNNN Forward facing wheels slide laterally gruuuunN on terrazzo composition vinyl tiles. Splotches of gray, shades of gray. Dirt gray on fake stone gray. Gray-brown splat near the Rice Krispies (carts went through as it dried, streaking it three feet outward).

Silent cart Silent feet

Sticky wheel and a cold: wadda wadda wadda *hem hem* wadda wadda

Woman in black: “I like blueberries.”
Man in blue: “I like blueberries.”

tah tah tah tah Silver cart, amber cardboard sixpack on bottom rack. War of 1812 Amber Ale. Chicken (pink on yellow), clementines (wooden box blue paper “Oh my darling!” orange net). Cart’s parked in front of granola bars, young man leaves in search of cereal.

Woman to child in cart: “We have Cheerios at home. We’re getting Cocoa Puffs.”

Track suit and Uggs, walking straight down the aisle. sh-dup sh-dup


007789016786
Unit Price $2.53
WEGMANS OATS & HONEY CEREAL
14.5 oz.
You Pay $2.29 (crossed out) consistent low prices You Pay $1.99.

“Do we need any cereals?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Oh, we should get more granola bars.”
“Ha ha ha, you have gummies, mom.”
“We can’t have gummies.”

Nov 1010CNM WEGMANS CINNAMON SQUARES

Salt-and-pepper-haired man in a black North Face jacket, paper coffee cup held to shoulder, cell phone to ear: “I’m actually at Wegmans right now.”

HPC please call 200. HPC please call 200. Thank you.

Empty of all but bright colors and light music.

BOP! Ari please return to your register. Ari please return to your register.

Woman with dark short hair, slouched back, powder blue jacket, blue jeans. grunN – lateral cart wheels.
Blonde boy: “This should last for about a month.” Big blue box.
Powder blue jacket: “Okay, vat kind of bars do you vant?”
Brunet boy: “Can I have a Snickers bar?”
Powder blue jacket: “Luciano…”
Blonde boy: “Kool Aid?”
Powder blue jacket: “No Kool Aid”
Brunet boy: “Can we have Snickers bars?”

All we are we are

Man in shades of green and tan turns the corner, finds granola bars, places a box in his basket, turns on his heel and exits.

Brown Converse All-Stars with white laces. The man she’s with to his cell phone: “How long does it take you to get to New York City? Talk to Chester about that. I think Josie’s there right now – talk to Josie.”

Preserves: Cherry Pineapple Blackberry Strawberry Red Yellow Violet Red

Boy one is in a blue coat, mom’s in white, pushing boy two and the groceries. Boy one: “Oh mommy no wait. I want some can I have some.” “Okay put them in the cart.” Kacha

Pop Tarts: Blueberry Muffin, Apple Strudel, Cinnamon Roll, Vanilla Milkshake, S’Mores. Blue boxes: 8 Toaster Pastries.

“Oh that’s so cool oh that’s so cool.”
“That was really cool.”

Pancakes mixes, by shelf:
$2.49 $2.49 $2.49 $2.79
$1.99 $1.99
$2.29 $2.29 $3.29
$2.29 $2.29 $1.49 $2.39
$3.29 $3.29 $2.69 $2.69 $2.69
comparison shop? TOPS $2.99

Woman in orange sweatshirt, brown pants grabs Wegmans Butter-Flavored Syrup. “Gross.”

Say goodnight and go

Sunglasses in collar of a blue shirt, hands in jean pocket, red and white pumas, styled hair, scruff. Scrutinizes.
Why’d you have to be so cute? It’s impossible to ignore you
No cereal. “Let’s go”
Friend in navy yellow-piped jacket, white along the sides: “Find yourself some cereal.”
No answer.
“Maybe some Fruit Loops or some Fruity Pebbles. Get your colors.”

ayeeyeeyeeyeeyee iiiiiiiiIIIIeiaheiaheiaheiah loose wheel. Three whistled notes compete.
gruuuUN!

Foot-dragging boots tshi tshi tshi tshi.

SMART
START
Strong Heart
Whole-Grain Oats, Antioxidants & Low Sodium (& a heart-shaped bowl).

Whirra whirra Brown carts cross chrome carts.

psh psh Toe-first clog-walking, leaning on cart handle, brown winter parka swaying around knees.

Honey Nut Toasted Oats, shaken kish-a-kish-a-kish, replaced. New box a-kish placed in brown cart. Pause. Exit: green hat, brown suede jacket, jeans, sunglasses on hat.

I know where’ I’m goin’