Pepperoni Gothic

A quiet night around Knoxville, Tennessee through tacos, parks, and art filled alley-ways.

A trio of University of Tennessee students behind a local pizza shop admiring their remarkably charred pizza while on break. The jail cell bars, making the best of your time trapped with friends until your shift ends vibe, and sociable midwest personalities were my final conversation that evening.

Downtown Knoxville has a really peaceful and quiet atmosphere. There are a number of shaded parks that people were enjoying as Sunday slowly came to a close. Kids playing in fountains to stay cool in the 90º heat, patrons dining on patios along parkway trails, couples spending time together on park benches and outside cafes.

It really leads me to question, is this place at peace, or am I at peace?

I almost missed the art walk.

Sauntering around, I saw the murals at the corner of the alleyway but was attracted to the parks where people were relaxing. A man from Tallahassee, Billy Jean, saw my camera and told me about the alleys, and gave me a tour of them. He mentioned he saw me earlier but I didn’t hear him.

I shook his hand and we talked about his journey from Florida, his ex-wife and kids, and how his prescribed medicine makes him sleep for days on end. At the end of the alley, he asked for money, I offered food, we settled on the conversation.

The one other place I constantly get this feeling is Laguna Beach - walking down from Heisler Park onto the sands of main beach with Ralf, tourists and locals strolling or taking in the sunset on blankets with wine, waves quietly crashing along the shoreline, replacing your thoughts with their steady calming breaths.

If Jesus is a man of peace, why is there so much anger?

And the coffee shop I am writing this in, a day after quietly exploring the town.