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City of Sound is about cities, design, architecture, music, media, politics and more. Written by Dan Hill since 2001.
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As I understand it – and now I’ve seen all 5 seasons of The Wire, I feel like I now ought to know this kind of thing – the sight of a pair of shoes dangling high from telegraph or electricity wires, usually over a junction, is a tacit sign that this might be a place to ‘score’ of an evening.
Yet how on earth to explain this?
A pair of catfish strung over a wire in St. Lucia, Brisbane. Photos shot through the windscreen of a State Library fleet car, on our way to UQ. Catfish Blues.
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Black market pet store? Or possibly a place to score a bit of tail.
I can’t believe I just said that.
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From what I understand the deal about drug dealing is an urban myth. This has been investigated by the Straight Dope and Snopes and all kinds of people, without any conclusion. Ask a group of people and you will hear 20 different answers. We had shoes on overhead wires in my very catholic, very conservative midwestern suburb — don’t think they meant anything about drug dealing.
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Could this be guerrilla advertising by the fishing industry? A “civic event” designed to startle and amuse us, while also subliminally suggesting that fish would be good for dinner tonight?
Of course, it would only work for a day or so before it would start sending the opposite message.
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No way it’s drug related Dan.
(and I’ve just finished the fifth season as well…)
I saw a lot of this happen in Rio de Janeiro, not so in Lisboa. But as you can see here (http://www.flickr.com/groups/shoesonpowerlines/pool/) it’s quite a universal practice. I myself think it’s just a game/prank thing.
As for the fish variation, well, it’s just onirical, some poet street wiseguy passing by maybe…
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By the way, it’s quite due to you (and your Simulated Baltimore post) that I’ve discovered and reveled with The Wire.
For that I’m deeply grateful.
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