Monday, March 1, 2010

At the Car Wash: A Photo Essay

I know for a fact I'm experiencing serious withdrawal from the Winter Olympics, but I still had a lengthy to-do list on my BlackBerry this morning. Amidst my errands and phone calls, I took time out for a quick stop at the car wash to attempt to rinse off one layer of salt, grime, and glop from my car. I'm a bit obsessive about keeping my car clean and well-maintained so the car wash and I are well acquainted, and I have to say, it lulls me into a small space of serenity. So today, I started snapping photos on my BlackBerry and I must say, I think there are some interesting images. I'll likely play around with them a little in Photoshop to see what sort of interesting manipulation can be accomplished, but here they are in their original state.

Seriously, before you call for the men with nets and white coats, hear me out with this. The rhythmic sound of the water streaming out from the jets and pelting the car is not dissimilar to the feeling of calm that can be brought on by the rhythm of a summer rain--one of my favorite "noises" sounds to fall asleep to on my iPod. 

And then there are the amazing patterns created by the water and wax as they flow and bead up on your windscreen and windows.

The water patterns can look like the wavy glass seen in the original windows of old houses. 




Admittedly, my favorite part is the candy-scented and pastel-colored wax that goes on toward the end of the process. The car smells rather like an overfilled Easter basket and the yellow, aqua, and pink colors swirl and glide in a psychedelic art show across the expanse of the windscreen. 

And then, like all of the grime and grit of winter...it is washed clean and rivulets of water slide playfully down the glass surface.