This morning, cautiously breathing light brown air while sitting next to an air purifier, I flipped through my photos and realized how many signs concern safety. Not that their messages offer much help. Here’s one from a salon:

Interesting tactic: Brag about what you won’t sell. But which ingredients are on the banned list? Pondering that, I’m more likely to wander into traffic than to keep my body safe from whatever this company won’t sell.

From body to clothing:

Silly me! Here I thought Well Looked After, not to mention Spotlessly Clean, was a given for a Dry Cleaning shop — the equivalent of “Come on in! This room has a floor!”

At least those places take responsibility for their actions. This one off-loads it:

Which PARENTS? Only those in the neighborhood, or every parent in the city (or state or continent or universe)? And which children? Just your own? Or can you ignore a random three-year-old toddling through the gate toward, say, a giant machine digging a huge hole?

It’s all too much. I’m ready for what this sign offers:

It may be the effects of smoky air, but I can’t help wondering if there actually is anywhere with peace of mind these days. If you find such a spot, do let me know so I can travel there From New York. In the meantime, stay safe!

Shameless plug: I’m teaching an online, one-day class called “How to Explain Anything” on August 19, 2023, from 1 – 4 Eastern Daylight Time. See www.hugohouse.org for details.