On my way to the store at lunchtime, there is a tree-lined street full of mansions I walk down, past several embassies; here and there are apartment buildings, a rare vacant lot.

On one corner, workmen stand around, leaning against dumptrucks and wrecking machinery, around a gigantic pile of rubble. I’ve worked here for more than 10 years, and walk down that street most days, weather permitting, but for the life of me I can’t remember what used to stand there. Judging from the size of the pile, I guess a structure of some sort, quite large. One of the mansions.

No idea. Something stood there for years and made no impression on me whatsoever.

Further along the street is a large yellow mansion. Walking past one day several years ago, I noticed a bare naked lady standing in the window.

That house I’ll never forget.