Paparazzi of Lake Merritt

I took an inconspicuous seat at the Lake today, not expecting much of a view besides rush hour traffic and afternoon joggers creeping by. Instead, I was given a span of water that glittered like my favorite sidewalks. You know—the ones with little chips of glass that sparkle as you walk. My patch of water sat between the shadows of two looming buildings where the sun stood between, beaming down its rays. And like fireworks or paparazzi of the Lake, the light danced and blinked about on the little crests of water. One moment, 1000s of tiny cameras flashed, forcing me to look away to keep from going blind. And then the water calmed and the lights waned until the breeze picked up again. A shooting star with a long tail trailed from the canoe rowing by while the stars of the Lake sparkled on. And people continued to walk by unsuspecting of the light display that rivaled even the best grand finale on Independence Day.