The Neighborhood Chalk Artist

A girl of about ten moved into the duplex across the street this spring, and our sidewalk has never been the same.

Every few days there's a new chalk drawing outside her house. A whale. A dragon eating a taco. A hopscotch board that ends in a door "to the moon." Messages for passersby: "You're doing great!" "Look up!" "Have you said hi to a dog today?"

People started walking our street on purpose to see them. The mailman takes photos. An old man who lives alone down the block stops every morning and reads the messages out loud, and I've seen him smile at "You have nice shoes."

Yesterday her mom told me they buy chalk in bulk now. I left a big new box on their step with a note: "From your fans." This morning, the sidewalk said: "THANK YOU FANS!!" with a giant heart.