Moving Out

At the end of this week, I will be moving back to Worcester, the land of my collegiate triumphs and struggles. Now, some of the uninitiated are somewhat put off by the "dubious" ambiance of this particular urban locale, but that's just because they haven't yet taken the time to scratch beneath the veneer and discover what the place truly has to offer.

You see, as my friend with whom I shall soon be living and I discussed thoroughly last evening, Worcester is a place with personality. It is the perfect setting for a noir film, somewhat dark and down on its luck but full of vibrancy and living spirit despite the grays in which it is initially painted. Like those brilliant blasts of color that appear in flashes and moments throughout the movie Sin City, Worcester continually surprises me with its unexpected displays of beauty.

Now, when I say "beauty," I know I must qualify my meaning in this instance as it is, like so many other words, drastically imprecise. If I am to use it, I must chain it to other terms and create a web of association. Beauty in Worcester is the man known to many Clarkies as Mr. Fantastic, aka the owner of Fantastic Pizza. Every day, his distinctive ponytail of wavy gray hair can be seen bobbing behind a load of pizza boxes as he delivers edible happiness to students and professors alike. It's not just the food that makes him special, though. It's the tangible wave of joy that he exudes as he moves through the campus walks and city streets. He loves every minute of what he does, and it shows. There's no better way of ensuring brand loyalty than that.

For instance, one winter day myself and one of my friends were picking up several pizzas for a presentation that we were giving on one of Clark's Study Abroad programs. As we began to pack up and leave the shop after paying, Mr. Fantastic asked us where we were headed. When we answered the UC, Clark's university center, he smiled.

"Come on, I give you a ride," he said. "I deliver to Sackler anyway."

That was the day that I had the pleasure of riding in the famous pizzamobile, and it was a unique chance to have a glimpse into the world of one of the most talked about non-student individuals on campus. The kindness of the act itself had astounded me. Never in my life had I even remotely thought that receiving a ride from the person who generally is found delivering something to you was even possible, but in his world it was. It didn't matter that he was doing something for which he would normally be paid for free. His mission in that moment became to deliver us as well as our pizzas safely.

This is a more abstract idea of the kind of beauty that I see in Worcester, but there are more concrete visual examples as well, for all those more conventional types out there. For example, the brightly colored triple decker houses, constructions unique to the region (pictured right). These abodes line the streets surrounding Clark and are home to students and residents alike. My new apartment will be in one such triple decker, a pink and white one a few blocks from campus.

In addition to the houses, Worcester is home to some unique historical attractions as well, such as the Higgins Armory. The building in which it resides is an appropriate grey with metal detail work, resembling the knightly artifacts contained within its walls (see left). It is a place that transports the visitor through the ages. Between the reenactments, sword fighting classes, and of course the exhibits, you might as well be in a mead hall as in the middle of a metropolis. It is just another facet of Worcester's personality: a healthy respect for tradition fused with a forward-looking perspective bent on pushing for a brighter future.

There are many more aspects of the city worth noting. It is full of parks, concert halls, train stations, towers, and churches. However, I can only present you with echoes. In order to understand as truly as is possible, with your own senses, you must visit one day for yourself and see why Worcester has become one of the places that I proudly call home.