Occasionally I’ll find an unfamiliar corner of a familiar city or town and begin wondering about the people who live and work there, and all the characters who pass by.

This week I suggest you do the same, or just take an imaginary meander through the street pictured here. Pay attention to the details – what are the walls built from? I love the fact that in the shot above one side is neat brick and the other rugged stone. What graffiti has been left here, and who by? I love the cheery but potentially foreboding message: Be Good. Who was that written for, and why?

What alleyways open off the street? What windows overlook it? What might be overheard here, or surreptitiously seen?

There’s a whole tumult of possibilities in any street, especially those off the main track. It’s up to you, and your imagination, to settle on a few and turn them into a tale.

If you write something prompted by this, please let me know by sending an email to Judy(at)socket creative.com. With your permission, I’d love to share it on SkyLightRain.com.