How State Street has changed my social life

A colleague recently told me, “It can take 10 years to make friends here in Santa Barbara.”

I’m here 7 years, so I knew exactly where I was on the curve, but then something happened in 2023 – the City placed these Adirondack-style tables and chairs right out in the street. Now that State Street is closed to cars, we pedestrians needed a place where we could sit, take a load off, watch the world go by and most importantly, have an opportunity to visit with passers-by.

My favorite remembrance of the chairs will always be a time early on, when the chairs were new, I sat down to take a rest – it was a Saturday afternoon, summertime. Along came a family of tourists, one by one they joined me. First the mom with 2 young boys, maybe 2 and 3 yo who didn’t need a rest; they were a bundle of energy. Grandpa sat himself down next to me and finally grandma opposite; she was speaking a language I couldn’t place and like abuelas everywhere, she kept up her end of the conversation, aimed mostly at grandpa. Instantly bored the younger of the boys starts circling the table that separates us all – one lap then another, then faster. He goes around until he’s just about to spill out of his circle, but a quick hand to my outstretched knee keeps him on balance. He continues lapping the table, pushing off my knee as he passes. We shared not a word, but I felt I was being inducted into the family. Moments later, was he an uncle? Then dad arrives and the family starts to disperse – I get up with them, because we’re all together on this by now, right? We go our separate ways.

As I reflect back I remember the powerful connection I felt – just being present with these visitors from who knows where. It felt like I had sat with them around their dining room table, if only for a minute or two.

There would be other connections, conversations to start – then inspiration struck. I placed puzzles on the tables, checkers, and Rubik’s Cubes, too. How would puzzles and games create something like a chemical reaction? All the ingredients were present: a place to sit, a pleasant distraction all the while the world walks past.

Would I go broke if I kept replenishing the Rubik’s Cubes? They’d disappear within an hour, but I had a budget for shrinkage.

Is she letting him win?

What did I learn from this social experiment? The checkers attracted only the youthful, but the puzzles were a big hit. I remember one family patiently waiting to head off to dinner, while dad couldn’t leave until he finished the puzzle, his adult daughters looking on, smiling – me across the street, observing this street scene magic.

So these chairs became a social accelerant for me. If I time it right I can count on Richard Lambert to come by on his bike – he’ll sit for awhile as we solve all the world’s problems. Rodger Hembree travels up and down State St a few times each day – at 81 years old he’s an inspiration to all of us to keep riding. But when he sees us hanging out he’ll stop and share a story, or whatever’s on his mind. And once we have 3 people loitering we’re bound to attract others, even if just for a few moments, maybe just to share a hello.

As the New Year approaches I reflect on the times that mattered most during the year. For me, my mind keeps wandering back out onto State Street where I’m sitting in a chair and someone comes along and the next thing I know, we’re standing up ready to move along, but we’re richer for the experience. We walk away with a shared sense of community, all because State Street is closed to cars.