Like rain and Buddy Cianci’s face during election season, the SciLi is an inescapable part of our daily life. Indeed, Brown’s very own fourteen-story “fuck you” to beauty is visible from almost anywhere in Providence. If the British had invaded Rhode Island, Paul Revere would have looked up at the SciLi for instructions.
I was curious if the SciLi was capable of not being seen, so I invited it to play a game of hide-and-go-seek with me.
One sunny day in October
Three…Two….One. Ready or not, here I come!
I see you! You’re behind that lamppost! You’re gonna have to find a better hiding place than that to fool me, kiddo. I’m a hide-and-go-seek champion! Raaaaa!
Wait, where are you going? I found you, the game’s over, come back!
Do you want to keep playing? We can keep playing if that’s what you want. Also, I can still see you behind that tree. Are you even listening to me?
I do not feel like you are listening to me.
Are you mad at me because I gloated about finding you so quickly? If you are, I’m sorry. That was rude of me. Please stop running away.
Seriously, where the fuck are you going?
Oh, I get it, you’re still sour about that time I called you “the ugliest fucking building in Providence.” I admit it wasn’t a nice thing to say, but I don’t think that’s true anymore. Pinky-swear, promise! Since getting to know you I’ve started to really appreciate Brutalist architecture. I see you, by the way.
[Several hours later]
Ok, now you’re just being immature. And no, you’re still not hidden. I can totally see you over there behind Sayles. Look, it’s all cloudy now, probably going to rain soon. How long do you want to keep this up?
Goddammit, when I catch you I’m going to show you what brutalist really looks like.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. Really, I just got exasperated. Please don’t cry.
Hey, champ, what do you say we bury the old hatchet and go see a movie? You’d like that, right? Maybe hide-and-go-seek just isn’t your game. There’s a good kid. What’s that? You want some M&Ms? Ok, I’ll get you some M&Ms.
Images via Ari Snider ’18.