The slow rot of infrastructure always seems sudden upon its revelation. This decay behind skin, tissue, and bone opens space for regret to enter, coupled with the unanswerable – what’s next? – as you wonder whether scaffolding erected for repair is on time or too late, while the foundation continues to tremble.

Thad DeVassie is a writer and artist/painter who creates from the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio. You can find his written and painted works at thaddevassie.com.