Reserved Nature

At the heart of downtown Petaluma, there is a place named Putnam Plaza. It is a plaza that most passerby would overlook, save for the innocent toddler looking out of the car window as he is driven to a haircut. Putnam Plaza is not overlooked because it appears to be unpleasant, because it is quite the opposite. However, it is perhaps because of this pleasantness that only a fraction of the people walking by notice it, because while it may appear to be a quaint little square, it does not seem to be exciting, a quality which, in our culture of crime T.V. shows and celebrity scandals, is highly valued. Fortunately, despite the inconspicuous nature of Putnam Plaza, it has many more attributes than its agreeability.

Putnam Plaza may be entered from four distinct directions, each one tainting one’s experience. If entering from Petaluma Boulevard, as most visitors do, one is permitted to feel like an important aristocrat as they pass under a large metal arch that seems to beg to be walked under. If entering from one of the twin alleys that intersect the rear of the plaza, one thinks of wild teenagers who pass time by tastefully spray-painting concrete walls in the dead of night.

And if entering from Kentucky Street in the rear, one is awed by the green expanse they discover when they emerge from the narrow hallway.

The businesses that line Putnam Plaza are quite secure in one respect: the services they provide can never be outsourced. They are cafés, pie shops, bars, tattoo parlors, smoke shops, sensuality stores. The services that these businesses provide will always be desired. It must be added that Putnam Plaza is laid out ingeniously. Restaurants are clustered at the front of the plaza where they are the most visible, while the businesses you wouldn’t want your children to visit have the decency to lurk in the back. It seems that some kind of agreement has been reached between the entrepreneurs of the businesses, because in addition to this, the aforementioned seedier businesses ensure that their advertising is minimal so as to not scare off the over-caffeinated mouse that is the typical American citizen.

On the interior of Putnam Plaza, there is a lawn with seven slouching Seuss-like trees slowly swaying with the wind. Many people found the grass relaxing: homeless people often nap on it during warm months. In the corner next to the boulevard, there lies an attractive circular stone fountain, which is only marred by the fact that it is endlessly empty. In the afternoons, the sounds of the plaza- carefree talking and laughter, calming wind and music, clattering dishes and air-conditioning- radiate from the area, causing passing pedestrians to notice the plaza for what always appears to be the first time. Although the man-made shapes of the plaza are very orderly, with straight edges on everything from the tables to the planters, the sounds and the grass and the trees and the breeze balance this out to create an atmosphere that is pleasantly chaotic. In the evening, the restaurants close their doors, and the bar in the rear of the plaza becomes the main attraction. I regret to admit that I can’t describe the bar any further, due to legal reasons, primarily my age.

I personally discovered Putnam Plaza in the summer of 2011. I had just visited the Buddhist meditation center for the first time, and was in a very balanced and tranquil state. Proudly displaying a sandals tan line, I was as at peace as a dead man, and much more content with my situation. As I ambled along the streets of Petaluma, I stumbled upon Putnam Plaza at random. Intrigued by the the pie shop, I entered and bought some vanilla ice cream. As I ate my generous helping of ice cream at a table outside, I noticed that several homeless people were napping on the lush lawn. After finishing, I emulated them, laying on the grass for at least forty-five minutes, simply observing the people around me. Calm, comfortable, content- I was as untroubled as I can ever remember being. From then on, I have always associated the colorful paint and solid brick of Putnam Plaza with peacefulness, and make an effort to venture there whenever possible.

Although Putnam Plaza is a not a place of productivity for most people, it is still an essential location for people downtown to rest and recharge after a workweek or a shopping spree. Even though Putnam Plaza is lined by businesses, it is not focused on materialism. The goods the noticeable businesses supply, such as food and drinks, are complementary to the atmosphere of the area, and do nothing to draw away from it. The visitors of the plaza are people who are willing to slow down from the hurry of normal life temporarily, and are capable of simply observing. Be it the old-fashioned street lamps or the abundance of plants, Putnam Plaza helps break up the monotony of the blocks of buildings in downtown Petaluma, whether most people consciously notice it or not.

Peter Adams