Cultural landscape at bus stop - Forensic Brainstorming

mid-morning heap of possessions at bus stop (8 Dec. 2021)

At first "brainstorming" and "forensic interpretation" appear to be opposite in purpose. One is meant to open up possibilities, unrestrained by ordinary habits of perception. The other is meant to eliminate all except the (single-most) probable explanation. But upon seeing this collection of clothing, backpack, and other personal items, the pool of possible meanings began to come into mind (brainstorming). But more than idle interpretation, instead I proceed with a view to turning up something close to the true significance of this sight (forensic scrutiny). However, in the end, this is an exercise in social commentary, so no DNA samples are going to the lab; no missing persons reports will be consulted; and no enhanced magnification of the contents will be inventoried. Instead, an initial pool of meanings will be offered in order to turn up some or all of the actual interpretation for this strange sight.

Brainstorming some lines of interpretation, in no particular order. (1) Donation deposited halfheartedly (casual, careless, anonymous versus carefully calculated to fit a particular person frequently at this location). (2) Discarding unwanted items in halfhearted attempt to donate to another person. (3) Dropped in haste by a person carrying too many pieces of luggage to board the bus. (4) Discovered by a passer-by who noticed a bus rider losing the things en route to this location. The good Samaritan picked up the things and brought them to that bus stop supposing that the rider may well return at some point. (5) Demonstration of interpersonal malice or ill will: dumping the possessions of the person diminished in the eyes of the person depositing the things in a pile here. (6) Dithering by the person who received these donated things. At first they carry the things to the bus stop, then studying them more carefully, the person discards unwanted parts there and then, keeping only the items desired. (7) Distress by the person fleeing a person or vehicle: drop these things and run. (8) Dumped items stolen from nearby laundromat's washer or dryer.

Each of these initial interpretations of the heap of clothing is a self-contained story, but very often the true sequence of events is not simple or single cause, single effect. Instead there could be a set of events or sequence of circumstances that intersect at the moment of decision that produces the sight in view here. In other words, while there may be some truth in one or more of the string of imagined self-contained situations leading to the heap of clothing, above, it may well be that there is some combination of the interpretations here, along with other factors not yet imagined in the list. The habit of overthinking and projecting meanings where none were originally present is well known. Less well known, though, is "underthinking" a problem or a general lack of imagination to solve the case. And yet, it is somewhere between thinking too much and too little that the most progress can be made with "forensic brainstorming."

In summary, are these possessions "single-use" (disposable), a person's entire stock of worldly goods, or maybe somewhere in-between? Beyond the relationship of the items to the person or persons, though, what is the social condition of the person(s): unhoused and bereft of supporting social fabric, homeless but migrating from one hosting friend or family member to the next, a traveler who is in the city only long enough to get to the other side, someone is distress from alcohol/drug use disorder, or a person who is unable to secure and maintain a fixed residence where personal belongings like these can be kept? Without investigating further or actually meeting the person last touching the things when they were abandoned, it is impossible to compose a complete picture of the meaning of these belongings at the bus stop.