Kenny Be's Sign Language: Wake and Jake

The only way to get to know a city is by foot. A car could pass the northwest Denver home pictured above a dozen times and the driver would never see the spectacle that sprawls across this lawn. At twenty-miles-per-hour, the rocks on the folding chair and the flattened sign...

By Kenny Be

January 27, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

The only way to get to know a city is by foot. A car could pass the northwest Denver home pictured above a dozen times and the driver would never see the spectacle that sprawls across this lawn. At twenty-miles-per-hour, the rocks on the folding chair and the flattened sign in the foreground look like the leftovers of a recent yard sale, but a pedestrian passerby is able to read the handwriting on the drywall. A close-up shot reveals a domestic drama that is a real sleeper.

Look below for more:

The block-cap lettering scrawled on the scrap of drywall reads, "Enjoying your look at me while I sleep Jake? We'll talk about it this weekend? On the radio." Thankfully, the accusatory tone of the sleep-watching question is diminished by the suggestion of a leisurely weekend problem-solving session over the radio. But, who the heck is Jake? A second sign, seen in the rock garden in the upper left of the top photo, may provide a clue to Jake's identity and/or political affiliation. Enlarged below, an urgent scrawl on the inside-out plastic wrapper of a political campaign yard sign warns, "American Citizens Menaced by Republican Gangsters." Again, the message would be much more of a threat if it were not placed over the tanned face of a sunny, funny garden gnome. Take that, Jake!

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.