Purple flower, West Potomac Park neighborhood.
I can tell you exactly where I was when I found out Prince died. Alzo sent me a one word text. The shock had me hitting the internet to double check. I miss Prince. I’m no super fan but it’s hard to believe he’s dead. He was a force of music and attitude that’s gone but still present as well. I take solace in my appreciation for Prince’s favorite color purple. Looking for examples around his birthday is my offering of tribute.
At some point I found myself at a practice space building on Burnside, a very Portland kind of establishment, with the name that involved the word Gnome (Metrognome.) Waiting to get in, I was struck by the purple border surrounding the building.
Inside, I discovered a purple bathroom beyond the door sporting Prince’s symbol. Was I seeing Prince’s favorite shade of purple? Who cares, and close enough; purple is purple, right? It’s nice to find a Prince tribute anywhere. Inside the practice space not a note of funk could be heard beyond the space dub that was blasting but eavesdropping on a Prince tribute band rehearsal would have been asking too much.
Purple bathroom.
Purple light switch and light plate.
Purple border.
Portland was filled with legends about Prince performances, a blistering set at an after hours after party–whatever you call those things and there was a late career appearance that featured an all-lady back up band. Somewhere in my archive is a double cassette of the first two albums, the funky, punky stuff, Ronnie Talk to Russia and When You Were Mine, but I like to think of Prince travelling, or floating through town in a semiconscious dream state gazing out of a limo window and enjoying any shade of purple he may have seen. **And, of course, Portland has experienced its share of purple rain, whatever that might be.
Purple bathwater.
Purple mailbox.
Purple abstract art.
Purple bench, Oaks Amusement Park.
Purple parking garage column, Hillsboro.
Purple garage and door, Maplewood neighborhood.
Purple chipped nail polish.
Purple drink.
**I have to say Mrs. Yuchmow that I debated long and hard about starting this sentence with the word “And,” but in the end it felt good making it feel right too.
Portland Orbit 
I wouldn’t describe myself as a huge Prince fan. That would be an insult to actual huge Prince fans.
I like — and even love — most of what I’ve heard but I’ve mainly just heard the hits. The only full album I ever listened to was “Around the World in a Day,” which I quite liked.
All that having been said, I recognize the man’s brilliance as a player, singer and producer. And for all his unnecessary and, honestly, grating flashiness, he was one of the greatest guitarists I ever heard. It’s a shame he left us so soon.
I was surprised by one thing in your photo essay. The restroom sign bearing Prince’s famous multi-gender symbol. Why in the world would someone go through the trouble of making it and not make it purple?
LikeLike