Normative Signs: The Poetry of "Ought"

This is a favourite from outside a low-rise apartment in my neighbourhood. I love it primarily on somewhat perverse aesthetic grounds. It reads:

“No” bicycle parking allowed.
Apt. Mgmt.

What’s so lovely about it? What’s not lovely about it!

First, there’s the unnecessary (indeed, inappropriate) quotation marks around the faded word “no.” Those are for when underlining just isn’t enough.

Next, there’s the old-timey hand-writing. It reminds me of my long-dead grandfather. Given that this is Little Portugal, I cannot help picturing an elderly, diminutive Portuguese Canadian man carefully painting those words.

Third is the fact that the sign is nearly illegible — and whoever posted it doesn’t think it important to fix it.

Beautiful!