Would you believe that David Bowie‘s wide reach even extends to the hearts of government bureaucrats?
An unknown vandal swapped a street sign for Bowie St. — named for noted pioneer and Alamo defender Jim Bowie — in Austin’s Market District, and replaced it with one that read “David Bowie St.” While it’s not at all surprising that something like this would happen following the death of a figure as massive as Bowie, what is surprising is the city’s response. They’re leaving the sign up.
Via the Austin Transportation Department:
“The Austin Transportation Department has been notified that someone got creative with the street sign at Bowie and 5th Streets, changing the sign to read ‘David Bowie’ in memory of the musician and pop-culture icon. We appreciate Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World and recognize David Bowie for all he did for the music industry and more. To this end, we will leave the sign up until Tuesday, January 19th, so our community can enjoy the makeshift memorial a few days longer. At that time we will have to replace it with the real street name sign.”
It’s a shame the city has to (ch-ch-)change it back. After all, Jim Bowie already has a type of knife named after him. What’s a street mean to someone after that?
(Via Austin360)
