I came to life in Washington Square as the church bells rang at 11AM.

A marble statue, I had been standing there for over a century.

My eyes were open and for the first time, I saw. I was seeing! Colors, green, brown – grass and earth. Brightness, darkness – the sunlight upon my marble body as I cast a shadow. I. I cast a shadow! I was suddenly aware of my own existence as I stood. I was holding something. What was it? A bronze vase full of water. I was pouring water onto the ground from where I stood, that was my century-long task. For over a century I stood, pouring the never-ending water from the vase.

As I slowly raised my arms, I poured the contents out – no water! Only dirt and perhaps a few wrappers of garbage some passing human had carelessly thrown in. What was I to do with it now? I looked around me for the first time seeing the park where I had stood before but hadn't noticed until now. Was there a water fountain nearby to fill the vase with? I didn't see. Instead I saw the sky and my eyes filled with water, or was it tears? Was it the brightness or the beauty of the first blue sky I ever saw, with fluffy white clouds drifting by? I didn't know.

Everything around me was moving! Humans, birds, the parrots cackling madly as they flew into a willow tree. Pigeons, bugs, humming birds warbling in their high-pitched trill – I was now hearing sounds I never heard before. Everything was alive! And now, so was I.

I noticed my body, my marble arms and fingers as I still held the bronze vase. Perhaps I should set it down? I carefully placed it onto the ground, noting its weight, so different from my own marble solidness. I raised myself up, noting the walking humans. Should I walk as well? I took a hesitant step, moving my leg and wondering where I should put it. It took a while to decide, to the left or to the right? Eventually I found a place for my foot and decided to move the other to match it. I moved my foot, raising the long marble leg high into the air, which wasn't necessary but I wanted to see how high it would go. I realized if I lifted it too high, I would lose balance. I placed it down at last and looked around me.

The humans hadn't noticed much. If anyone took my picture, I didn't notice either. I was too far engrossed in the progress of my new-found limbs. I raised my hands to the sky and the sunlight burst forth from a cloud in approval. I felt like this was meant to be. I suddenly wanted to dance! But I was afraid... The vase was close to my feet and I was unsure how to move or how far. I had been in my designated spot for over a century and didn't know where I should go.

For over a century I poured my bronze vase, which had no water, to the passing humans who barely noticed me as I bent down. I don't think I had ever looked a human in the eye before. But as the humans walked passed me, now that I was alive, they never walked close enough to see me or for me to look into their eyes.

I set a new task for myself which was movement. I moved one leg then the other. I found that if I didn't think about it so much the legs would place themselves within balance to my body. My torso turned, as much as the marble would allow me and I viewed the streets around me.

Had other statues come to life? I saw none of them move, just myself. I was alone.

I slowly bent down to pick up my vase. Should I ask someone to fill it? Again, none came near. So I entertained myself with the vase, noting how the sunlight played upon its metal or how the darkness accentuated the shadows as the sunlight hid behind the clouds again. I wondered if it would rain. Perhaps the rain could fill my vase? I did not feel the cold since I was made of marble and the water would not bother me. I wanted to show someone this marvel of an object but I was all alone. Even the birds were distracted by their flying, trying to find a place to roost. I had no one but myself to show anything to.

I decided I may as well resume my pose, back go pouring the nonexistent water for no one. I grasped the bronze vase carefully and slowly bent down to my century-old pose. For one brief moment I came alive in Washington Square in San Francisco at the sound of church bells ringing on a Sunday morning. I would go back to being a marble statue once more. Except this time, I looked up as I poured, contrary to how the male artist made me, I looked up at the blue sky with its light clouds, facing the church and its steepled towers, to gaze at the clock that ticked the time above the humans going about their lives below.