Includes bibliographical references (pages [307]-328).

Incoming. The front porch: rocking back and forth with the American dream -- Electricity: birds on wire and sparking pliers -- Water: towers, faucets, and meters -- Mail: first-class diamonds, babies, and rattlesnakes -- Telephone wires and waves: from tin can to iPhone (to the Bieber) ---- Outgoing. Recycling: from A+ to D in one hour flat -- Sewers: the lifesaving world of wastewater below -- Trash: how to fit three tons of trash into a one-pint jar -- Roadkill (and litter): squished, plucked, and plogged ---- Surfaces. Bike lanes: pedaling uphill and into the wind -- Asphalt streets: pavement, potholes, and mummy paint -- Alleys: one man's love affair -- Concrete: sidewalks, dams, and the damn Joan Crawford -- Parking: the secret cost of free parking -- Walking: soles for the body, mind, and soul -- The block: the feast of a great community ---- Nature. Pigeons: vindicating rats with wings -- Parks: where cities pause to catch their breaths -- Lawns: caring for your seven million little plants -- Trees: stiletto heels and stumping to survive -- Squirrels: the gnawing truth -- Snow: the fate of my 3,358 inches ---- Sign, lines, and lights. STOP! Green lights, red signs, and roundabouts -- Road lines and signs: the language of signs and dashes -- Street names and numbers: stravenues and psycho paths -- Graffiti: making a mark on the world -- Epilogue.