Kwok Tan, The Sundowners (DOCO 2021)

The Mayo Clinic website describes sundowning as a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the night. The website writes, “Sundowning can cause a variety of behaviours, such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or ignoring directions. Sundowning can also lead to pacing or wandering. Sundowning isn't a disease, but a group of symptoms that occur at a specific time of the day that may affect people with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. The exact cause of this behaviour is unknown.” The late afternoon sun piercing through the city has an effect on the people in the streets below. The light is blinding as they emerge from their shelters of concrete and steel. The harsh light and deep shadows are both disorienting and surreal. It is hard to separate reality from what seems like a dream. The workday has been long and most probably stressful. People move quickly, rushing to make their way to one last work appointment, an afterwork rendezvous, or just to get the bus or train home. They are the sundowners in their daily grind.

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