Krystina (#785) 02-09-15
When driving through a parking lot by a CVS Pharmacy, a young woman got in front of the car and flagged me down. I opened my window and she came along side. “Could you spare a few dollars so I could by some new shoes in CVS?” She easily held her foot up to my height, and almost put it in my window. Her shoe was threadbare, but I was impressed with the athletic, if inappropriate move. This was a first for me, a new take on panhandling. So I made my usual offer, inviting her into the 100 Strangers Project.
“AWESOME!”
After (hopefully) buying sandals in CVS, she plans to travel to Orlando. Krystina has no job, but she does have a house there. I can hang out with my friends. “It's AWESOME!”
I showed her the pics on the LCD and she wanted copies. But she doesn't have e-mail, only Facebook. So I promised to send something in a message.
As we parted, she asked if I could spare some more, so she could buy the shoes right away. I said no, that she had done pretty well already. Then I got a huge smile:
“Yeah, that was f***ing AWESOME.”
Thank you, Krystina, for allowing me to photograph you for the 100 Strangers Flickr group. It was, well, never mind.
Bob
James (#784) 02-08-15
James was sitting alone at the outdoor bar, Smokin' Joe's. I always check that place, as the light is almost always good. He was affable and happy to be included in the project. Also I quickly realized that James had been at the bar for a while.
He lives in Sarasota, but has moved around. He attended school in Englewood, very close to where I used to live. But his family moved west, and he graduated from High School in the Tetons. James Hated it; the population was 200, and he is a city boy. For a photographer, hating the Tetons seems like heresy - some of the most beautiful country on earth.
James works as a cook at a seafood restaurant called Bryans. His comment, “Don't go there. They won't let me use spices. Can you imagine vegetables steamed?” Well, I said that I occasionally eat steamed vegetables. “Really? Just steamed, without spice?” Becoming defensive, I began to equivocate. James continued, “I clean the fish, weigh the fillets, and broil. No spice. Clean, weigh, broil. Clean, weigh, broil.”
I guess I won't go there.
Bob
Orn (#783) 02-07-15
When Orn approached, I had no idea how she would respond to my request. She is from Thailand, and has been in the U.S. For only three years. One aunt is here, but the rest of her family is in Thailand. Orn loves it here, “It is so quiet!”
She was shy, but obviously interested in 100 Strangers. There was not so much a language barrier as a cultural barrier. She was smiling, but had difficulty understanding what I was up to. Orn preferred the smiley image. I had showed her my photostream on the phone and she wanted to see it later, so I gave her a card. And she wanted a copy of the images and gave me her e-mail address. I felt good about that, as she might have considered that an invasion of privacy. But, she didn't.
Looking at the images enlarged on the computer, I think that I can see contact lenses. I had never thought of that before.
Bob
Howard (#782) 02-06-15
Howard was sitting on an outdoor bench, reading something on his phone. I commented on his British accent. Howard lived 100 miles north of London, and has been in the U.S. For 12 years. Then he returned to England for two years, spent a little time in Boston, and here he is again. He is ambivalent as to where he prefers to live, most of his family is in the UK.
Howard works at the Sarasota Opera House (two blocks away), in management and promotions. He cringed at his photo, “I have so much gray!” I told him that I'd get rid of that in Photoshop – a lie. :-) He very much liked the 100 Strangers project and took a card. And he gave me his e-mail address so that I could send him this image – gray and all.
Bob
Crystal (#781) 02-05-15
While sitting outside, sipping a cup of Joe, Crystal was walking toward me. She had art supplies in each hand, and just had the presence of an artist. When I approached her she seemed very wary and uneasy. Actually, I was surprised when she said OK.
Crystal is a painter and wishes that she had a studio. She works out of her apartment. When I asked if she made a living out of art, she said, “I wish!'
Crystal never seemed “into it”, and I expected her to bolt at any minute. So again, I was surprised that she gave me her e-mail address after seeing this image on the LCD.
Bob
Emily (#780) 02-04-15
Emily was sitting quietly, outside of my favorite coffee shop. She had a staid, demure countenance. When I approached her, she was slightly taken aback and shy. But agreeable. Emily is from Parrish, a rural community in Manatee County, to the north. She graduated from a high school in Manatee County and then bolted for San Fransisco. She was a barista and loved it, but California proved just too expensive to live.
So she moved back to Sarasota and works as a barista here. I asked her where. Pastry Art, right here! Yikes, I was embarrassed. She is new here, but in retrospect I have seen her a couple of times. But her hair was different, and she had an outgoing, gregarious personality. She seemed so different now! My bad. She was not interested in obtaining a copy of the image.
While I was photographing her, the manager came out and said, "Emily, don't let him do it!" A joke. He has seen me in action many times.
Bob
Steve (#779) 02-03-15
The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County has a neat project, Sarasota Keys. Several decorated pianos are placed along downtown streets for anyone to play. Just sit down and go to it! See it HERE.
Steve was sitting down and going to it, next to the Clasico Cafe and Bar. I heard him from half a block away, and it sounded like classical music, although I couldn't recognize any of it. When I arrived at the origin of the sound, an unlikely looking pianist was at work. His bicycle was propped against the piano and he wore a shirt that said “Wilhelm Landscaping.” It was a work shirt, well soiled, as were his hands and fingernails. The fingers worked furiously and sometimes crossed themselves in awkward ways. But the music was great. It is original, Steve composes all of it – no wonder that I did not recognize it. He cannot read a note of music. But more amazing is that it is not memorized, he makes it up on the spot. “I taught myself the chords, and I know which notes go with them, so I just make this up as I go along. A pianist watched me once and said that I have the notes and chords right, but I use the wrong fingers.” And they are gnarled, laborer's fingers at that.
The Cafe outdoor patrons are right next to the piano. Steve says that management runs off people playing poorly for any length of time, but that they love him and his music. I guess! He ought to be on the payroll; he is not. Steve is 49 and has been playing since a small child. He has had a few brief gigs at bars, but has not been able to make a living at it. He just loves playing.
Amazing.
Bob
Khristina (#778) 02-02-15
I saw Khristina on the other side of main St. She was sitting on the sidewalk with her back resting on a wall. She seemed out of place. The location and posture was that of a homeless person. But even from a distance, her hair seemed professionally managed. However, as I approached I saw that she was holding a cardboard sign, an icon of the homeless. It said, “Stranded, Please Help. God Bless.”
Khristina is from New York, Manhattan no less. She came to southwest Florida with her boyfriend, but he cheated on her and they split up. She is broke, and trying to get bus fare back to New York. Currently she is staying in the Salvation Army shelter at $7/night. I said that New your was an expensive place to live. Khristina responded that she had been a waitress and could easily get a similar job again. She has a friend to live with.
So, I misjudged a homeless person. They come in all shapes and sizes. Each story is different.
Bob
Amanda (#777) 02-01-15
Sitting in front of my favorite coffee shop were Amanda and her male friend. I forget his name. Aarrrggg! That's what happens when you refuse to be photographed, your name is instantly forgotten. Ironically, as I explained the project, he seemed more positive, while Amanda was shy and reluctant. I showed her my photostream and asked if she was familiar with Flickr. She said that it was sort of like Photobucket. Close enough.
She is from Sebring, FL. I said that you don't meet too many folks from Sebring, andshe agreed. I said that I have a nephew from Frostproof, and I thought that it was close to Sebring. Amanda said that it was about an hour away, not THAT close.
Amanda is a Speech Therapist at Memorial Hospital, in Sarasota. She has been there for nine months and loves it. I told her that I was familiar with speech problems with Parkinson's Disease, and she treats such patients. Often the drink with a straw due to swallowing difficulties. She was trained at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando. In less than 40 years it has grown the student body to over 60,000!
Bob
Nick (776) 01-31-15
As I waited in my car for a red light, Nick walked slowly by holding a cardboard sign, “Homeless and Hungry.” This is the same location that I photographed Blog Post #759, Stewie. I guess that it's considered good hunting grounds. So as with Stewie, I circled the block and parked illegally in the bank parking lot. Nick was a bit wary of me, but a couple of dollars changed his opinion pretty quickly.
Nick and his brother were taken from their mother, by law enforcement when he was two. They lived in a total of 19 foster homes over the next four years. When he was six, they were adopted by an abusive couple. “When she went to work, he went to work. On us.” Nick was expelled from school in 11th grade and was transferred to Falkenberg School, which I could not find with Google. Anyway, he got no degree and was barred from reentering public schools due to violent behavior. Nick was not able to pass the GED exams.
It's all family problems. This is my family now”, as he waved his arm by a small group of nearby homeless people.
Bob
Kathleen (#775) 01-30-15
I drank coffee while observing the passersby: sort of like a shooting gallery. Then along came Kathleen with this great hat. I like identifying women with stylish hats, not the floppy keep-the-sun-off hats, but hats meant to make a statement. The occupants know that they look neat and are usually ready to talk some. As was Kathleen.
As soon as I stopped her and explained my intention, she said, “Oh sure, I get asked to be photographed fairly often, everyone likes the hat.” Kathleen is from Washington D.C., and is staying in Sarasota until March 1. I remarked,”Oh nice, be a fair weather friend and leave during the cold!” She grinned.
The first few shots were disappointing, the background was too bright. I explained that and turned to get the brightest area to my back. “Yeah”, she said, “The shadows won't be as harsh.” “Oh, you ARE familiar with this process!”
Then Kathleen asked what the image was for. I explained Flickr and showed her my Photostream. She knew Flickr, and was VERY impressed with the project and her photo. But she didn't want a copy. Fewer than half do. :-(
Bob
Steve (#774) 01-29-15
Steve is from Chicago. When I told him that I was from Venice (FL), he said “Ugh!” and pointed to his hat. “That says “Vienna, not Venice.” He shrugged.
Steve was sitting at an outdoor bar at 10AM, sipping a brew. When I saw the light in his eyes (I always look), I just had to get a portrait. When I asked, Steve said,
“I look like a bum with the beard.”
“A lot of men have beards.”
“Yeah, but it's just not me.”
“Then why didn't you shave?”
“I was with a woman for three days, that's why. And the....”
Let's just say that Steve's expectations were not met. He had been drinking with the woman the previous night, and needed the beer now to clear his head. He does tile and marble work. I said that building was picking up, and that work should be easier to find. Steve said, “I'm 62 now, and getting a Social Security check. I just can't get into looking for work.”
Bob
Alex (#773) 28-01-15
Actually, it's Alexandra. She was sitting in a small garden in St. Petersburg, having a smoke. Alexandra was born and raised in St. Pete, a graduate of St. Petersburg Catholic High School.
Across the street was the newly revamped Sundial St. Pete. Not so many years ago, this was developed as the BayWalk, and was supposed to revamp all shopping and dining in the area. Alex works at one of the tenants, the Locale Market. I like the play on words, Locale. In a month, a Locale restaurant will open.
She was amused by the project and liked her picture. She really liked the photostream, and took my card. Alexandra said that after she saw the image on Flickr, she'd e-mail me for a copy. We'll see...
Bob
Louis (#772) 01-27-15
Walking on 4th St. in St. Petersburg, there were several apparently homeless men in my way. Louis, in a wheelchair, Waved toward me and asked for some help. In purchasing lunch. I struck the usual bargain and handed him a few dollars. He “God blessed” me.
Louis was born in Ohio and relocated to St. Petersburg in 1978. This was at the end of a tour in the Marines that left him an amputee. He gets VA medical benefits and the wheelchair, but no more. He said that there are ~25,000 homeless in St. Pete, and pointed to several locations where he has slept. The police have become more strict recently as a couple of new high end condominiums have been built.
Louis contends that many homeless are junkies or drunks, but that he is neither. When he gets extra money, he buys food for his homeless friends. For $5 he gets an excellent sandwich at Publix Supermarket. Louis was looking forward to using my contribution fro a sandwich, and he knew exactly which one: turkey and Swiss cheese. Sounds good to me.
Bob
Morgan (#771) 01-25-15
Having a Coke outdoors, Morgan seemed relaxed and approachable. She was. A native of Sarasota, she graduated from nearby Riverview High School. I commented about how Venice High School dominates Riverview in Football. She was unaware and uninterested.
Now she works at the recently opened, University Town Center Mall. Specifically at Sephora, a store as familiar to me as football is to Morgan. “We sell fragrances and make-up.” That explains why. She agreed with me that the new mall is overhyped – overdone and oversold. But the pay is higher than other stores, so what can you say?
A few minutes later I was driving, and Morgan came flying by on her bicycle. She seems like an individualist.
Bob
Ron (#770) 01-25-15
I liked the hat, and I told him so. I went into my usual talk about meeting strangers, taking portraits and then said, “I haven't met you before. Can I meet you and take your picture. His response was “No.” Silence. Then, “Where do you want me to stand?” I said that I thought the answer was no. Ron said, “I said 'no', you haven't met me before. But you can take my picture (smile).” He had me.
Ron has been a self employed plumber for 35 years. “Self employed is the only way to be.” I said that the economy is picking up, his business should too. He said, “I don't want the recovery to come too fast, I like the vacation.” I said, “Ah, you must not have a wife and kids.” Ron said that he had an ex-wife and kids. That sounds even more expensive, but he was living the good life.
Ron liked the images, but did not want a copy.
Bob
Jacqui (#769) 01-24-15
While in Tampa, about an hour after photographing Tom (My previous post) Jacqui was sitting on the same wall. Only she was reading. I hated to interrupt her, but not so much that I didn't interrupt her. She was OK with being photographed, although a little reserved. At first.
Jacqui was born in Tampa, and went to a local High School. My guess was that she was a college student, so I asked. “No, I'm a lawyer.” Yikes! I told her that she looked too young to be a lawyer. She rolled her eyes up and said, “I've been a lawyer for a while.” Actually since 2009, when she graduated cum laude, from Law School at the University of Florida. For two years I lived within 100 yards of it.
When I explained 100 Strangers, Jacqui said that she had done photography in the past. Black and white film, to be exact. So when I showed her my Photostream in b&w, she was interested, and gave me her e-mail address to get copies of her images. She preferred the straight on look, but I am partial to the first image.
Bob
