Getting About
Some time ago I was waiting in line at the bread counter to be served while this most aged man beside
me pointed his shaky arthritic fingers at this loaf, then that loaf, but what about that one etc etc.
He couldn't make up his mind. A crusty woman beside me, much older than me but younger than him, looked
set to give the dithering ancient a piece of her mind in the "Get on with it already why don't you?"
So much for solidarity.
I smiled at her, saying "That might be us one day, if we're lucky!"
"You mean unlucky!" Pause. Next breath "I like your accent . . . ."
"I like your accent!" I replied.
"I'm from Brooklyn. We all sound like lesbians." She sounded like Patty and Selma from The Simpsons.
She then went into raptures about how much she enjoyed studying English Literature in the long ago
- you have to hear that word "literature" come at you from a Brooklyn accent for the full impact. The
beauty of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontes, she was in raptures. Until finally it was her turn to
be served and it was back to bullet talk.
"Gimme a loaf of rye, sliced."
I know absolutely nothing about the people in these shots. All I know is that they are out and about,
out in the streets with whatever it takes to get them there, wearing whatever. Suiting themselves.
With the collective thought "Who are you calling old?"
I wouldn't want to mess with any of them!
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Our precious lives, our unique expression. You make me miss city life.
Good to know we take our unique expression with us wherever we go, thank you Anna. Hope you get to enjoy a good dose of city life now and then.
BTW, did you hear about the Central Park carriage horse who had had more then enough with the city life and bolted into the busy streets? He has now been moved to fresh air and green acres!
A crusty woman – great pun for a bread tale
They were meant to be together!
Color shots are nice but black and white are priceless. BW brings out the Hopperesque of NYC.
Hopper certainly left behind a magnificent shadow!
One and three have that timeless quality to them, but I can totally see why you went for colour in two – it really adds to the composition. They’re all really great. My favourite’s the first one.
Thank you Richard – the lady in the second shot was her own little mobile rainbow!
You have a special way of turning this piece of everyday life into a memorable story; a sort of Aesop’s moral-filled tale. Except this one’s oh so true! Thank you, Patti, for lightening and enriching people’s lives!
Oh Annie, you’re so sweet, thank you! NY is an incredibly interactive city, whether you like it or not!
The old lady in the first picture seems completely lost … this is my favourite in this post.
Perhaps she was lost in thought while waiting to cross the road, which I was doing on the other side of the street when I saw her! Thank you Paula, so pleased you enjoyed!
You said you wanted to see the mushroom . It is an earlier post, but has been edited more than once ;). Here, I am talking about my frustration and finding my way in digital darkroom 😉
Just think what Andy Warhol did with his silkscreen printings – how many Marilyn’s did he do? Imagine the fun he would have with photo editing! How do we turn the frustration of so much choice into something more decisive?
Love the copper glow of your mushroom!
Thank you so much Patti 🙂
There is nothing like a Brooklyn accent. I have been in Florida for 23 years and still have people say, “Where are you from Brooklyn? I keep thinking I sound like everyone else. HA … the jokes on me. This is a great story. Loved it …!!!!
You can take the girl out of Brooklyn but . . . .
Great to hear you still have it going for the borough! 🙂
Stunning photograpy again from Ms Patti , I love all of it 🙂
Thank you so much dear Jake!
we all sound like lesbians!! LOL! That cracked me up…. but then again… I’m easily entertained. 😉
Derrick, I was shocked! But no way was I going to get a word in . . .
yes… sometimes it’s best to just smile and nod!!
Smart girl! You’re too young to mess around with these folk.
Fantastic eye, idea, captures.
(But surely she demanded A loafarye —-)
I know my place and yes, she did demand as you say aloafarye!
These are great. I love the expression on the white-haired women facing the camera. And I hope I can still have dogs when I can’t walk.
Whatever it takes to get out in a day! 🙂
Good for them. NYC is a mixed bag for older people, in some ways a great place to live, in other ways, it’s harder. But some people just can’t live anywhere else.
You’re not wrong! Once upon a time I agonised about growing older in NY but now it doesn’t worry me as much – amazing what you adapt to over time, reasonably good health and sanity permitting which seem to be the dictates of quality, or lack thereof, of aging anywhere and everywhere.
I think it’s what you’re used to. I think someone who has lived in New York all of his or her life or moved there when younger finds aging there much easier than someone who arrives in their 70’s or 80’s from a farm in Iowa.
Where does one leave a comment on your about page? :S
Paula, it was ages after switching over to this theme that I discovered comments aren’t yet enabled on the About page . . . The original comments from the old theme have gone into storage, I hope!
“Who are you calling old?” – I’m asking myself (aged 67) too: my eyes are getting worse – so I changed my interests, play more guitar …
Frizz, I am so sorry to hear about your eyesight but I will always love how you see the world!
I like the wheel chair driving old lady
and her two companions!
greetings by
http://soundcloud.com/frizztext
I wouldn’t mess with them either! Ha, ha, ha. Love the B&W images. It captures the moment in people where they are unguarded and real. I would like though to have the “Do whatever” suits me attitude and just being yourself like these people. Great post!
Thank you IT, it’s what I love about big city life!
I always love your images, Patti… and I particularly enjoyed your back-story today…
except…
I wasn’t really taking THAT long, was I?!
😉
SiG, I can’t believe you would ever take THAT long!
Thank you so much Sig for your kind words!
Patti—I always love your posts, this one really touched me. I am giving you 2 awards today: One Lovely Blog Award and The Versatile Blog Award. You are so deserving! http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/positive-boomer-and-believe-anyway/
Kate, you are so sweet, thank you very much!
The years tot up so quickly don’t they . . .
Truly enjoyable story to go along with your great series of street photography!
Some NY stories just tell themselves and so pleased you enjoyed this one, thank you Greg! Love your handle, “revengeofthejpeg” – that’s putting something (?) in its place!
Great street candids and an excellent story too 🙂
Martin, remind me to tell you one day about the wonderfully ancient NY woman wearing an Absolutely Fabulous T-Shirt (with a smoking Patsy). I met her in a Dunkin Donuts – she wanted to know all the latest from EastEnders, her favourite show!
excellent photographs, Patti and I enjoyed your story.
Stay still long enough anywhere in NY and you will get a story from someone! 🙂
People shots in the city–there are so many stories and encounters to be had. I enjoyed yours very much. I visited England a few times some years ago and found it fascinating. It’s so different from the States and yet is much the same. Welcome to the States. Enjoy your time here.
Thank you Phil for your very warm and generous welcome! So pleased you enjoyed your time in the UK and, as you say, it is so different with much that is the same but now I don’t seem to notice it as much. That’s a good sign, isn’t it?
stories and lives of so many 🙂
and everyone has at least one story!
You always make me pause and think… I really don’t like doing that, but there you go. I really hope the aliens that monitor our civilization find your pictures and not past episodes of Big Brother.
I am sorry Alan, thinking can get in the way of so much! Where would Big Brother be with a dose!
Patti, love this post! You are so right. If only we are lucky enough to go about our daily business at that age. Margie
Thanks Margie, I can’t see too much getting in your way! 🙂
I don’t know why but the first pic is absolutely touching me.
Isn’t she a sweetie!
I liked the thought you shared with these beautiful picture a lot. Great work, Patti. Very touching.
My pleasure Arindam! When are you going to visit NYC?
Not sure. 🙂 But it seems like not very soon.
my eyes keep getting pulled to the left, levis are they?
Pete, you are incorrigible!
These are fascinating images: Body language in the numbers one and three — and “doggy language” in the middle one!
I like how you have put this together, thank you Andrew!
Riotous! Awsome experience to write about. I like the country but I love the city too.
Wonderful portraits of the not so young 🙂 And the accompanying story was delightful, thanks Patti.
I just thought that I’d nominate you for a UBA today.
http://themofman.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/rewarded/
Wow, thank you so much Allan! I love your work and how much energy you put into your local art scene. Keep up the fine work!
I pass sights like this everyday without noticing – but they look so beautiful in your photographs! Guess I should keep my eyes open.
Jill, I love your comment and that’s just what I love about NYC – the “extra” in the ordinary! Which we can so easily lose track of while knowing it’s there at the same time!
Great street shot, Patty. I particularly like the black and white ones. Who is to say who is old. Right? Your text made for some fun read, a very interesting observation. I can almost imagine the switch from talk about high end literature to what you call bullet talk. LOL.
Great shots – they all speak volumes! I love the obliviousness of the woman in the top shot! 🙂
Brilliant.
Thank you so much!
Love that first image. So full of stories…
Thank you so much Karen! I think of this woman as a time traveller and, as you say, so full of stories!
Hey patti, loving this. Your stuff is wonderful. I hope our paths cross at sometime. What are the odds on that I wonder. Remarkable photography.
Anton, thank you so much for you kind and generous words! What I love about NY is that it is much smaller than people think so who knows what those odds might be and I look forward to paths crossing!