Pre-Show Bride

Drucilla Adams of Syracuse.

Bahama Wade

Barry in DC. Barry shines shoes across the street from the White House. He's been doing it for twenty-six years. I'm glad he charmed me into having my shoes shined up. The presidential motorcade drove right by us while he was working and we were chatting.

"They Call Me Geesus From Ohio."

H in Harlem

Ali At The News Stand

Lauren Visting from Australia, Lauren has lived in both Sydney and Melbourne. She and her beaux were out and about, enjoying the decorations around Rockefeller Center. What you can't see in the frame, is she was also enjoying her Magnolia cupcake and coffee. Welcome to New York, Lauren.

Kaye I didn't get to learn much about Kaye. She has a great smile and a laugh that seems to come from deep in the belly. She was waiting for the M10 bus and it came before I had much more time than to snap a quick photo. I did find out she lives very close by - just east across Frederick Douglas. Hope to see you around, Kaye.

Evelyn An administrator at CUNY, Evelyn is also finishing up a graduate writing degree at Hunter College - part of the CUNY family. She gave me her card and suggested I call her if I wanted to pursue a degree at CUNY too. Proof that it often pays to talk to strangers.

Dottie Dottie is from Brooklyn. She comes to Harlem for the shopping bargains and told me I could take her picture as long as I promised not to crop and post her face on a nude. She also tore the price tag from a black turtle neck to write down my web address. "That's how we do things in New York." She laughed and laughed. Also, and this is important, she wanted me to point out that the spelling of her name is THE correct way to spell it.

Father Lashawn I took a walk this morning along Frederick Douglas down to 125th street and ended up wandering the blocks a bit. I stumbled by Father Lashawn at 126th and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard. When he told me his name, I asked him if he was a religious Father. "No, I'm just a righteous man." We both laughed. After a bit of back and forth he asked, "Wait a minute, where'd you say you're from?" "I'm from Utah." I said. "Oh! You DID grow up Mormon then." And he saluted. He asked me about living in Germany and speaking German. I told him a story about eating in midtown with my friend and sitting across from a couple visiting NY from Germany. "When I started speaking with them in German and then they asked me where in Germany I was from, my friend's eyes got pretty wide." "Ho ho," he laughed. "He didn't know how good you really are." I don't get enough chances to brag about my good qualities. Thanks, Father Lashawn!

Julan (aka ET) I met ET on the downtown A train. He walked the car promoting his rap album - Event Illectro. I bought a copy for $5. He stalked up and down the car telling people he could rap smart or rap dumb. "Maybe I'm not dumb enough...," he said when nobody was buying. We both got off the train at 42nd street/Port Authority and I snapped a quick photo of him. Julian is from Cincinnati and has been in New York for a year.

Sam Sam has the dubious honor of being the first stranger exhibited in my 100 Strangers Project. Sam is from Yemen and has lived in New York for ten years. He owns and runs a bodega on 143rd and Frederick Douglas, called 143 & Express. If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and say hi. Thanks, Sam!

Woman at the Museum