Today, I was walking with a colleague to catch a bite at lunch when I saw two ladies, somewhere between the ages of older and ancient, crossing against the light with their backs to a truck that fast approaching. I wanted to take a picture of this insane scene (after I made sure the truck stopped). I took out my blackberry although the ladies were going slow enough that (after I made sure the truck stopped) I could have gone to a camera shop, bought a camera and come back in time to catch a live “action” shot, as it were.
My colleague looked at me as if I had three heads (I only have two). Then I started showing him the pictures I have on my blackberry — a colleague standing in front of a life-sized Catholic icon for sale, urbanites eating outdoors next to the garbage and the vagrants, a sign about septic danger, a scary food store somewhere on Cross Bronx Boulevard in Scarytown, NY where another colleague and I looked for Advil on the way home from a business trip.
Lunch was quick and awkward. I think he was scared I would take a picture of him with food falling out of his mouth. So, in an effort to try to calm what I thought were his concerns, I talked with food coming out of my mouth. I think I just grossed him out. And made him more afraid.
I’ll let you know if he asks me to lunch again.