As an artist pent up in a cubicle all day working nimbly on insurance and putting out fires for other people, sometimes a little walk with my camera is needed. Well today was one of those days that aloud for a lunch break and a meander down Pleasant Valley Road. After stopping at the liquor store by the 3 way stop at Bucks Bar Road, you know that intersection next to the creepy house that everyone said was haunted? Yes, fitting for Halloween I thought. Well next to said liquor store is this quaint office looking space that I have never seen occupied but has recently had an address added by the door. Being the photographer that I am and seeing two old lonely barrels I decided that this would be a great senior portrait or engagement session location.
Until I met the owner of the property. I immediately thought Grumpy Old Men times ten. As he tried to quickly cross the street from the Haunted House at the Intersection he yells at me "What the hell are you doing?" So I replied as I do when I am somewhere shooting and the obvious question is asked, "I am a local photographer and this would make a great location for some portraits. I wanted to document this spot so that I may not forget about it."
The look on this man's face was by far the most evil look that I have seen from a person asking what I am doing. Imagine a 6' 7" or so 300 pound grumpy old man standing in front of you fuming. So I says to this man, "I have no problem in leaving but if you do not tell me that you have a problem and to leave I will continue on about my business of photographing the pretty things of this Earth."
With that and a few ugly words in my direction I took what he said as "get off my property!" Now I know the truth. The old haunted house at the corner is not so much ghostly haunted as is haunted with negative old close mindedness. I think that I shall make him a print of the pretty little things of this Earth and hand deliver it next week.
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
Mahatma Gandhi
