Girl: I like your camera!
Me: thank you. You want a picture? (Grabbing the camera turning towards her)
Girl: (nervously laughing) oh I don't know. Im all sweaty (from dancing) (she leans forward for me to see)
Me: I’m pretty sure it wont show.
Girl: (laughing and combing her hair with her hands) ok. thats fine.
Me: you’re my first victim of the night. I just got here (hillbilly's club) (sets up camera settings)
Girl: (laughs) thats funny.
Me: My bad. yea probably the wrong word to use. (being strangers)
Girl: (still laughing) What do i do? I don't know what to do. Do i stand?
Me: you’re ok there (sitting). Im taking two photos, color and B&W, see which one is better. ok?
Girl: (poses) ok!
Me: (takes the photos)
Girl: (leans over to see) I like the B&W one. For sure.
Me: me too!
Girl: thank you for the photo.
Me: thank you for letting me take your photo.
Me: you have social media?
Girl: No. I’m not on any social media.
Me: I ask so you can see the photo published. I have a website. You can see it there too.
Girl: (pulls her phone out) whats the website? (Sees my website) Oh, You’re good at making art! These are good photos. Im going to tell my friends. I'll show them your website.
Me: thats nice of you. Thank you. Well, we just made art right here, right now.
Girl: (laughs) yea guess we did.
Me: whats your name?
Girl: I’m Jessica.
Me/Jessica:(shake hands)
Me: nice to meet you.
Jessica: yeah, nice to meet you too.
(Jessica continues her night of dancing and hanging out with her friends. I admire Jessica the rest of the night for being a lovely, bright soul who is having the best time in the moment)
Bike rider: (tiptoeing backwards from parking spot at a coffee shop)
Me: (waves and walks up to the rider) hey! Can I take a photo of you?
Bike rider: (stops) yeah, thats cool. (muffled voice)
Me: are you in a hurry? (attempting to look pass his visor)
Bike rider: (looking at me) nah, I’m not.
Me: Great! I’m going to give you a print after the photo. It takes sometime. Ok?
Bike rider: thats fine.
Me: (backs up in position/ changing camera settings)
Bike rider: (starts moving around) Do I get off? what do you want me to do?
Me: just like that! (shouting over engine noise) (kneeling down, pointing camera- looking for composition/adjusting exposure)
Bike rider: ok! (looks away from the camera)
Me: turn the handle bars a bit to your right! (gesturing direction with a hand)
Bike rider: (turns to look at me and then turns the handle bars)
Me: perfect! right there.
Bike rider: (looks away again from the camera)
Me: (takes photo no. 1, changing settings, takes photo no. 2, changing settings) Look at the camera!
Bike rider: (turns in the direction of the camera)
Me: (takes photo no. 3) perfect, got it! (standing up) Give me a second to get you that print! (pointing at my car parked across the street)
Bike rider: (flips up his visor) nah its ok.
Me: (walking up to the rider again) you sure? Doesn’t take long.
Bike rider: yeah its ok. (Waving his gloved hand gesturing no)
Me: Whats your name?
Bike rider: Edward.
Me: Im Tony. Thanks for letting me take your photo.
Me/ Edward: (fist bump)
Me: Be careful out there!
Edward: Thank you. (closes his visor, revs his engine for take off)
Me: (walks away thinking," Edward on a Triumph? Edward Triumph? yeah , Edward Triumph! Thats his name now. Cool dude")
Edward Triumph: (takes off)
Ayleen: (walks around the bar for a hug)
Me/Ayleen: (hug)
Me: are you taken now? Last time I saw you (month ago), you told me you were going to be asked to be someone’s girlfriend.
Ayleen: yes! he asked me over the phone (covers her face holding back her smile) he said he didn’t want to over the phone but he also didn’t want to drag it out. (Giggles)
Me: alright, thats cool. Good for you!
Ayleen: yeah! Im going to see him next week. (Still smiling)
Me: did you see him last time? you said you were going to see each other. (Month ago again)
Ayleen: No. this is going to be the first time we meet.
Me: what? You guys never met before?
Ayleen: No. did i tell you we met online? We met online.
Me: what! alright, thats cool. You going all in. Thats exciting.
Ayleen: yeah! (with a huge smile)
Me: where is he from? (concern growing)
Ayleen: he is from El Paso.
Me: you’ve been there before? it’s like the valley but 10x bigger. You guys should be ok. Same vibe.
Ayleen: no, i haven’t.
Me: how old is he?
Ayleen: 20 like me. (anxiously grabbing on a high chair)
Me: ah thats good. You guys are young, same age, and going all in. I rooting for you. (Admiring young love)
Me: what day next week is he coming?
Ayleen: Thursday. Im not working. I’ll have 4 days off to be with him.( shows me with her hand 4 fingers) I didn’t want to be working when he visits.
Me: what you guys going to do?
Ayleen: I’m going to introduce him to my family. You think it’s too soon?
Me: nah. Fuck it. Theres no rules to this. If thats what you feel inside then let it be and if he is ok with it. Then it’s ok. Don’t restrict any emotions. Let it all be organic. Thats the beauty of love and dating. No guarantees. It’s a thing to explore and you’ll never know. It’s exciting.
Ayleen: (looking away day dreaming) you think it’s too soon to tell him “I love you”?
Me: (wide eye) is that what you feel?
Ayleen: yeah! (Laughing) ( fluctuating her eyes to me and away)
Me: (holding back from telling her “ don’t confuse infatuation and love” to not corrupt her innocence) fuck it! What is love for you? let’s define love. whats your definition of love?
Ayleen: (nervous thinking) mmmmm what? Don’t ask me questions. I don’t talk about my feelings. (Looks away nervously laughing)
Me: alright. Imagine the dude is a midget!? (Gesturing height with a hand)
Ayleen: (looks down at my hand)
Me/ Ayleen: (laughing out loud at the bar)
Ayleen: fuck that. I’ll break up with him. (Laughing)
Me: nah! you’re already committed. You have no choice. You’re his girlfriend now. (Joking tone)
Ayleen: (walks away laughing back to working the bar)
Me: (sips on beer looking at her thinking “ what an adventure she is on”)
Girl: (walks up to the bar taking a seat)
(some time later)
Me: (noticing the girl looks buff) hey! Do you work out? Lift weights?
Girl: (puts her drink down turning to look at me) yeah i do sometimes.
Me: you look buff! ( doing flexing gesture) like you’re a bodybuilder.
Girl: yeah? ( looking at her self ) I do lift weights. (looks at me) Sorry about that. (looks away taking a sip)
Me: what!? Why you apologizing? (confused)
Girl: (turns to me) some girls find it intimidating and some guys find it to be a turn off. (looks away taking a sip)
Me: oh, nah, it’s cool. I was just confirming what I see and what it looks like. Nothing wrong with it.
Girl: oh, ok. thank you. Yeah I’ve always done sports and right now I’m working on getting this body.
Me: yeah thats cool. Good for you. Hey! You know who you look like just now?
Girl: who? (waiting for me to tell her)
Me: (thinking..) Lita, the wrestler. you know who she is? There’s a bit of a resemblance there.
Girl: oh yeah? Yeah I know who she is. Thank you.
Me: yeah, right now as you turned to me. The angle. (thinking “ is this drunk eyes speaking?”)
Girl: (turns away smiling) yeah, haven’t seen her in a while.
Me: so what do you do? You’re a bartender? (Taking an educated guess based on her uniform)
Girl: (stops drinking) yeah, I work at (names the place) i just started with them, been there for 2 weeks. I was working at (names another place) for 8 years but they let me go for being 15 mins late. ( facial expression saying, can you believe that?)
Me: thats fucked up after 8 years with them.
Girl: yeah it is. So right now I’m stressed learning a lot of new stuff for the new job. Thats why I'm here drinking. Im trying to get here.
Me: this bar? (cigar bar aka duchess) that be cool. Its a cool bar. I like it here.
Girl: yeah, Rob, is my cousin. (pointing to him) He says there's a long waiting list to work here. (with a disappointing face)
Me: hopefully he gets you in. (shrugging shoulder)
Girl: yeah hopefully he does!
Me: we’ll change is good. its not always good to be at a place for a long time. (thinking about me in EMS for 10 years)
Girl: yeah, change is good. (Drinks)
Me: thats how you grow in life doing different things. You’re alive, you’re supposed to do different things. Explore. Adventure.
Girl: yeah for sure (takes a sip)
Me: you know whats worse than what you’re going through?
Girl: (looks at me) whats that?
Me: Doing the same shit for years and wanting change and never do that change out of fear or comfort. There’s a lot of those people out there.
Girl: (looking at me with wide eyes and nodding her head)
(Moment of silence)
Girl: hey, I see your camera! (pointing at the camera)
Me: (grabbing the camera to show her) oh yeah. You want a picture?
Girl: (soft voice) yeah. (turning away taking a sip)
Me: (waving the camera in the air not sure if she is being serious) so yeah picture?
Girl: (prepares herself in the chair ) yeah I’m ok with it.
Me: just like that!? Thats cool. (Surprised)
Girl: Why not. (Shrugs her shoulders)
Me: thats cool! ( points the camera at her/ changing settings)
Girl: (poses) let me move this so it can come out (moves the drink forward)
Me: yeah thats cool. (takes the photo) ok, done.
Girl: thats cool! Thank you. (goes back to drinking)
Me: whats your name?
Girl: I’m Crystal with the K tho.
Me: Im Tony.
Me/ Krystal: (shake hands)
Me: ah good thing you tell me. I was thinking it was with the C. Let me write it down. I might forget by tomorrow. (with sarcasm)
Krystal: hey i gotta go (walks up close to me ) do you come here often? (with enthusiasm)
Me: (looking at her) mmmm.. (thinking about the question)
Krystal: I ask so we can see each other here again.
Me: mmm, yeah kinda. Im come often but it’s random tho.
Krystal: oh ok. (looks away grabbing her stuff)
Me: you got instagram?
Krystal: (turns to me) yeah! (gives me her username) I’ll message you in a bit so we can come hang out together. yeah?
Me: yeah that be cool. (surprised by it all) (sends her a request on IG)
Krystal: ok, see you later. I'll message you in a bit.
Me: sounds good.
Krystal: (walks away)
Me: (continues drinking at the bar)
Me: (chilling outside at a bar for a rock show, smoking with EdgarV(friend) and Melissa (we just met her), noticing the back door opening)
Girl: (walking out with friends) can i bum a cigarette!?
(Silence)
Me: (looks away ignoring her)
Girl: hey, can i have a cigarette? (voice closer, walking up to our group) I'll give you a dollar for it.
(silence)
Me: (grabbing the pack out of the pocket) yeah. (opening the pack) Ill give you one if you let me photograph you. (turning towards her)
Girl: (squatting down close)
Me: (handing over a cigarette) a cigarette for a photo?
Melissa: (shaking her head no)
Me: (looking at Melissa, thinking, "mind your business")
Girl: I see it’s the last one. Thats nice of you still giving me one.
Me: you get a cigarette. I get a photo. yeah?
Girl: I like photography. yeah, i’ll do a photo for a cigarette. (grabs the cig and lighter)
Me: (grabs the camera, pointing camera at her, begins taking a photo)
Girl: wait…. (attempting to light the cigarette)
Me: (looking through the viewfinder taking photos still)
Girl: (begins to pose with a lit cigarette)
Me: look at you! You know what you're doing. (taking more photos) (switching to color)
Girl: (doing different poses, smiling, giving flirtatious vibes, feeling the camera)
Me: there you go!
Girl: (still posing) yeah, Im a model. I've modeled before.
Me: (takes several more photos) alright, that was great.
Girl: (stops posing) thank you for the cigarette (returns lighter) I'm Elizabeth (reaching out to shake hands)
Me/Elizabeth: (shake hands)
Me: Im Tony. yeah, no problem. Enjoy the cigarette (turns back around)
Elizabeth: (walks away to her group)
Me: (continues chilling thinking, "should be good photos, should be good photos")
(some time later)
Elizabeth: (walks back) you guys are cool. I'm liking the vibes over here. I'm going to chill with you guys.
Me: (looks at her direction) yeah, join us. Here, take a seat. (moves cup)
Elizabeth: (takes a seat next to me smoking the cigarette)
(a personal conversation begins)
Me: (just taking a seat at the bar, getting my drink from Joey, the bartender)
Elderly man: (walks up to the bar drenched in what looks like rain)
Me: (looking at him) Is it raining already? (Rain is expected today.)
Elderly man: (looking at me) Oh, I don’t know. I'm biking right now. (laughs)
Joey: (walking back to us from the bar side) That’s not water. That's sweat!
Me/Joey/Elderly man: (laugh)
Joey: (his hand in the cooler) Beer? (Asking the elderly man)
Elderly man: (looking at Joey) Oh, I’ll take any beer. I like beer. I'm not picky unless it comes to IPAs. (Man orders his drink.) Let me have a Bud Light. (Taking a seat)
Me: (still looking at him) How long have you been riding? (seeing myself in him, older, still riding)
Elderly man: (looking at me) Mmm, about 5 miles to here, and going to Walmart after, and see where I go from there. I'm 75 years old (slaps his belly). I have to lose this. (Laughs)
Me: (laughing with him) Yeah, biking will help with that. It’s good cardio. I do the same, bike around; that’s why I’m asking.
Elderly man: (looking at me, nodding)
Me: (sips on a new drink request, tequila and sparkling water) Yeah, I like it. I already feel hydrated! (talking to Joey)
Joey/Elderly man: (laugh)
Elderly man: (looking at Joey) Speaking of hydrating. I better get a glass of water (laughing).
(Moments later)
Elderly man: (taking out dollar bills) I need some quarters. (talking to Joey) (then walks to the pool table in the back of the bar)
(A fair amount of time passes.)
Me: (walking back to the bar from smoking and playing the machines, taking a seat next to elderly man)
Joey: (putting new bottles in the cooler) You ok, Tony? I'll be in the back making some hotdogs (looking at my almost empty glass).
Me: (looking at Joey and then my glass) Yeah, fuck it, get me another one (3rd tequila drink).
Joey: (grabbing a new glass) My bad, Tony. I've been giving you well tequila; it’s $4. When we have Hornitos for $3. Its much better quality.
Me: No shit. Yeah, I’ll take it. I forgive you, Joey. I know you didn’t mean to poison me with cheap tequila.
Joey/Elderly man: (laugh)
Joey: Thank you, Tony (sarcastic tone)
Elderly man: Yeah, I remember having really ugly Mexican mescal in Mexico (looking at me with a disgusting face) when I lived there. (going into detail the looks of the drink)
Me: (looking at him) Yeah? Nasty shit, huh? How long did you live there?
Elderly man: I was out there for 2 years with a girlfriend, but we left because the cartel started to ask about me, “Who’s the gringo living here?” (Laughing)
Me: Yeah, 2 years is decent amount of time and take that as a warning.
Elderly man: Yeah. So I left. (laughing)
Me: To live here? (gesturing here) What made you come here? (the valley)
Elderly man: (looking at me) Oh, I've lived here since 1989.
Me: You lived here, then in Mexico, and back?
Elderly man: Yup (laughing). I met my girlfriend here. She missed home so bad in Mexico. We moved there but like I said, we had to leave cause of the cartel. So I came back (face showing there was more he didn't want to share)
Me: yeah, yeah. (looking away for a sip) (deciding to not pry)
(silence)
Me: (turn towards him) What's your name?
Elderly man: I'm David. (smiles)
Me: I'm Tony. (waving at David)
(silence)
Me: I was wondering how you feel about getting your photo taken. I'm a photographer, and I would like to take your portrait, photo, or pic. (waiting for his answer, hoping for a yes)
David: (looking at me with a smile) Yeah, I’m fine with that. Only if I get to wear my hat (laughing).
Me: (laughing) Of course. I saw it there on your bike. It’s a cool hat.
David: (walks to his bike and back with his hat sitting again at the bar)
Me: (picking up camera taking some photos) alright, thank you.
David: (laughing) Yeah.
Me: (putting away the camera) Normally I carry my printer and would give you a print, but I don't have it today. I’m sure I’ll see you here again. I’ll have the print next time. Ok?
David: Yeah, that's fine (laughing).
( David and I keep sitting at the bar, hanging out and continuing to have a casual conversation.)
Me: (Walking into the store straight to the beer in the back)
Sales associate: (responding to the door chime from the middle of the store, looks at me with a smile, proceeds to change trash bags at the coffee stand)
Me: (passing the sales associate on the way to the counter for cigarettes and to pay)
Sales associate: (walking up to the counter)
Me: (nodding hello and pointing) American Spirit, light blue box, please.
Sales associate: (grabbing cigarette pack, scanning item) It's $33+.
Me: (looking at the cashier screen for the price, then inserting the card into the card machine)
Sales associates: Is that a real camera or a bag? (lively tone)
Me: (looking down, concentrating, entering the right numbers) It’s a real camera. (looking up at him confused)
Sales associates: You never know these days. Some bags look like things. (smiles, looking away at the gas pumps)
Me: (looking down at the card machine again, thinking) You know, yeah, I've seen phone cases that look like cameras (looking at him).
Sales associate: (looking at me) Yeah! (laughs)
Me: (looking down at the card machine) You want a picture? (Thinking he wouldn’t want one)
Sales associate: Oh no, I’ll look ugly (nervously laughing).
Me: (looking up grabbing items) Nah, it's not about that, looking ugly or good. It’s about capturing the moment. The person.
Sales associate: (leaning on the counter) How would I receive the photo, though? (smiling)
Me: Instagram? (shrugging shoulders)
Sales associate: (chuckling) Oh, I don’t have Instagram (smiling).
Me: (shrugging)
Sales associate: I’m a Facebook whore (laughing). I just got on TikTok because someone sent me a link last night (laughing).
Me: (Thinking) Well, I have a website; you can see it there. (shrugging)
Sales associate: Ok!
Me: You want a photo then? (with the items in hand)
Sales associate: Yeah, yeah (fixing his glasses).
Me: Oh shit, ok (excitedly putting the items down), you’re the first person I photograph tonight. (backs up in position) This is what I do.
Sales associate: You take pics of strangers? (laughing) (posing)
Me: (points camera, changing settings) Yeah. Alright, let me adjust the angle here (takes photo) one more (changes to color). I think you’re the first person at a gas station I photograph (I think) Here we go (takes photo) Alright (puts camera aside).
Sales associate: (smiling, blushing)
Me: What's your name? (Sees the name on the tag.) Rigo!?
Rigo: Yeah, Rigo.
Me: Yeah, normally I carry my printer and give you a print, but not today. My bad. (Thinking I should be carrying the printer on me every day)
Rigo: (still leaning on the counter) So how do I see it?
Me: Oh yeah, my bad. forgot.
Rigo: (laughing, pulls his phone out)
Me: (spelling out the website) (Waiting)
Rigo: I think I misspelled it (laughs).
Me: I can do it for you (waiting for the phone)
Rigo: (Passes phone)
Me: (types in website) Here we go. (handing back the phone) You’ll find it here or there (pointing at the website).
Rigo: (looking at the website) This is nice. I'm going to be stalking you now. (looks at me laughing)
Me: (starting to walk away with items in hand) Yeah? Alright, that's okay. (shrugging)
Rigo: Have a good night! (jolly tone)
Me: (walking to the door) Yeah, you too. Have a good one. (walking out, thinking, “That was a cool, unexpected experience”)
