Reflections in the City of Ghosts by Chipka
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Description
Strange things happen on Chicago’s public transportation after a long day at work—I don’t know if it’s exhaustion or something more surreal; but at times—after the futility of work—things in Chicago seem to shift and show a different face. I don’t know if this other face is a more honest one, or simply an intriguing alternative.
Today, on the way to Corey’s after work, I noticed a strange thing. As I sat in a single-occupant seat on board the northbound Brown Line train to Kimball, I watched the train fill with clones. They were not those biological entities who share physical attributes with an “original,” like a life form run through a rather complicated Xerox machine. These were ideological clones, collectively known as The North Face, the males at any rate. The females (clonish in their own way) were harder to define…perhaps there are more female originals than male. At any rate, I was one of two biological humanoid life forms with an XY chromosomal arrangement not identified by the North Face memotype. (Memotype is one of those words I just made up for the sake of description.)
Disturbed, I sought distractions. As the train made its way from The Loop and across the Chicago River, I noticed reflections in the window, and the nightscape scrolling by like a scene from some Hollywood noir-classic in color. The train, at this particular point, was empty; there were North Facians on board, but not as many as were due to cram the seats and isles. Shortly after I took this picture, the train filled with North Face nylon clinging to dozens upon dozens of male torsos. Females wore variations of a different sartorial archetype. There are ways to recognize female clones in Chicago in winter. Look for their ear-muff head bands. They’re largely the same…color variations don’t matter.
In an attempt to keep my mind off of the massive number of ideological clones surrounding me, I looked back at the pictures I’d taken. I was without an iPod. I wasn’t texting. I wasn’t talking, loudly, to someone miles away. I had only my camera—an electronic device, to be sure, but not the accepted, city-endorsed iPod.
As the train made its way northward, and I thought of reflections I’d captured in a window, I wondered if Chicago is actually more scarcely populated than originally thought. Perhaps, there are only 100 or so people in Chicago, and the “clones” I saw were little more than the city attempting to populate itself. Perhaps the city is unable to distinguish between human beings and so it relies of repetitions of a single human type. I prefer to think this, rather than the clone alternative; it enjoys a better fit with this image…the North Face clones and the harder to define female equivalents are more pleasant (and poignant) when thought of as ghosts…phantoms of a city, lonely enough to create dreams of a population rather than endure the absence of one.
Those were the thoughts going through my head as I made this image and looked at it moment before posting it. I’m due to head home soon, and it’ll be interesting to see if the city-clones are out in full force.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (30)
jac204
Great capture and story. Now excuse me while I go out and buy something with a North Face logo.
NefariousDrO
I'm amused by your description, even as I sit and look at my own iPod and my digital camera, my two iMacs (there's a 3rd one in another room - it serves as my TV) and I fear I'm dangerously close to being one of those North Facers, myself...
Richardphotos
very eerie capture
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend.
auntietk
I know those people! Seattle is a city full of North Facers. We're the home of REI ... and all that the distinction implies! There are people of my acquaintance, and people I know slightly better than that, who wear the brand, but they are not "my people" as a general rule. Recently I've noticed I'm getting to an age where I'm invisible to North Facers. It's rather relaxing, actually. Your image is super. I love the reflections, the dual world feel they produce, and the isolation of the train. Brilliant!
jocko500
super cool
MrsRatbag
Yes, I've become invisible to those types too. Clearly I'm no athlete! And I'm not a breeder either, so therefore of no interest that way...and I don't have a smart phone. So there. Hopelessly outdated and too boring to be noticed at all. I like being invisible! This is a wonderful capture, Chip, with a great mood.
CoreyBlack
Ah, yes, the infamous Pod People. Every time I ride the train around rush hour(which I try my best to avoid), before the train fills up, I keep expecting a frenzied Kevin McCarthy to come panting through the car screaming," THEY'RE HERE!!!" Yes, it's very disturbing to be surrounded by plastic people en mass. Sometimes I can almost hear the whine of all the little servo motors articulating their fingers as they type their text messages and otherwise manipulate their various gadgets. During my last stint as a Jewel clerk (1999-2001), all the customers we had, and I do mean ALL of them, were North Facians. When they would come to my register, it was like seeing an assembly line that made the exact same thing over and over. The same clothes, the same haircuts,the same credit cards, the same car: Hunter Green Jeep Grand Cherokees, ECT. It was quite revealing the night before Y2K when they all went mad and were fighting over jugs of water to the point where we had to call the police. It occured to me then that some of them MIGHT be human, and if they were they were obviously very sad, lonely, selfish and extremely frightened. Anyway, enough about the Pod People. This image is fantastic! I love it! Great work and thought provoking writing.
RodS
Wonderful reflections, Chip - in both the photo and your narrative! This is why I look forward to your posts, my friend! Art in both words and images. Brilliant!
bimm3d
fantastic photo!!
helanker
WOW! That is indeed a fantastic shot Chip. You have a great eye for such things. And your spinnings are such a fun to read. I really admire the thoughts you have. Awesome. :-)
durleybeachbum
Great pic!! and interesting musings, Very enjoyable! Makes me think.. I believe that the Nikepeople are in the ascendent here. They have a distinctive odour of chav-juice.
makron
Fantastic photo
njb2000
Great narrative and shot reminds me of by commuting days in London!
costapanos
Yes, I know these people. I call them "cookie cutters" Great shot and narrative.
lick.a.witch
Your narrative reminds me of a song by Malvina Reynolds called Little Boxes. It's a song I think of whenever I visit a town or once quaint village which has proved too popular for it's own good - hoisted on its own petard, so to speak. I also completely agree with Andrea! Chavs walk among us....^=^ Smashing capture. Smashing ramble! ^=^
Meisiekind
So much happening here Chip! I will have to look at it again when I have more time. ALl I know is that I really loved it at first glance!
Sea_Dog
Great work - my experience with public transport is minimal - we have a trolley system here in San Diego but it never seems to go were I want to go. I've ridden it maybe 2 or 3 times in the 30+ years I've lived here. You words and image really expresses to me what it would be like to be a habitual trolley troll.
sandra46
WONDERFUL, SUPERB IMAGE!
flavia49
dazzling reflections!! splendid!
Orinoor
I think you've really struck a chord with many here. Crowds are not my first choice, but I admit to feeling a kinship to most people, regardless of their lack of imagination. In mass, it's a completely different creature and I avoid it. Excellent image, reflections are so full of meaning.
beachzz
Where I live, there are also clones. This particular brand wears poofy down, baseball hats and jeans (usually from a low end store). They don't use public transportation however. They drive BIG trucks and you only see them when they appear rarely on foot, after they've docked those behemoths as close to the door as possible. You have to be quick; they don't tarry. Once the door's closed, you don't see them again for hours. It's kind of scary; I mean WHAT are they doing anyway? You do this to me all the time; trigger some crazy story with your fotos. Public transportation is always showtime, and it can be drama, mystery, comedy, or sci fi. Yours of course is the sci-est of fi!!
whaleman
Very nice shot! I will have a couple taken a few days ago while I was briefly in Chicago for the first time.
MagikUnicorn
Love it Multi-reflections shot ;-)
Sepiasiren
Splendid nightscape capture--the lights are jewelike against the glass--sssooo very nice!
Bothellite
"Memotype is one of those words I just made up for the sake of description." You sure did - I checked and I love that word, it hums a good one. They used to drive cattle to Chicago from Texas, long ago. Don't know if there's anything with that. But, there are fewer clones in Seattle and some people don't like that. Am-mooh-icans isn't in the dictionary either.
praep
Really cool. When I take the elevator here in the morning there where some really nice reflections too - sometimes I will take a shot...
three_grrr
I do love my iPod .. but only when I'm doing something like slaving in the kitchen, or even working on the computer. I can't have it on, plugged in my ears, making me deaf, when I'm outside. I NEED to hear the birds, the wind, and the housebound dogs barking as I walk by with Murphy. I NEED to hear the squirrels talking, the trees whispering, and the sound of the hawk's wings as it shoots past me. I guess that's the difference between today's world and me. Your photo so captures that need to just BE. To be apart from.
Jean-Luc_Ajrarn
OUTastic photo! :)
dashboard_jehovah
Love all the reflections...nice capture!