With a Basket and Bags of Laundry by Chipka
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Description
Books live on Broadway Avenue, in a small, independent bookstore known more among locals and expatriates than to anyone else. The small store: Unabridged Books, had been my first draw into the neighborhood, decades ago. The staff was cute—by early, early 1990s standards—and it was the place to go for forms of literature not available in the larger, more commercial places. I found thin, literary concerning disenfranchised street hustlers and punks and one-armed-boxers. I found science fiction and fantasy by authors ignored by the big chains. I found cute guys behind the counter, invariably wearing sandals in summer, and those tight oh so futuristic sleeveless ultramodern shirts.
Today, Unabridged Books remains in its original space. The staff has changed. It has expanded into its own basement. It is still one of the few things that draws me into Chicago’s Boystown neighborhood; I can find the works of classic science fiction authors there, along with the literary gems so-commonly offered by newer, multi-genre writers. The counter ladies are nice. One of them looks vaguely like Agent Scully from the X-Files cross-pollenated with Lisa Gerrard, one of my absolute favorite musical geniuses. She’s Rubenesque and bubbly, exceptionally literate, and quite vocal in her progressive, humanitarian beliefs. She drives a pickup truck and reads as many books as she sells. Her partner behind the counter is more impish in overall physical shape. She’s read, and enjoyed Samuel R. Delany’s Dhalgren and has quite an extensive knowledge of the hot, new writers. They’re not the pretty-boys of yesterday, but they’re far more interesting...
Chicago’s Boystown has changed. I don’t know if this particular change is a good one: it's complicated. There are good aspects. gays and straights intermingle, and there’s a measure of ethnic diversity that is—sadly—lacking in most parts of the city. As the laws of Nature would have it, there are actually more girls in boys town than there are boys…but that’s not a bad thing. It’s nicely ironic; but so much of that neighborhood is irony incarnate. It is a region of pretense and artifice, of style over substance, and yet, it’s also an area of surprising authenticity. There’s a haberdashery on Broadway (Chicago-at-large doesn’t even have many of those!) There’s a successful independent bookstore catering to nearly every literary taste at home in Chicago. Women meander down the streets, quietly speaking Japanese or Polish into their cell phones, while straight couples frequent gay bars. There are fashion clones, but there are hippies and street bruthas as well. There are benches upon which one may sit, and simply watch what walks by.
I sat on a bench, with Corey, watching the activity of Broadway Avenue. It was a warm Saturday, I’d just discovered my camera’s sepia function (it was always there; I’d just never fiddled around enough to find it…nor did I actually read very much of the instruction book.) I’d been shopping, with Corey, for books, and so as this picture came into existence, Michael Ondaatje’sIn the Skin of a Lion nestled in a black, plastic bag, beside a re-acquired copy of LeGuin’s The Wind’s Twelve Quarters. I love that collection of short stories. “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” is contained within. I adore that story, and its lucid, beautiful meditation on the price one pays for Utopia. And so, happy with new and re-new books, I snapped pictures. This is one of them. I rather like it. My favorite bookstore is almost visible, and there’s a wonderful sense of animated life on the sidewalk. I like cities for their life and this is one small piece of what remains good about Chicago.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a fantastic week.
Comments (23)
Orinoor
This amble you've taken really reminds me of so many things and times, both past and present. I've also recently re-acquired some old favorites, sold in a past life, probably for rent. I love the feeling you evoke, I think the picture helps!
moochagoo
Excellent street capture and good mood
MadameX
I so enjoy reading your snippets of life in the big city of Chicago. You make the images you take so meaningful and very interesting! From the smallest inhabitants (bugs) to the wonderful architecture and environment, you really make them all come alive when you turn the spotlight of your camera on them. I always look forward to each to read, view and enjoy.
netot
I agree with MadameX. You create a symbiosis between image and text. I enjoy both, because there is a link that makes a unit.Your choice of sepia is a hit. Really good capture.
auntietk
Great street scene! I'm going to have to try my hand at this. It's a form I've not done much of, and I'm eager to practice! Fortunately I'll be in a really big city this weekend, and will have loads of opportunity, especially since the weather forecast calls for mostly sunny and relatively cool weather. Also, I'll be hanging out with a couple of masters of the genre. :D
beachzz
You gotta have clean clothes, no matter what. I love this shot; it has a clarity and sharpness about it that's just great. I think you might have been spotted; he has a kind of sideways glance that suggests that. Urban life, and you catch it SO well!!
CloverLinda
This is a perfect example of what I would tell my students when I was teaching photography many years ago now, 'you're documenting history'. When someone looks back on this photo in, say, a hundred years or so, they will feel what you felt when sitting there and you snapped this shot. BRILLIANT. :))))))
Crabbycabby
Wonderful street image. Sepia works well here.
CoreyBlack
I remember this day. It was a lot of fun. And anything involving books, photography and good friends is always a lot of fun. I made several shots from my perch as well, a few with the back of your head in the extreme foreground...perhaps I'll post one of them. Anyway, I like this a lot. It has that journalistic man-in-the-street-with-a-Speed Graphic-and-popping-flashbulb-feel. Well, that's me romanticizing the situation. In any case it's a very immediate wonderfully urban shot that really captures a moment and freezes it for all time. And I always like your take on the city/Boystown and their history. Great work all around.
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God Bless.
durleybeachbum
"nor did I actually read very much of the instruction book". and I thought that was a predominately straight butch habit! Oh well, another misconception shattered. I love this perfectly fused pic/narrative..wonderful.
helanker
HA! He doesnt look vary happy. Maybe it´s because he is going to the laundry shop and sit there and be bored to death untill he has clean undies again LOL. I Love this shot in sepia. Really well captured. And the narrative... Just beautiful.
gunsan
He looks very concentrated, great capture, beautiful sepia!
snakemove
Great street scene, I think a daily thing the place where you live ! O my I am so happy that I have my mother, I never have to bring my dirty clothes to the self-service laundry
MrsRatbag
Love this modern street scene with the historical feel...and is that sign proclaiming a Restoration Hardware store going in? Yuppification approacheth if that's the case! Fun store, but not nearly as interesting as your bookstore sounds.
charpix
The determined look on the young man says a lot. I wish my camera had a sepia setting! Of course, there is always Photoshop to do that. This scene could be from San Francisco, or any other large city. We live in a sleepy town, and it would have a different feel altogether. Laundry has to be done, and everyone has a different set of circumstances to do it. When we travel, this scene could very well be us scrambling to do our laundry in between stops. There is nothing so aggravating to be in a foreign country, and stopping in the local laundromat only to find the machines that work are taken, and the ones that are empty do not work. ;c)
flavia49
astonishing work!!
RodS Online Now!
There's a lot to like here - hustle and bustle, the main subject's busy stride and momentary glance at us through the camera's eye, the sepia, and the narrative, of course. Wonderful slice of urban life, Chip!
brewgirlca
Yea, it was the accidental discovery of grayscale on my Nikon that drew me back into arty photography and street scenes... so I am totally in your grove on this one. I love the dialogue that you put into this work, giving an extra dimension to the work you bring to our attention. "Boy's Town" - I am glad there is a place with a literal name that really works. What I really like here is the distance between the characters and yet the place looks like it is busy. I also like the fact that you shot a dude with his laundry and yet made it look special.
icerian
Another great shot direct from life in Chicago, now through sepia filter. Lovely Asian girl with dog in background. Thank you for sharing. 5+
jac204
My back hurts just looking at what that fellow is carrying. Great capture.
evielouise
OHHHHHHHHHHHHH do I remember those days in montreal when at least 24+diapers would be out on the clothes line on a daily basis that is, and the polish lady next door would count them lol later years with a washer and dryer in the house I still hung some out for the fresh smell that no washer /dryer can give you: LOve the shot and yes he see's you I am almost sure love the story also: thanks for sun shinning my day of memories gone by:
nikolais
love the context you manage to capture and narrate so vividly.