I was born here

I have always been a builder. Actually, I've almost always been employed by builders since my first days out of high school. Most of my adult life I have gainfully earned wages through minor, supporting roles in greater efforts dedicated to constructing monuments -- whether for domestic habitation or larger commercial enterprises. I've been out of work since the beginning of the financial crisis in aughtie-o-eight. Credit markets seized and projects, plans, and potential were all stymied by the reckless greed and malfeasance of this country's "Maters of The Universe." The smartest guys in the room brought the majority of human endeavor in the industrialized West to a sputtering, disconsolate and disconcerting halt. But life goes on ... such as it is.

Most of the city photos I've taken in the last year have been in admiration of the stunning variety and beauty of New York's ever evolving architectural legacy. Civilization means cities, and how well the world's endless variety of metropolitan agglomerations and scattered hamlets function reflect the current development of human experience and integrity. Cities have been cultural magnets and larcenous sinkholes for more than 10,000 years.

I was walking west on 13th Street today and I passed a young women framing a shot similar to the one above with her camera. I mentioned in passing that "I agreed," that it was a beautiful visual moment capturing the city's evolution at this particular place -- then I caught myself, stopping short a few steps beyond to look up with more studied attention. I added, less in passing and somewhat indirectly over my shoulder, "In fact I agree so much that I'm gonna join you." After I had rendered my megapixels, I turned to acknowledge the earthly muse whose inspiration I had shared and was sweetly surprised to find her standing just off to my side capturing what must be a very similar image.

Taj Majal at Wikipedia

What a beautiful young woman you are. The honesty and child-like joy in your smile could have been entreating me to remain and chat about what we had just accomplished -- separately, together -- but I'm too old and jaded.and loathe to infect what I'm sure is a newly flowering artistry with my simmering dyspepsia.That would never do...anyway, "Cheers!"

We shared a smile and a photograph in a moment that can never be repeated, like one step in a peripatetic tea ceremony, or the current phase of construction at 13th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Manhattan, January 22, 2012.