Monday, November 03, 2008

Differently abled parking lot


The decline of the American empire
London, ON, October 2008


I like sad pictures, and this is as sad as it gets. A broken sign (a story in itself) in a cracked and stained old parking lot in front of a run-down old discount store in a forgotten, half-empty mall. And it's a gloomy, near-silent night to boot.

The stories this place could tell.

Your turn: What story would you tell about this place?

What's the deal with this photo? We're taking and sharing night-themed photos right through this coming Wednesday. Head over here to dive head-first into Thematic Photographic. Our latest Caption This entry can be found here. Are you game?

9 comments:

Mamie said...

I just know it was a K-Mart. And I know this mostly because that's how K-Mart parking lots look even when they're IN business.

Very haunting picture and representative of much of what is going on down south of you.

Is it Wednesday yet? We Americans need a diversion, something like a photo theme....

smarmoofus said...

How you managed to engender sympathetic feelings for a parking lot, I'll never know. Nice shot, Carmi.

-smarmoofus

Mojo said...

Smoofus makes a very good point... it's not easy to evoke feelings for a parking lot, but you've done it. Of course, we realize it's not the parking lot -- or even the store we feel for, but still...

Hey, if you really want a sad photo, I think you'll be able to get plenty of them outside Air Canada Centre in T.O. Tuesday night. If you get there around... oh, 10:00 or 10:30, you should be able to get lots of sad faces. *wink*

I have a bit happier contribution for today... from Last Friday's festivities at The Tiny House.
Thematic Photographic 22: Night v.6.0 - Happy Hall...er... Tiffoween!

Mystic Thistle said...

Oh so forgotten but with a heart still beating.

Marla said...

I think the sign would say: I once stood straight and tall, I was in a bright new parking lot with a thriving business where people came happily to do their shopping. As the years went by people stopped coming here! As I aged in place, people forgot that I was once a productive sign, I had purpose in my life, I made a contribution to society. Just because I'm old and I can't stand up as straight and tall as I once did, does not mean I am a useless sign.

Well that's kinda of corny but I think that's what the sign would say. Having once worked and advocated for the elderly for many years, people forget that they too were valuable people, and had real lives, before they had to give up everything and go to nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

sealaura said...

The feeling of abandonment and desertion is always sad. It seems like whatever group of people was at this lot, was always in a hurry to leave it.

Maggie, Dammit said...

Ooooh.

This one haunts.

twobuyfour said...

Oh! I hope I'm not too late! Here's my link for mt night pictures.

http://2buy4.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

this is the last view you will see before the zombies slowly amble toward you by the thousands. With no where to escape, you perish in a gruesome bloody brutal end. They are immune to your screams of anguish because Zombies have no souls.
Brains! Zombies love brains !

Steven Harper