On the outside looking in
Delray Beach, FL, December 2009
About this photo: I'm sharing vacation pictures this week, and hope you'll join me. Go here for more.In retrospect, walking out of the Dunkin Donuts, pulling out my camera and shooting the retirees from afar may not have been such a great idea. This particular DD was the scene of a violent robbery in 2008 (story). Had my aunt and uncle not changed their plans that November night, they might have been right there when it happened. Small miracles, in the end.
Yet when I dropped in with my uncle, I couldn't help but be entranced by the sight of these folks, just hanging out in this fluorescent-bathed oasis of unhealthy consumption. It seemed like that perfect moment - complete with oversized dark glasses, enough makeup to open a pharmacy and a parachutists' hangar's worth of eye-searing polyester - that can only happen in Florida. I wanted to capture it somehow, but standing next to them with an SLR in my hand didn't seem advisable. So plan B involved the parking lot.
Needless to say, they still buzzed with excitement that someone had a camera. I thought about pretending I was a reporter for Donuts Illustrated, but eventually thought better of it. Perhaps they're still wondering who that guy in the red hoodie was.
Your turn: Donuts. What can't they do?
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5 comments:
just logged on to your blog re donuts. how many did you eat, sweetheart? surprise. your mom is a genius, right?? love, mom
Looks like mom's busted ya Carmi. They do that don't they? No matter how old we get, they can always tell.
I always get a little bit anxious about shooting people unless it's from a distance. If you can't recognize them, you'd got plausible deniability at least.
Donuts, in my opinion could literally save the world. A few of those apple-cinnamon crumb thingies, and nobody's worried about who owns Gaza or Kashmir. They're a feel-good food if ever there was one. And so portable! You could take them to the mountains of Afghanistan. There are probably even kosher varieties so you could sit everybody down and pass the peace.
Nice dream anyway.
The weekend's been such a blur I can't recall what I've linked and what I haven't. So here, in order of appearance, are versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0
Thematic Photographic 83: "What I Did On My Vacation" v.2.0 - (Network) Bridge to Nowhere
Thematic Photographic 83: "What I Did On My Vacation" v.3.0 - Circle of Life
Thematic Photographic 83: "What I Did On My Vacation" v.4.0 - What Do Seagulls Do On Vacation?
That is all I would do there --- is take a photo. I don't like donuts.
two thoughts, Carmi:
1. Because of your title, I expected a time stamp - like, look who comes out at 5:00 a.m. for fresh donuts or something like that. I kept wondering what time it was... silly, I know.
2. When I was a kid, we would go to DD for the Chocolate Honey Dip donuts. They still have them, but they've changed the name to something annoyingly boring like "chocolate glazed" - which is NOT what they are, by the way. I still call them what I know them by and the person behind the counter looks at me like I'm from another country until I point to the proper rack. Annoying.
Still love them, though. And yeah, like your mom, I'm wondering how many you had...
Good thing you wore a red hoodie because I'm sure they looked out there, saw you and your camera and said.... "Oh, look another Crazy Canuck pining for a piece of fried dough." I think this country must be the biggest consumers of donuts, thanks to Tim's, don't you think Carmi?
For years I've wanted to do a 24 hour stint at the local TH's as a writing/observation piece. My feeling is that there are completely different types of consumers throughout the day and night, which in turn would change the flourescent lit coffee/donut palace's atmosphere....lets see... EARLY morning hockey parents, drive thru people on their way to work (rush, rush), stay at home parents after morning drop off, retirees, mid morning coffee break..... and on and on and on.........until the post club caffeine hit. A little slice of Canadiana perhaps?
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