Invisible

“A warm summer afternoon spent on a bench under a shade tree by a dock along the rivers edge enjoying the breeze watching the coming and goings of boats as they pass on the river and people as they walk the boardwalk. Enjoying a candy bar, a cigarette and long peaceful moments of contemplation, seemingly without a care, humming a tune you heard as a young man. Life is good.”

OR

“Your fearing to venture far from the dock along the bank under which you call home each night because someone else may claim it and you’re not as young or strong as you use to be. Rationing out the cigarettes and candy bar because it’s uncertain where the next one’s will come from and this may be all you have today. Hanging out fresh wash on the chain rail to dry while all your other worldly possessions are in a small bag you keep with you always. Yes, another long day waiting for another long night waiting for something, anything.”

Which one of these reflect the true story of this scene — perhaps neither or perhaps parts of both. Yet, if pressed to make a guess from my impressions in the moment the second scenario may be closer to the truth.

There are many surviving almost invisible along the fringes of “our society” and they strive to remain invisible because if noticed someone will demand the situation be “fixed” and most often the “fix” is simply forcing them to go somewhere else where they can return to “invisibility.” Such a complicated situation with no easy real solution made worst by the current economical situation.

I was needing this image to feel a little “edgy” so I pushed the whites/contrast and greatly reduced the saturation. It’s actually two layers, B&W and Color, combined.