Graffiti Train
I was stopped at a train and saw this awful thing go by. I was just sitting there and decided to take pictures of the graffiti whizzing by. Meanwhile, two Black teenagers walked up. I liked the boy’s hot pink backpack and clicked a few pictures of him and the girl with my iPhone. They didn’t seem to mind, but then this sad train approached with this awful message in graffiti. The boy saw it coming down the tracks and he moved out of my frame.
After the train passed, the boy and girl crossed the tracks. As I drove by them, the boy and I looked at each other. I smiled and tried to take away the awful thing, the train, the pain, that had just gone floating by.
I don’t know why I didn’t stop to talk to him. I wish I had.
I totally dig your thoughts and loved the pictures. I thought they were “real” in a world that is “real” no matter what others think. Whether it’s stopping to talk with African American kids (who are born innocent to the world as WE all are) after seeing such a racist message, OR giving the extra $5 back to the employee who gave us too much change back, WE all have a choice to make in that split decision!!! In the 10 seconds after that interaction is over, YOU know if you made the right decision or not! EVERYONE has had those times they wish they would have done the “right” thing. Have you ever said to yourself “well if you can’t count the right change, that is your problem???” If you have said that to yourself, then you are making an EXCUSE for taking an advantage of someone who made a mistake. Now don’t get me wrong; I own a business and if one of my employees is making the SAME mistake over and over, then it’s time to take action as it’s not serving them, the customer, or me any good. Really, all I am saying is please be EMPATHETIC to others!!! Sure, Obama sucks, (in my opinion) but 1) I can state that without fear of harm (uh, my wife…) 2) we live in a country that really is the land of opportunity!!! I don’t care what anyone says, if you work hard, good things will happen!!!
Seth Barker