On Sunday afternoon I received the photo above in a text message from Justin Nuttall, with the subject line "My view right now". The setting was easily recognizable as his neighborhood spot, pencil factory bar. The text read "This is the light at the end of a very long tunnel...". I found myself opening the message over and over throughout the week, slightly hypnotized by the image. This morning I asked Justin to write something about the photo. His words below.
J.R.
3 PINT REVERIE.
You've seen this guy before, sitting by himself in that bar around the corner, lost in the volume of his thoughts, sipping dreamily on a pint. From his point of view he watches, wet-lipped and body slack, as the day wheels by - rugged strollers, fixed bikes, tweaked rides, ceaseless pedestrian traffic, and then catches himself murmuring things out loud. He looks to see if anyone noticed (they haven't). Everything is right. Settled. Even in the expectation of the plodding week ahead of him, his face, for the moment, is still and unburdened. Almost soft. The quiet conversations from the other drinkers seem to recede into the wood furniture now and feeling almost weightless, his heart leaps for no reason at all.
Time for the second round.
J.N.
Get that GODDAMN YANKEE HAT off the bar!
Posted by: J.C. | March 19, 2009 at 05:06 PM