This is how my picture of the day came about today:
Scene: Emily's living room. Time: 7:45 p.m.
The phone rings.
Pete: Hey! Do you have your picture for today yet?
Me: No, I don't.
Pete: Well, if you want, I have a photo opportunity for you. But you'd have to leave right now.
Me: What is it?
Pete: Some guys are tearing down a house. But I bet they're only working until sunset.
I hung out of the phone, packed my dinner up in some tupperware, put Lucy on her leash, rushed out the door.
I didn't ask these guys what exactly they were doing (other than the obvious), or why they were doing it, but they were very open to having their picture taken. Pete and I appeared on the scene at just the right time: they had a lot torn up, had a lot to go, and were bringing down the roof.
I originally fixed-up this picture (to the left) to use as my picture for the day, but as I continued to look through what I snapped, I found I was unable to tear myself away from the silhouette at the top; I just love it. But, this shot caught the men at work hard at work, dust flying and the roof about to tumble and captured the scene too well to let it go.
As they were tearing the house down, I found myself wondering who had lived there, what memories had been made in the living room or kitchen, why the house fell into disarray, what is going up there, and if some part of Lawrence history had just been lost. I pondered who ordered the destruction of the house that was probably a home at some point, whose eyes were wet in seeing the structure fall to the ground, and who was smiling and looking forward to what was to come.
We left shortly after the roof came down and as the sun was about to rest its head for the evening. I'm not sure how long the men worked or how far they got in tearing the house down. I never really asked or had any of my questions answered. So until the day it comes up in conversation again, I'll have some fun day dreaming about what has been and what is to come.
