Andrew as you can see is very handsome and he was VERY charming. I knew he was selling something, but stopped for a chat anyway since all I wanted was to add another face to my strangers’ collection. I learned that he is a fisherman who spends his summers fishing in Alaska and the winters skiing here in Seattle. We had an interesting conversation about Satya Nadella and Microsoft and Indian software industry professionals and all that good stuff. Then the selling started. He made me hold his pamphlet and pulled out his tablet and started showing me pictures of young skinny Indian girls in dirty rags with their little eyes filled with hunger and sadness glaring into the camera, truly heart-melting pictures. He wanted me to sign up to sponsor an Orphan girl, just $29 a month. Now this is an industry that I have done some extensive research on, I know how to make sure that the money I donate is actually going towards a hungry child and not getting filtered through the pockets of multiple levels of organizational hierarchy before a tiny percentage finally reaches the kids in need. We argued for a few minutes, he said I should trust his charity, 88% is going to the kids! My boss -Mr. Bill Gates - trusts this organization, so why can’t I? Finally the charm wore off and the pushy sales guy persona took over. I said my goodbyes and walked away. Good luck Andrew! I am sure your organization is doing the right thing, but I wouldn’t sign my money away to random charities on the street, when I know there are so many questionable ones out there.
This one is a very special stranger, Cowboy Bob - the homeless guy who loves to read and had been to prison three times. I wouldn't have known anything about him though, if I wasn't with the master of street photography himself Mr. Tim Durkan who had a real conversation with Bill and treated him like a friend, which I am sure made his day. I got to watch him in action and learned so much about photography in general.
He was kind of bothering me with some lewd comments while I was waiting for the walk sign at a traffic light, until I turned around and asked if I could take his picture. He wanted to know how much I would pay him and I said he should pay me for taking his picture. He wanted me to get his sexy side, I hope I did. I didn't realize that the left side of his face was completely out of focus until I came home and looked on the big screen. Oh well, I am still learning and he is the only stranger I got to pose for me today. Two girls said no. Guys are so much easier! :)
