catching up

i cross sixteenth en route to the studio. a man passes me, running. i see as he slows ahead it is Ari Marcopoulous, the very person i am on my way to meet.

ARI, i yell.
he turns to my voice and yells back from the corner: i'm late, for a studio visit.
Ari, Ari, it's me.
i'll email you. i'm late.
WAIT, i reply, its me, you are running to meet ME.
but he continues on in a run again and i walk.
i watch him turn into the main building and know he will go to the office to collect his studio visit schedule from the wall. and then he will see: i am his 10 o'clock.

a little while later he arrives to the new building, to my studio - studio 54 - and we have a good laugh about the comedic scene from the corner.

i haven't seen Ari all summer. i am anxious to talk about photography. he sinks into a favorite chair and asks about CROSSWALK, which we chat about for a bit. i tell him about how i have this idea for a photography series or something - about the expired 4x5 film and the palm trees in fresno last night.

what kind of film, he asks. i drag the box of ReadyLoads out. he reaches in and grabs a foil package, tears it open.

see, i wouldn't have done that. i've had this open box full of individually wrapped 4x5 foil packets at the studio for months and i haven't done that. haven't looked inside and made an exploratory rip into the contents. i'm too cautious when i don't know where i'm going, what's inside. this is why i love Ari, he makes it all seem so easy. such good company.

Ektachrome positive. it will make slides then.
we talk some more about ReadyLoads, loading and exposures.
i feel like something has really begun.
i know where i'm going, and i'm ready.