he's usually there on my way over to the west bank. sitting on the washington avenue bridge playing the accordion for the college students as they go about their daily schedules.

i've seen him quite a bit and was always meaning to take a picture of him, but it just seemed that i always forgot to bring my camera with me. today i didn't forget.

i asked him if i could take his picture, and he said yes. after i took it i sat down next to him and talked to him a little bit as we waited for the picture to develop. although i didn't catch his name, he told me that he first came down to the cities from north dakota when he was about 17. the accordion he plays was his fathers, who used to play it at dances during the depression in order to earn a couple extra dollars for the family. he also mentioned seeing lawrence welk before he became famous on television.

we talked about how him and his lady friend (who happens to play the violin) were harassed in the skyways of downtown minneapolis. they were playing around christmas, and he told me that they were made out to be the "criminal carolers."

he laughed when he saw the queer men behind him and said, "that's what makes the picture." we talked for a couple more minutes before i had to get to class.

i'm glad i stopped to talk to him. because in the process i was shown a little slice of somebody else's life, and i feel that too often people pass him by without giving him a second glance. well, i didn't. and i'm glad for that.

Related tags:

portrait, accordion, musician

Part of Projects:

portraits , city life

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