George on my mind.

Sometimes it is not enough to be alone.
 I love to travel alone, eat dinner alone, work on art alone, and even sometimes I like to go to see a movie alone.  Sometimes it is so much better to have friends and loved ones around, even strangers are great to strike up conversations with and solve all the problems of the world with.  I learned this  on the days from March 6-11.   These were absolutely amazing and enlightening days where at The Society of Photographic Education Conference in Chicago more than 2300 members learn, teach and share art, experience, and life lessons.  It was more than enough inspiration and excitement for a year.  I left the house smiling and created new laugh lines in my face for the next four days.
  Hung over and exhausted from all the fun my departure from Chicago was restless. I slept the entire plane ride home to Los Angeles waking in and out of Life Of Pi playing on the tiny television protruding from the ceiling of the United aircraft.  Leaving the plane I B-lined it straight for the bathroom to freshen up, splash some water on my face and brush my teeth.  After having lolly gagged in the restroom I envision my bag as the last one riding the carousel.
  On the way to baggage claim I approach the escalator only to witness an elder man trip and fall head first.  Shocked I stand at the top waiting to see if he will get up.  In a matter of seconds the woman, whose feet were the only thing that stopped his fall, yells out that it is not good and he is not ok.  I run with my carryon down the escalator screaming ahead for someone to shut off the moving stairs before this poor mans head is mangled.  In an instant he starts screaming four letter words and repeats "I almost made it." A mantra he later reveals to be truth that he almost made it to rehabilitation from his alcoholism.
  The escalator is still, the woman he fell at has bailed, someone runs to get help, and I am facing the man lying on his back inquiring his name, his age, and if he can move anything at all.  At this moment an eastern indian man comes from the crowd at the bottom of the stairs in an attempt to be a hero exclaiming "Sir, we have to move you."  Quickly in a panic he grabs 55 year old George from behind and pulls him down one or two stairs. I react by yelling "No, you are not supposed to move people when they fall he could have a fractured vertebrae" At this point I notice all the blood and investigate that it is coming from the back of his head.  The panic really starts to set in and the indian man lets go of poor George whose eyes are now fixed on me as I hold him by the arms with blood starting to run down my wrist from the wound in his head.
  The crowd suddenly dissipates and people begin to leave.  It seems as though I am left alone with George.  He is not alone though, I seem to be the only one who cares.  I hold George as we wait for the paramedics to arrive.  In that time he offers his most vulnerable and honest self to me.  He is crying and I am shaking as I explain to him that no one wants to hurt him but himself and that this is his chance to turn his life around.  "I believe" he tells me "and if I die I am glad it is your face that I am looking at last."  He is not going to die I tell him and help is on its way.  When the Paramedics arrive I crawl out from under the situation.  Shaken and horrified I walk out of baggage claim to find a depressing single bag rounding the carousel all alone.  The same vision I had when leaving the bathroom up stairs only now there is an omnipresent heaviness hanging over me.
  As I drive home I cry and finally the core shaking dissolves as my nerves calm down. I am shocked and still having flash backs from what I witnessed and shared with George.  The worst part of it all is that the police officer told me he would follow up with me that night to let me know George is ok, and he didn't so I don't even know if George is alive.
  "You are an angel" George said to me as his face was turning purple and his eyes dialating and pulsing. "Thank you for being here"
  I don't know why I was the one who was there for George but I am relieved in knowing that I did whatever I could to keep him awake and conscious during one of the most frightening times in his life. I pray that George will be ok and find solace in a mad mad world.  

Boys Town:Chicago

                                   

SPE:Chicago 2013 (B&W)

Society Of Photographic Education Conference at the Palmer House Hilton, Drag show in "boys town," Dancing till all hours of the night and tons of Art.