Food and Fashion

I volunteer at the Christian Food Center in downtown LA. It’s basically just a place where low-income individuals can get food for a fraction of the price from regular supermarkets. The goods there are usually donated from places like Safeway, Ralphs, CVS or similar chains. More often than not, the items are past the expiration date, but when it comes to stuff like tea bags, I don’t think it’s a big problem. [endif]

I was stacking some food, when a man came through the door. Caucasian, about 40 years old, he was so overweight, that he could barely fit through the aisles. His entire weight rested on the shopping cart that he pushed in front of him. A very very big guy.

Now the way pricing works at CFC is that the store manager verbally gives you a price for your items. Most stuff costs between 50 cents and a dollar. So this very large man “waddled” (yes, he actually waddled) towards the cashier and put two huge pork sausages on the table and literally seven packs of cookies. That’s it. That was his grocery list for the day.

He didn’t have enough money.

[if !supportEmptyParas][endif] The store manager sent the cookies back to the shelves. The man began to cry. Devastated, he begged for the cookies. “Oh come on, man. Please! Help me out.” But the store manager understandably could not cut him a deal. He would have to do it for all people (and people there are super broke).

Normally, I advocate healthy eating. When I see an unhappy, extremely overweight, unhealthy (yes, “unhealthy” is the key) person I would normally encourage vegetables or something. But that day, I really wanted him to have his cookies, because I knew it was the only immediate happiness that this man could experience that day. He most likely had few friends or family. He probably didn’t belong to any religious faith. No TV to keep him entertained, no internet, no pets… Just himself and the knowledge that those cookies are going to be mighty delicious. He continued to beg. It was an awful sight. I had to walk away from the scene. I briefly contemplated buying him a pack of cookies, but then I decided not to. If I had done so, it wouldn’t have helped him either. Nor would it have made me feel better…

Not long after, I snapped the following fashion images. I look at them, and really appreciate the richness of the design by Eduardo Lucero. I admire the models, their beauty and professionalism. But I can’t help but do so in the context of that man at the food center. Try it out! If you’re anything like me, the photographs have much more depth if you think about the irony of life…

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I really hope to run into this man again to see how he’s doing. How are you guys liking these long-legged ladies and their attire? i wish I could pull off those outfits!

In any case. I’m prepping a new longterm photography project. It’s coming together piece by piece.

Well, the first and most important piece came in this box last week.

Oh, but what is it??? Just wait and see! :)