Tuesday, 11 May 2004 | Domino

On Sunday, I stopped to take a few photos of some old men playing dominoes on the sidewalk in front of my apartment. I asked their permission first, and all but one gave it. I assured the dissenter he wouldn't be in the frame (he wasn't), but he held a hat in front of his face anyway, and scooted his chair back a couple of feet. He wasn't actually playing dominoes, but was sitting in a folding chair at the corner of the board, watching.

Another of the group, in contrast, specifically requested that I take his picture by pointing to his chest, and he stood still and stared at me with his arms by his side until I told him I was finished.

The dissenter grumbled for everyone's benefit, "I don't let people take pictures of me unless they pay me!" One of the domino-players looked squarely at him and asked, "Who the hell are you that someone would pay for your picture?"