I took my camera to work today, to take some pictures of the old buildings near to my workplace.
As I was leaving work and walking to my car, I noticed Bob on his Mobility scooter with his Labrador
“Allright” (I sometimes say Hi Alright, I don’t know what makes me include or drop the Hi bit)
“Yes, just on my way back from Scorers, we have had an open day”
“Scorers, Is that down by the indoor cricket?”
“Yes we have indoor football pitches too, We run 10 clubs form aged 10 to 18”
“That’s impressive”
“Yes we have some good players. We have Germans, Polish, Pakistani players a real mix. We have a real good German player, two good feet and really big”
“Ah right, how old is he?”
“Ten” (I was expecting about 16)
“Ahh right”
“My Grandson was a mascot at Wembley the other week”
“That’s good, How did he get that”
“You just apply and it is a lucky dip”
“He walked out with one of the Slovenian players. He had his picture taken with Jermaine Jenas, he didn’t know who he was. His mum Kirsty, had a crush on Jermaine when he played for Forest and when she saw the picture she was really jealous of him”
We then have a conversation about football, with me telling Bob, I am a Bolton Wanderers supporter, travelling from Arnold to Bolton for home matches !!!
“I used to live in Arnold”, Bob tells me . I tell Bob where I live.
“That used to be field when I lived there”
“Yes I know, cows used to graze where I live now!!”
I then introduce Bob to the concept of 100 strangers and ask to take his photo.
“Yes that’s OK. I am used to having my picture took. I sometimes drive around with a picture of Jeremy Corbyn in my motability basket, with the words idiot on. I don’t like communist, I worked in Poland when it was a communist country. I’ve worked al my life in the building trade. Everyone knows me, Yorkie Bob, the Yorkie bit being my name not my place of birth. I’m 76 now”
I was talking to Bob for about 10 minutes, I got loads of info from him including his date of birth, but one thing I forgot from all the information was Bob’s dogs name, I think it was Cindy
“Do you want a copy of the pictures, shall I print you some?”
“No do whatever you want with them”
I shake Bob’s hand, and put my camera back in my bag.
I then sent a text my wife and tell her I am a bit late as I’ve been photographing a man, his motability scooter and his dog !
It was a grey day in Nottingham and the light was fading, so I had my aperture at f3.5, which meant his Labrador is a bit soft. Well, all Labrador’s are probably soft, but you know what I mean :)
This is stranger 108 in my second round of 100 strangers
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
My own strangers can be seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/albums/72157657822400168