Happy in her own world.

Even one of our more common definitions of madness is becoming invalidated.

You see them everywhere and of all ages. Adults walking along the street speaking to no one in particular. A moment’s examination confirms that they are speaking into a cell phone microphone and doing so invariably loud enough for all to hear, the way the English speak to foreigners on the assumption that volume will conquer any lack of comprehension.

These people are not mad. Just dumb as a brick.

However, the subject of today’s snap is most assuredly crazy but her insanity is a far gentler presence than that of the cell phone prattlers, reassuring their honey that they are about to come home with the groceries. You can see her on Haight Street in San Francisco most days, merrily reliving past lives at sufficient volume to be heard and enjoyed.

The Madwoman of The Haight. G1, kit lens at 30mm, 1/1250, f/5.3, ISO 100

I feel far closer to her than I ever will to the fools with their cellular toys.

Reporting home.

This loving owner was reporting home on his new puppy’s first street outing into a very big world.

G1, kit lens @ 14mm, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 100

On Haight Street in San Francisco,

One of the world’s great cemeteries.

Arlington, Pere Lachaise and Highgate – these are the world’s greatest cemeteries.

Taken more years ago than I care to admit in Highgate Cemetery.
Leica M3, TriX, 35mm Summaron.

To be found at any public display of memorabilia.

Go to any public show of old stuff and you will find them. A bunch of old guys in GM caps sporting beer bellies, beards and boring.

Ready to regale you with tales of how much better it was in the old days (it wasn’t) and how their old car runs so much more reliably than your new Honda (it doesn’t) and how politicians used to be trustworthy (they weren’t) these senescent bores really need to be put out to pasture. Whatever you do, show no admiration for the objects of their worship, for you will be lectured at great length as to why the 1929 model was so superior to its 1930 successor.

These Old Farts were spotted at, where else, a display of old cars.

Lumix LX-1, auto everything.

Snapped through the rear window of a Ford Model T, undoubtedly one of the worst cars ever made.