Alley

After I took out the trash and walked down to Gallery Cafe for some coffee… I noticed this pair of discarded shoes in the alleyway. I didn’t have my camera on me so (let this be a lesson to you – always carry your camera around), after I got back home I grabbed my cam and returned to this spot.

At first, I was saddened by this loss, this leaving. The shoes seemed abandoned, their owner nowhere to be found. This image suggested to me departure and separation. But after taking a few shots, and really looking at the shoes, it dawned on me. Someone left these shoes here because they came across a better pair, and wore those instead.

What at first seemed nothing but sadness turned out to be something better, something more. On looking at these shoes, I could either focus on the fact that they were abandoned, or focus on the fact that someone became happier. Either outcome was plausible, the only factor being my interpretation.

This felt like a lesson.