CHARLOTTE AFTER 8
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Friday July 14th 2017
The day began with me training to be a server. I was used to working nights and closing as a GA, but on this day, I only had a lunch shift. I couldn't believe I had a Friday night off. It had been so long since that I didn't know what to do with myself. I had no plans. This whole year I've been feeling uninspired to shoot, but I figured why the hell not go out and shoot a city I've shot numerous times over the years.
I took Bagel on an hour walk, fed him, and was off in the Sequoia headed downtown. I parked at the same parking deck I always park at, the one across the Mint and the Levine. I began walking in between the two and over to Romare-Bearden park. There were dogs out with their owners, and picnics on picnics in the open green space. A Knights game was going on at BB&T Ballpark, which meant there was bound to be drunks by the numbers. I hate being around drunk people, especially people I don't know. It makes me feel uncomfortable because they don't care about their actions. They'll say anything to you, so to avoid that, I made my way back towards the parking deck. I notice a homeless man sleeping in one of the alleys on my way back to the center of the city. Ironic thing is he had on the exact pair of Air Jordans that were my first pair. Same color way, same everything. You can read about that here.
Later in the night I saw a girl I knew from middle school. We went to different high schools and her mom would volunteer at the school dances frequently. We made eye contact while we were walking past one another. Although we didn't say a word, I thought of how life is polar opposite for the both of us for the moment being. She was with her boyfriend (who she had been with for years according to Facebook) and she was done with school. All the while I'm still trying to figure things out. I continued my walk downtown before being surprised by a fireworks show coming from BB&T Ballpark. I rushed up the nearest parking deck to view the show. During the fireworks, my mind began recollecting all my observations throughout the night. There were a few new buildings being built, some being finished. The Goodyear had been demolished. Ink & Ivy was live, which I never remembered that block being beforehand. I also kept forgetting Time Warner is now Spectrum, but was reminded when I walked up to the Hornets arena. As the fireworks show was finishing, I stopped taking photos, looked around quietly, and concluded that even though I've been in this city numerous times before, change says different.
-Ratha David Loun, 12:26am, 8.7.17