Paying Attention to Coincidences
A Photowalk: Historic Pride Day in San Francisco (NSFW)
I like interesting coincidences, and it was a coincidence that on the Friday before Pride Weekend Festivities in San Francisco in 2015, the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. But it felt like that kind of weekend, when things were just happening.
I was in a photo mood on Saturday morning, doing various still life projects at home, when I decided to head out to see what I could see. Pride weekend? Supreme Court? San Francisco? I got my camera and called for an Uber. As I wasn’t in a hurry and already up for adventure, I decided to try UberPool, and see what randomness would provide.
When the Uber pulled up there was a couple already in the car, and the woman in the back seat was exceptionally pregnant. It was unclear how close a car could get to Market Street before roads and crowds turned on-foot, but we all were heading anywhere near City Hall to see what was going on. Being of a comparable mindset, we struck up a conversation.
They were a young married couple, who had just arrived from Texas, where Emily (in the front seat) was stationed. Emily was a C17 pilot for the Air Force. Her wife, in the back with me, was Emma, adorably 38-weeks round in a white top. They’d never been to San Francisco before — and months ago planned a big adventure to get out of Texas and see San Francisco for Pride Weekend. So they were also surprised by the Supreme Court decision, and felt lucky to be here for the moment. Being a military couple in Texas, I’m not sure they knew a lot of gay couples, and my sense was that they were just getting used to being out in public. It’s nice to feel at home. And of course, they were expecting their first child. I could appreciate this was a big trip for them, on a tremendously special day.
They got me excited about the events downtown, their sweet enthusiasm was contagious. It dawned on me that I didn’t want to show up in the crowds as a photographic spectator, spying on the events from the sidelines. I realized that being with them helped me see it through their eyes. I thought it might seem to them like stepping out of the black-and-white of Kansas and landing in colorful Oz. I wanted not only to see what was up, but I wanted to see their experience of what was up. They invited me to hang out with them and take pictures. And with that, Emily, Emma and I got out of the Uber and began to explore the historic and festive day.
At the end of the long day we exchanged emails and went our ways. I sent them a bunch of shots from their adventure, and they went back to Texas. It was precisely the kind of day you hope for when you get up and roll the dice.
A year later I got a message from Emma; they were re-stationed for a time in Fairfield, California, and were out with their daughter Edie for a day in San Francisco. They wanted to say hello. I didn’t care what they were doing, I volunteered to come find them for some of their afternoon. We decided to meet at SF MOMA:
Emma wrote yesterday, quite coincidentally; they are living in Washington and had a son, Efren. I have yet to meet him.
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