El Paso Union Passenger Depot

Today I had about an hour to kill while I was waiting for Bee to get out of her summer fun camp, so I drove around downtown, looking for something to shoot.  I decided to stop by the El Paso Union Passenger Depot, as I had not been inside in years.  It was built between 1905 and 1906, and unfortunately has only a tiny bit of nostalgic feeling left in it when you look at the tile floors and old radiators.

I liked pretending I was one of the people either waiting for someone, or going off on a trip.  I loved imagining I was a different person completely, from a different town.

I always seem to find the sweetest light in the sourest of places, though...restrooms.  The custodian completely ignored me, which was unusual.  Not even a sideways glance or a raised eyebrow.  My peripheral was aware of her reflection off to my left.  I couldn't help but to feel disappointed-I felt like a nothing, a ghost, invisible.  I usually wouldn't mind being ignored like that, but I guess I was feeling lonely.

I thought maybe I'm not the first person she caught taking a picture in the bathroom.  Maybe it was not the strangest thing she had witnessed in there.  Maybe she just thought I was some weirdo and she better not acknowledge my existence, lest she be attacked with my SX-70 machine.  Sometimes when I'm getting my camera ready, (especially now that I have to also add the shade), I do feel very conspicuous, like I'm loading a weapon.  That's it, I scared her.   

Polaroid SX-70, PX680ff Impossible  film.