Saturday, September 23, 2006
This year, Crystal was volunteering at Sidewalk Fest. She even got a special t-shirt. Her volunteer shift was from 3-9 p.m.
Right as we reached Birmingham the previous day, we experienced some car trouble. It was almost certainly due to the fact that Crystal failed to get her car serviced before the trip. So, the task was put upon me to go take the car to get serviced someplace in town. We decided to go to a Wal-Mart Supercenter, since they'd be cheap. I acquired directions to the nearest Wal-Mart from the internet, and then proceeded to make my trip. More on that later.
I got a little ahead of myself. I got up at around 8 am, I guess. Crystal had gone before me and already got breakfast in the dining area. I decided to wash my hair, so it'd be fresh, but I opted not to style it. I just pinned it up in the back and put on one of my trusty covered-elastic headbands.
I went had breakfast in the hotel dining area called the Cafe Beau Monde. There a breakfast buffet was available for $8. It was pretty good.
After breakfast, I set out to find an place that sold memory card readers. It turned out there weren't any such places in downtown Birmingham. The one camera store in that area was closed on Saturday. I ended up getting directions to a drug store nearby, so I could pick up some things to style my hair. I had left my comb back in Mobile, even.
Justin, the clerk at MedTown Pharmacy
While checking out, I asked the clerk if he knew of an electronics store nearby. He didn't. Actually, he didn't known much of where anything was, which was pretty funny. But he was really nice. The other guy working the counter offered to look it up on the internet. He told me that there was a Ritz Camera a few blocks away, so I went in search of that, headed along 6th Ave N.
As I walked I passed a lot of memorials, statues, and landmarks in the downtown area. Birmingham is a city known for the many historic events that took place there, especially during the Civil Rights era.
As the further I walked, I realized the I probably wasn't going in the right direction. However, there was a Jazz Festival going on in the area as well, so I decided to continue on, hoping to get some interesting pictures. I saw a group of policeman standing on the corner, and proceeded to approach one. . .
*update*
So, I asked the police for some directions, but they didn't know about the camera store I was talking about. I asked the one pictured above if I could take his picture, because I just loved his features (I didn't say that, though). He oblidged. I ended up taking about 5 frames of him, because I was having trouble setting my camera to read enough light to make his face come out.
After thatn I continued decided to go back the way I came, and check out the string of barber shops that I had passed.
Mr. Wallace Hives
As I was walking by, this man asked me about why I was taking pictures. I can't remember exactly what he said. I could have said "yeah" and just walked on. For some reason, I decided to stop and chat with him. I told him about how I was a photography student, and that I was there to attend Sidewalk Fest. He said he was waiting to get a haircut. Before I continued on my way, I asked him if I could take his picture. I even him my card and told him that his photo would most likely end up in my blog. My home number rather than my cell was on the card, and later that evening my siser called me and told me that a man from Birmingham had called me. He though he had the wrong number, but she told him that I wasn't there. He just told her that I missed the "after photo" of him with his fresh haircut.
I ended up going in this place.
I asked the owner if I could take pictures. He gave me the once over, smiled slightly, and was like, "Yeah. Sure." This is one of the instances where being a moderately attractive female has it's advantages.
I met this man. His name is Kenny. He told me that he had been a barber for 20 years, and actually had a shop down the street. He was attending the school for the hours in order to get his license.
This guy looked just like someone I knew, but I couldn't place it right then. Afterwards, I realized that he looked a lot like this guy I know named Terrence.
Leaving the barber college, I continued on. I finally did find the camera store. It was located inside the building pictured above. The building was open, but the store was closed.
I met back up with Crystal and we ate a late lunch at the hotel.
Then I set out to find a Wal-Mart to with an Car Center to take the car to get serviced. I got directions off the internet, but I took the wrong exit off the interstate. However, the first place I saw after I got off the interstate was a Ritz Camera. So, I went inside and picked up a muli-card reader. I paid way too much for it, but, eh. I got a direction from one of the store clerks on how to get to the Wal-Mart. He was a light-skinned black man with hazel eyes and really long dread locks, which reminded me of Kendall.
I set off to find the Wal-Mart once more, but either his directions weren't very accurate, or I'm just bad with them (I'm thinking the former), because I got turned around once more. But after driving a while I decided to backtrack, and I found the street, where Sanford University was located. I passed by the school, wishing I could have stopped to take photos, because the architecture looked really cool, but I was on a mission. So, I finally found the Wal-Mart, but it didn't have a car center. I found Good Year nearby, though, thank the Lord.
That evening, we went to the Harbert Center to attend a screening of The Big Bad Swim. The venue was packed and it turned out to be a pretty good movie. Ishai Setton, the director, was there for a Q&A afterward, but I didn't stay for that.
After the movie, Crystal and I went to a WiFi cafe set up in the Harbert Center and got some food while I surfed the 'net. The strawberry tasted magnificent.
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That's pretty much the day. Sorry for taking so long with the update.
Next up is the final in the series: Sidewalk Fest (Part III)
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