Of all the photos I’ve taken, this is one of my favorites. It was one of those moments where you’re thrilled to have a camera nearby. I still had a flip-phone, no camera in my phone – at least not one capable of taking good pictures. But I did have a really nice camera and it was with me that day. I took this is at the New York Historical Society (founded by Alexander Hamilton, of course). I was there for an exhibit on General Lafayette. In one room on the first floor was an exhibit devoted to 9/11, featuring photos New Yorkers had taken of that day. It was a very somber quiet room. I took this in 2006 or 2007. 9/11 still felt very close. It felt closer to New Yorkers than it did for people elsewhere. We saw it. We lived it. I still recoil viscerally when people post pictures of the towers exploding. I saw it with my own eyes. It’s just one of those things. So I walked through the exhibit, looking at all the photos, being with my feelings about the event. The exhibit was sparsely attended, the crowds were there for Lafayette (bless!). As I walked out, I glanced back behind me and saw a Revolutionary War re-enactor standing before the photos of the horrible day in our city’s history. This guy, of course, is dressed as a “redcoat” … and it was like there was a rift in the space-time continuum and a soldier from 1776 – stationed in New York to help quell the rebellion – wandered into the 20th century, landing in this exhibit, staring at what would happen to the loyalist stronghold where he was now stationed back in the past. How would he have perceived these photos? How would he understand them?Could he have ever imagined buildings like that, flying machines like that, horror like that? It was a quiet and profound moment, and it happened by accident, and I happened to be there to catch it.
