Billy

You can read more about my $2 Portrait Project here.

 

While shooting on Harrison Street between 5th and 6th earlier this afternoon I ran into Billy while shooting a mural in an alley. Billy had street sheet newspapers and said he was between things right now and asked me if I'd buy one. I told Billy about my $2 Portrait project though and he agreed to pose.

 

At first Billy said that nobody would want to see a photograph of him. But as he warmed up he told me that with the silver in his beard and hair that maybe he could look like a dockworker who just got off the job.

 

Billy was born and raised in Oakland, California. He's been here his whole life. He has two adult children, a son and a daughter. One to carry on his name and one to carry on his grandkids he told me. Billy took out the photos of both of his children from his wallet and showed them to me. Billy said that his son was doing ok, but that his daughter was headed for trouble. He said that he was going to be a grandfather before he knew it.

 

While going through his wallet Billy wanted to show me that his name on his social security card was different than the name on his drivers license. The stupid California Department of Motor Vehicles had screwed up his name putting his middle name Clyde first and his first name Billy as his middle. Typical Government I remarked.

 

Billy told me that he'd injured his eye at some point. You'd better not be some doctor trying to get evidence of my eye injury he warned me. I assured Billy that i wasn't though. I think he was joking about that.

 

Billy and I talked a bit more and then he said thanks for the $2 and I headed on my way and he headed on his.

Done