F R E E D O M: 2008-11-02

Thursday, November 06, 2008

President Obama Inaugural T-Shirts, Hats, Buttons & Other Memorabilia at Claude Taylor Photography Gallery

When yesterday morning that I rushed to the Waterfront Mall in SW WDC to pickup newspaper post election editions one of the first things that I noticed when crossing M on 4th Street was that the New York Post, New York Daily News and Washington Post newpaper machines were empty.

I then went inside of the Safeway, only to learn that they, too, were sold out!

Realizing that I should have started my search much earlier in the morning I then took the subway to L'Enfant Plaza in SW and checked at the newspaper store at the WMATA L'Enfant Plaza Station exit at La Promenade Shopping Mall.

"Sold Out" is what the woman behind the counter told me. "Come back at around noon ..." she added.

A newspaper collection containing election and inaugural editions dating back to 1992 and 1993, respectively, empty newspaper machines added to the SOLD OUT reactions that I got from the security guard at Safeway and the cashier at La Promenade newspaper store concerned me.

I then took the subway to Metro Center and stopped in at the Newspaper Store on 12th and just south of G Street. "Sold out!"

I rushed down to Trovers at Columbia Square on F Street between 12th and 13th Streets and learned that they do not sell newspapers.

I then rushed to the newspaper store at the Shoppes at National Place. "Sold out!" The nice lady behind the counter told me that she receives 130 or more copies each day and within minuties of their receipt, yesterday morning, they were all gone.

OK, now I was really concerned. I rushed over to Borders at the corner of 14th and F Street in NW and the minute that I walked into the door and veered in the direction of the newspaper section a man who had observed me said suggested that I should not 'waste my time'. They, too, were SOLD OUT.

As we both exited the store he chatted for a minute or two and explained that he had been looking for editions since 2 am in the morning.

Proceeding north on 14th Street in the direction of K Street I began to photograph empty newspaper machines along the way. It was at the WMATA McPherson Square Station at the corner of 14th and Eye Street I found a small stack of the The Washington Examiner Post Election Special Edition.

And that street musician / busker Mark Francis Nickens after suggesting that I may should check downstairs at the convenience store at the McPherson Square Station said " ... but good luck ...!".

Though I learned that the Metro Store at the McPherson Square Station underground exit does not sell newspapers I, also, realzied if they did ... they probably would have been SOLD OUT!

Continuing north on 14th to K I documented empty newspaper machines along the way. When on K at 14th that I inquired of a Downtown SAM if she knew of any newspaper stores on K Street she suggested that I head west to the World News between 17th Street and Connecticut Avenue.

VOILA! While I was able to pick-up several post election editions including The Washington Times, New York Daily News and The Baltimore Sun ... The Washington Post and The New York Post were SOLD OUT!

Since I live in WDC I was not as concerned about obtaining The Washington Post "Post Election Edition" as I was about the New York Post which I have a much larger newspaper collection of.

My interest in the New York Post and New York Daily News are more about the blazing headlines.

It was then that my search for the New York Post "Post Election Edition" shifted into high gear. If World News did not have it I realized that I 'had a problem'.

Exiting from World News I picked up a copy of the Financial Times post election issue at the corner of Connecticut Avenue and K Street, NW. And, then, rushed over to Borders at the corner of 18th and I Streets in NW.

When I asked the clerk at the front of store for newspaper election editions, directing me to the check-out area he said, "I believe that they only have The Wall Street Journal left".

When during my short walk from the front door to the checkout area that a blonde white woman in a blue long sleeve shirt began to stalk me the exact same way as had a handsome young white guy in a hat when the week before I had picked up a copy of The Essential KITARO ... which is the manner by which I am 'policed' whenever that I SWB (shop while black) ... I turned to the white woman as I often do when I am policed in stores, on the subway or in the streets and politely said "white lady, please stop stalking me the way people do when they see black men".

Remembering that the white boy in hat had stalked me in the exact same way just a few days before ... I explained further that as a 55 year old black man "I'm sick and tired ...!".

While I support Obama and know in my soul that he is the man for this time ... as a 55 year old black man ... the damage has already done.

I will not get caught into the FALSE HOPE. The damage has been done!

In search of New York Post "Post Election" Editions and proceeding north on 18th Street, left of Dupont Circle and up Connecticut Avenue to Florida Avenue in NW ... Tracy Young's production of CeeVox's "What's Done Is Done" reverberated in my head.

Unfortunately, when I stopped in at Kramer Books near Q Street the staff would inform me that they too were all sold old and suggested that I visit the Washington Post Building at 15th and L Streets in NW. As was the Newspaper Cafe at Connecticut and Florida Avenues SOLD OUT as well.

And while I appparently was not the only person who had an interest in post election editions what I found amazing was the manner by which people reacted to me, as a black male, at each of the locations that I stopped into.

So when observing that I was getting a bit bothered by all the attention that he and others at the cafe were displaying toward me ... the black police officer said "Man, we'll just being nosey!".

I joked and said "Man, I know. As a 55 year old black man ... people are always too nosey about what I am doing!".

As I walked back down Connnecticut Avenue toward Q Street in the direction of WMATA Dupont Circle Station (North) I telephoned Richard in Fort Lauderdale and asked if came across a post election issue of the New York Post that he purchase it and save it for me.

While waiting on the platform several people who had seen me photographing in the street and stopping into stores, in search of post election issues, stalked me so much on the subway that I had to turn to a black woman and a white woman, in two seperate occasions and ask that they NOT POLICE and OVERSEE a BLACK MAN on subway ....

The damage has been done!

Which brings to mind the purpose of this blog posting.

On my way north on Connecticut Avenue from Dupont Circle, after noticing and then photographing the Obama Inaugural window display I stopped in at the Claude Taylor Photography Gallery which is one of my favorite store windows to photograph. Which brought 2 June 2006 when friends from South Boston VA visited me and a few weeks later in July when I stopped in at Lambda Rising.

What's done is done!

If you are in search of top quliaty OBAMA Inagural tee-shirts, hats, buttons and other election paraphernalia ... you should definately stop in at the Claude Taylor Photography Gallery at 1627 Connecticut Avenue in NW Washington DC. Telephone (202) 518-4000 to inquire of their OBAMA Inaugural collection.

Speaking of Obama and HOPE ... perhaps, your experience on Connecticut Avenue will be different than mine. As a 55 year old black man, I am not as likely to believe in false hope as some may HOPE that I would.

You better hurry to Claude Taylor Photography at 1627 Connecticut Avenue because, considering the quality, those tee-shirts, hats, buttons and other paraphernalia will soon sell out!