Returning to a Chilly Reception

(CLICK TO ENLARGE) As Saturday’s winds pushed temperatures to near freezing, the two fellows on the right were apparently upset by the preachers’ amplified comments about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. (Copyright © 2006. David Klavitter)

Following a two-weekend absence, apparently due to wet weather, the noisemakers returned to the southeast corner of H and 8th Streets NE on Saturday. Their amplifier again pointed south toward the residential homes along 8th Street, the cold, dry air providing extra boost to the amplified speech.

The varying wind direction, however, oftentimes blew the words in different directions--along with discarded papers, wrappers and plastic bottles. Having a class earlier in the day, I arrived at the intersection after 5 p.m.

The fellows were preaching to sparse pedestrian traffic, and their usual stage and signs were out of sight by the time I arrived. However, they apparently did not miss me during these two weeks.

As I started photographing, Sunglasses Man took the microphone, gestured in my direction and said in an agitated voice, “Here comes the cracker with the camera.”

Seeing nobody else with a camera, I presumed he was speaking about me. He went on to say that the “cracker with the camera” takes pictures, then “puts our photos on the Internet.” At this point I knew he was referring to me and this blog, “Quest for Quiet.”

He then said I was writing “lies.”

He did not elaborate on what he meant by “lies,” but he sure seemed angry. I appreciate that he’s reading my blog. I photograph and write about what I observe. Our neighborhood’s position is that the preachers simply stop using the amplifier—nothing more.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE) The fellow (right), apparently having enough of either the cold or the preachers, leaves the intersection. (Copyright © 2006. David Klavitter)