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Rural American Scenes

This was the corner drugstore in my hometown when I was a kid. In the background is the tower of the Jackson County Courthouse. This scene holds a myriad of moments in my life that will be with me forever.

On this corner Emil Zabel (or "Zabe" as he was known locally), a local surveyor, who graduated from Purdue University, would tempt me with a nickel if I would say "bully for Old Purdue" in front of my Dad. Zabe knew my Dad had graduated from Notre Dame and my Dad would immediately chime in "say rah rah for Old Notre Dame". I was probably 3 or 4 years old at the time. I stood firm with my Dad, but I remember Zabe's chuckle and he would still give me the nickel.

Many a boyfriend and girlfriend sat google-eyed inside the drugstore drinking a cherry coke and eating peanut butter crackers. Occasionally the girls never knew the boy across from them had a crush on them. Poky MIranda gave me the dickens on a regular basis for browsing the magazines in the magazine rack or for talking too loudly. I returned the favor by soaping his windows heavily during Halloween. Keep that a secret, okay?

Across the street in front of the County Courthouse I met Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 during his campaign for President. John Stewart, formerly of the Kingston Trio, was traveling along with RFK and I had been a fan of the Kingston Trio since I was a kid, so it was a 2 for 1 that day.

There was a bench right next to the building behind the mailbox, and I spent many a summer day sitting there watching traffic go by on Highway 50. I dreamed about a lot of things and wondered what would become of me. I parked my beloved bicycle, my freedom machine, right where that mailbox sits now.

On the opposite corner, every Saturday morning, a Pentecostal preacher would play his guitar and sing hymns and preach. My best buddy and I would mock him and do amazing imitations of him. Ironically, my buddy and I both became devout believers.

As I look at this photograph, I remember all these things and so much more. And I'm thankful I'm a photographer, preserving these frozen moments in time that take me back to places I might otherwise forget.

Brownstown, IN
2020
© James Rice, All Rights Reserved

© All Rights Reserved
Taken on: October 31, 2020
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with Leica M10-P Leica M10-P Everybody's photos tagged with 28mm f/2 Summicron ASPH 28mm f/2 Summicron ASPH Everybody's photos tagged with bw bw more » Everybody's photos tagged with rural rural Everybody's photos tagged with Brownstown Brownstown Everybody's photos tagged with Indiana Indiana « less
Sets appears in:   • Rural America   
Groups appears in:   • Leica    • Rural America - (Opted out of 30/60)    more » • Leica Digital    • Rural Indiana    • Leica Black and White    • Leica M photography    « less
Camera: Leica Camera AG LEICA M10-P, f/11.0, 1/90 sec, 28mm, ISO 800 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Leica Camera AG LEICA M10-P
Lens: Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH.
Aperture: f/11.0
Exposure Time: 0.011 sec (1/90)
Focal Length: 28mm
ISO: 800
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash
Exposure Program: Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 14.1.1 (Macintosh)
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