I hadn't seen nor thought of him since I left NYC several years ago ... but there he was right there again in my head ... Abraham lived at a city supervised residence for dependent adults just around the corner from my last New York apartment ...and I saw him most every day .... each time he planted himself in the center doorway of the residence .... watching and supervising his world's comings and goings ... always with a take-out paper cup of coffee from the corner bodega in one hand and a lit cigarillo always dangling in his mouth ... to me it was such a cool iconic look without any affect ...a kind of almost cinematic stance that could never be faked or intentional ..... For more than a year each time on my way home he would never fail to smile and greet me with a "Hi ... How are ya? as I passed his spot ... and following that we usually exchanged some brief commentary on the day .... After a time I looked so forward to that familiar encounter that I'd often walk an extra distance on my way home just to be rewarded by that smile and exchange ... Whatever I'd been thru that day I knew I could depend on that moment of connection and warmth .... I'd always been fascinated by his face and look ... and a short time after this casual relationship began I made this portrait on the street ... I hurried home to work on the portrait and the next day I couldn't wait to gift him with a print of the image .... Well .... He just beamed with gratitude and genuine surprise .... I don't think he had (or for that matter cared for) many worldly possessions ... I don't think he had much personal attention to his life or existence ... and I could see by his reaction how he treasured that print ..... Anyway .... like I said .... for some reason Abraham just came randomly into my head last nite ... just the thought of him made me smile and happy .... To me Abraham just seemed a thoroughly simple , unaffected and contented man .... simple and unpretentious.... he was just one of the folks that happened to pass thru my life for a time .... and I'm appreciating now more than ever that " Hi ... How are ya? ..... and I'm fondly thinking that the memories I have of his face and smile ... his familiar stance in the doorway ... and the always present coffee and dangling cigarillo ... and especially that human contact I could expect and depend on .... those were gifts to me ...and I'll be forever grateful I was able to capture all that in this street portrait I made that day .... It's always been one of my favorite images .... and it just makes me happy to remember Abraham and see him again in my image and in my mind's eye ....
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