James and I would like to take this time to say thank you to everyone that has been a part of Otis & James during this past year. We are thankful for many things, but it is with great sincerity that we express how awesome all of you – our Wedding clients, all of our Seniors, all of our portrait clients, and even anybody that just likes to stop by the blog from time to time – all of you have made this year wonderful.
Let me tell you something that I am thankful for. A long, long time ago (doesn’t a song start this way?), old Otis used to work in a nursing home in a far away land called St. Paul. Otis was technically called a dietary aide, but to him and his co-workers, he was part of a group called ‘dirty-dish-dogs.’ Otis spent many years here, making many friends, was fired, re-hired, fired again, and it seemed that perhaps it was his destiny that he would continue to work in the food service industry, perhaps eventually moving away from the dish-machine and on to bigger and better things in the kithen. And he did.
He eventually became what is called a starter, which means that you become really, really fast at putting silverware and plates (not to mention index cards and the appropriate seasonings) on food trays and sending them down a bunch of rollers so somebody can put some food on said trays. From there, he moved into the deli, where the name ‘deli-boy’ was bestowed upon him by one of the lovely nurses that he would so affectionately banter with. He would sometimes drive meals on wheels, work in the storeroom (not quite sure if that is how that word is supposed to be, but oh well), and just occasionaly he would be allowed by his supervisor to announce over the intercom that the main dining room was now open for lunch. Life was good.
Sometimes, however, Otis would feel that even though what he was doing was providing for his basic needs (shelter, ramen noodles and entertainment funds), there was something else out there for him. Never in a million years did Otis envision that this something different would happen in Minot, North Dakota; and that this something different would actually be that the thing he loved – photograpy. This is what I’m thankful for. That I have broken away from the kitchen. That I have been given a blessing by our clients, that they have entrusted us with these moments in their lives. The world of the nursing home seems so far away, so dream-like.
So…as a small Thanksgiving treat to all of you out there, I offer this original artwork to celebrate the day. To all of my peeps back at the Peace Home, much love (and there may even be one or two people that will understand the reason why I have chosen to spell turkey ‘tukey’ – but that story is for another day) and keep up the good fight. To all of our Otis & James peeps – much love as well, and a heartfelt thank you.
Gobble Gobble
Otis & James
:: click image for larger ::
This is actually a turkey/goose hybrid I’ve been working on.
