Opportunity Knocks
Last night I met a man..........
Alright, that sounds bad but here's the story:
Lately I've been having some struggles with making ends meet. I really don't have many ends, so when they don't meet up, it's depressing.
A couple months ago my tire blew (it didn't blow really, it still held air, but the tread peeled off like an orange peel). All of the money I had saved up at last had to go to a new tire. If you've been keeping up with these posts, you may remember my "tire malfunction" on my travels through Colorado. That would be why I didn't have a workable spare.
--Remember kids - "Always make sure your spare tire is fit for driving"
Anyway, Cut to two days ago. My other tire went flat. Tread started coming up on this one too but this time a gash appeared that was un-pluggable. On goes the only temporary option I had....the bald, no tread tire I had on my spare carrier. Yep, I needed money and I needed it fast. Of course, I stayed positive. I only need another $200 (tire and insurance due in two days) to make everything work out and I'm about to hit the strip.
"I can make two hundred in one night; it hasn't happened in a long while, but it will." I went to the strip at 4PM to try and get as much time as possible in front of people. By about 8 o'clock I was still pulling a zilch in the cash department. Not good, but I always tell myself, it only takes one person to make the difference.
In case you haven't realized, tips on the Vegas strip are very......varied. One guy or gal will give you $2 for your time. Someone else will give you $20 - $50. And every once in a while you'll get someone who really appreciates what you do (or perhaps out of charity) will give you $100+.
So I trail off into thought. I start thinking: "I need a change." I haven't updated my sign since about 3 weeks after I started this trial out on the strip. The pictures are some of the first decent pictures I took out here but they're printed on normal paper and came out darker then I hoped. I need to update these signs and figure out better ways to draw some attention.
In the middle of my thoughts, I see a photographer walking toward me with two heavy duty cameras, one slung over each arm. I think, awesome, I love chatting with photographers. After all, I think photographers are awesome people. :)
We exchange introductions and I answer some questions about my story and situation. He gives me some ideas on how to improve my presence on the strip and draw more attention. He suggests bigger and better signs. At what I think is the conclusion of our interactions, he asks if I can take Square payments. I say yes (thank you Photoshop World Expo). He tells me to run his card for $150. Then he says if I can send him pictures tomorrow of bigger signs, he'll send me another $150. I thank him gratefully but also point out that Square takes 2 days to process payments. He takes down his glasses and looks me in the eyes.
"Are you broke?"
"Yes"
"Hold on" and he takes off.
He appears a couple of minutes later and hands me some cash. I thank him whole-heartedly and pocket the money. Out here, anything helps and I rarely count money when I receive it. To me it just seems kind of greedy to sit there and analyze what you've been given out of kindness.
He tells me to email him and gave me his email address. He appears like he's about to break down and I ask him if everything's alright but he leaves. I wasn't sure if his reaction was in sympathy for my situation, or if the phone call he had just had was negative. In hindsight, it was definitely sympathy, most artists understand the struggle to make something of yourself in the face of adversity.
I sit down to compose an email to him trying to find the words to express my gratitude and that I will definitely take advantage of his gift and advice in a positive way. Just after I hit send, he reappears.
"You haven't sent me an email!"
"I just hit send, you should have it in a second."
He nods at that and tells me to meet him at his hotel in the morning at 9 and to bring my gear. -- "We'll see about getting you into a better place."
I finally look at the cash he handed me as I transfer it into my wallet. It's definitely more than I thought it was.
I wake up in the morning and get everything ready and prepare myself. I show up to his room a few minutes early. It would feel awkward to sit outside his door for 10 minutes so I go ahead and knock. "Early is on time; on time is late; and late is dead!" or so says my high school debate teacher, Mr. Harris.
Apparently he was just about to take a quick shower, so......awkward anyway.
He takes me to breakfast at the hotel buffet. We discus my story and options for improving my setup on the strip. I believe what we came up with is a winner but don't want to go into details quite yet. We spend much of the day together. Portfolio review with critique; photo shoot (observe and assist); discussion and jokes.
Now, I'm sitting on the spacious balcony in a high end suite of one of the largest casino/hotels in Vegas. As I'm writing this log of events out, I'm not even sure I completely believe it yet.
They say it's who you know and not what you know that matters. The books say to build a network of successful people and mimic and model yourself after them. Well I just made a network connection with one of the most generous and talented professionals in my field, you better believe I'm paying attention.
Thank you Chuck Fazio