Unsung

 “So, you’re the artist for some of this.”

“Ha. Right. You from Emery?”

Emery is a large road construction firm in the area. Actually, it’s headquartered not too far from my home.

“No, I’m just a photographer that likes to take pictures of these marks. Some of the groupings can be really interesting.”

“Oh yeah?”

“You don’t see it, huh?”

He chuckled. “Nope. You from Stayton?”

“Yeah.” We were in Salem. It took me a second to remember that I had a Stayton Wrestling t-shirt on.

“How long?” There’s a lot to such a question. Not in my answer, but the question itself. I added a few years. 

“Ten years. You live there?”

“No, I have family over there. The Acers.”

“Don’t know ‘em. We live outside of town.”

“Brother-in-law is the Principal at the high school.”

“Nope. My kids are grown. Emery have the contract for this?”

“Don’t know.” He crossed the street.