-Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is freedom"
-Marilyn Ferguson
I've always had a fear of heights. It wasn't the kind of fear that left me paralyzed or prevented me from going to the top of the Empire State Building. It was just a fear that gripped me when I reached the top and peered over the edge. It was this realization that if I just shifted my weight forward a little, I could fall. That realization always made me dizzy and caused me to back away from the edge. I'm an accident waiting to happen and losing my balance is something that comes a little too easily for me.
In our bedroom, Our boss has this poster hanging next to the bed.
"Lunch atop a skyscraper"
I had seen this image before, but for some reason I always thought it was fake. I always believed it was some photoshop trick. I was peering at it this morning closely and I realized that it wasn't. It was a real photograph taken back in 1932. There is no safety net, no bungee belts around these construction workers. They are actually sitting up there eating lunch.
It made me feel uneasy just looking at it. Maybe because I feel like I'm up on a precarious beam waiting to fall myself.
All of them look so calm and collected. Smoking, talking, laughing and eating. Except for this guy and my eye always focuses on him.
He's looking directly at the camera and has what looks like a liquor flask in his hand. He appears lost, unstable and he seems to be wondering what he's doing up there in the first place. Maybe he's thinking of his family, his wife.. Maybe he wants to get down. Maybe he doesn't even want to be in the photograph. Maybe he's up there risking his life in this job because he has no other options due to the depression era. If that IS alcohol in his hand, it seems like a dangerous place to be drinking it.
So out of curiosity I searched online for the story behind this photographer and this particular photograph. All I found was this short blurb in Wikipedia.
"Charles C. Ebbets was an American photographer, whose most famous photos appear to be two photos snapped during the construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York in 1932: "Lunch Atop A Skyscraper," showing eleven men sitting on a girder eating lunch, their feet dangling from the beems hundreds of feet above the New York streets below. The other photo is of the same workers laying down on the beam taking a nap.
It seems virtually impossible to find out more about these two photos or the photographer anywhere on the web."
Question: Does anyone out there reading this know more about the story behind this photograph?
******
We were able to obtain a car, so tomorrow we are taking a four hour drive to the American Embassy to investigate this Green Card situation. Everytime we call we just get forwarded to an automatic voice message system. I can't just keep waiting and hoping. Maybe if I can talk to someone face to face and express the urgency of this situation..the ball will roll a little faster.
Ideal Scenario: "Mr and Mrs. Smith! What a pleasure to see you. We were just going to call you in for the interview. Please come in and sit down. I'm sure you're eager to return home and start your new life in the states with your husband. Lets get this over with."
Dreaded Scenario: "Do you have an appointment? No? Sorry, I can't help you. We'll call you when we're ready to see you. Bye bye"
"But..."
*Door slams in face*
Last time we went nearly 4 months ago, they were very friendly and helpful. I have my fingers crossed that this experience will be positive and I'll have good news to report.
Wish us luck.
