Ornament

 

     Before 7 a.m., the neighborhood is pretty much ours. The occasional jogger. Another dog walker, maybe. But many is the morning when Kitty and I take our rounds and don't see a single soul.
     Sometimes I forget other people are around, and while we are watching something, somebody is watching us. I paused to photograph this hood ornament on a Mack truck hauling away dirt from the construction site over at Catherine (whose house demolition I captured here in August).

     When I was growing up, a Mack truck was a synecdoche for all trucks — being bowled over by something was "being hit by a Mack truck." The company was founded in Brooklyn in 1900 by brothers Augustus, William and John Mack. At first it built buses. In 1932, the company's chief engineer, A.F. Masury, carved the iconic hood ornament out of a bar a of soap, and patented it. 

     I took a couple shots, and noticed the backhoe operator was not only there, but looking at me, getting out of his cab. I could have scooted away, but I didn't want to alarm the man — people associate taking photos with irked individuals trying to get others in trouble.
     I explained, several times, that I was just photographing the hood ornament — that concept was slow to be conveyed. I think there might have been a language issue. So I showed him the photo I had taken, and he seemed to relax. I complimented his truck.
     "Very strong," he said. "I like to load the truck and get out."
     That seemed to be my exit line, and I left. The next day, however, just as Kitty and I were passing, he was pulling out in his Mack truck. I waved, as if we were old friends.