Mr. Photo

Years ago, before there were cameras in cell phones - before there were cell phones - I somehow came to the decision that I needed a hobby so my wife gave me a camera as a Christmas present. I really had no idea what to do with it.

Then one day we were driving somewhere and she saw a sign for a business called, "Mr. Post Hole," and she said, "I guess when Mr. Lumber and Mr. Plumber and Mr. Landscaper need a fourth for Bridge they call Mr. Post Hole." And as often as these silly things do, it made me laugh.

And it also got me noticing how many businesses are named "Mr.... something." And for some reason I liked that, it seemed old fashioned and a little silly but also kind of formal. And I remembered that old TV commercial for Mister Big candy bars, "When you're this big, they call you mister." So, he doesn't just dig post holes, he's, "Mr. Post Hole."

And my hobby was born. And now, because I had to buy a printer for my kids' homework and every printer seems ot have a scanner built-in, I thought why not put my Mr. Photos on a blog?

So, here we go, the first Mr. Photo I took, appropriately enough, Mr. Photo:

Followed by:

When I was taking this next picture, a woman came out of the store and demanded to know, in very broken English, why I wanted the picture. I tried to explain it was, "For my hobby," but she just yelled that she was calling the police and want back inside the store. I have no idea what she was upset about, but it turns out she isn't the only, "Mr. Smoke and Variety."

As we'll see later...