Brother and Sister

I was in Chicago to present a lecture at the annual Filter Photo Conference. As is my ritual, I head off somewhere before my lecture in order to clear my head, and get focused on my presentation.

With about 90 minutes until I was scheduled to begin, I grabbed my camera and walked out of the hotel, turning left onto Michigan Avenue. The sidewalk was filled with people moving in a chaotic form, each oblivious to the other.

As I walked I found a rhythm in navigating my way through the frenetic stream of the pedestrian torrent. Ahead I saw what seemed to be a woman doing pushups on the sidewalk. These glimpses, broken into segments by people sporadically darting across my field of vision, made it difficult to discern for sure what I was seeing.

Sure enough, as I approached closer, the woman was now sitting with her back against the municipal trash bins. In front of her was a cardboard sign that stated: “I will do 10 Full Body  Push ups for Thank $10.00. One Push Up = $1.00”. “Donations Against Abuse”. “All Money Earned Goes to Domestic Shelter”.

I wanted to stop - to talk with her and hear her story. I also wanted to tell her how much I admired her for the way she approached the situation, but there was too much chaos. She was positioned at a major intersection of traffic and pedestrians. Instead I continued along Michigan Avenue then crossed over to walk down a side street. There I found a small coffee house. I ordered a doppio espresso, which is also part of my ritual when available. With my espresso in hand I found a stool to sit on at a small high round top table.

I sat there commiserating the fact that I had not made a photograph of the woman, and not recorded her story. Unable to relax, I drank the espresso in two tips of the cup, then left the coffee house to make my way back to Michigan Avenue - hoping that she would still be there.

Sure enough as I approached the corner I saw here once again doing pushups. I positioned myself at the periphery of people until the woman finished. When she stood up I approached her - reaching out my hand to introduce myself.

“Hello”, I said. “I’m David”  “I am blown away by what you are doing here!” Do you have a minute to talk?” I asked.

“Sure”, she replied.

With that I saw a man approaching her somewhat quickly. She reached out her left arm in his direction, and as he drew close they embraced one another.

“This is my brother”, she told me. 

“Hello” I said to him; but his response was just a stare - still clinging to his sister.

I asked if I could make a photograph of the two of them, to which she agreed. Then she told me their story.

They were brother and sister. When they were young she was abused physically by their father. Each time the brother would step in to protect her - at his own peril. When they finally left home he eventually became homeless. She moved onto the streets as well - this time to be his protector.