Brad, Chattanooga Star and Tennessee River

My buddy Bradley next to the Chattanooga Star, a boat on which I worked on the Tennessee River, serving as a deckhand and occasionally as a waiter on dinner cruises.

[Nikon FM, 50mm lens, approximately f/8, 1/30 second exposure. No specific data recorded. January 2000.]

Brad and I shared a house in St. Elmo, a historic part of Chattanooga, for something under a year. We rode motorcycles together, we share a strong admiration for Tom Waits -- and he was a groomsman at my ill-fated wedding.

Some few months after this photo was taken, we both began working as deckhands on the M/V Bearcat, a towboat on the Tennessee River. Most physically demanding job I've ever had, and I've had more than a few. The eight months or so I was a deckhand (traveling between Knoxville, Tenn., and Decatur, Ala.) gave me a chance to get back in shape after a few years of physical deterioration, but they also provided me with the opportunity to shoot quite a few photos of river life. I'll post some of them later.

Best to you, Bradley. Hope all's well. Get that old Honda running. Let's ride!

Oh, and "Hang on, St. Christopher."

[I'm currently listening to Brahms Concerto No. 2, with Van Cliburn on piano, on vinyl.]