Sunday, October 30, 2005

No one ever called it Staid Street

I went prepared. I took along the burliest friend I have, someone who would tower over the rest (and therefore find me if I got lost chasing down a Kodak moment), someone who claims he once put a fist through a windshield (and therefore would not hesitate, I hoped, in putting a fist through the jaws of some filthy and lewd type with bad street manners), someone who again and again and again was told his Philip Jackson costume was great (but who was not wearing a Philip Jackson costume; he just sort of looked like Philip Jackson – thanks, Saul, for explaining to me minutes ago who Philip Jackson is).

Okay, let me roll back a bit.

I wanted to go to the State Street Halloween bash. We’re not talking about small, college-town party. We are talking about a big-time event where 100,000 show up and pack the street looking, to a large extent, very naked. In spite of the cold.

First, though, before setting out, one has to pad the stomach. You know, to protect it against possible attack.

Madison Oct 05 243 Bunky's on Atwood

So we set out in a small group, all patiently indulging my desire to learn more about my new camera and night street photography. Yeah, that’s why I did it.

This morning, I reviewed the photos. I called a fellow blogger and got advice:

Do you suppose I can post an excellent photo of [costume where someone is engaged in an obscene and immoral act]?
NO! – she tells me.

How about a great photo of [costume where someone is engaged in another obscene and immoral act]?
NO! NO!
Hell, I wasn’t serious.

Okay, here are some tamer shots then. I’ll say more once you’ve taken a look at a presentable handful.


Madison Oct 05 310 Capitol: front view



Madison Oct 05 311 Capitol: rear view



Madison Oct 05 280



Madison Oct 05 312



Madison Oct 05 313



Madison Oct 05 324



Madison Oct 05 328 dancin' the clothes away



Well yes, you are correct. I realized that this morning. There seem to be no photos of women. Yes there were women. Yes they dressed crazily as well. I don’t understand it myself. The only decent and publishable photos are of half-naked guys. I don’t get it don’t get it don’t get it.

Most certainly, it was a crazy night. Leaving before 1 allowed us to escape the slight altercation between several hundred and the mounted police. I had to feel sorry for the mounted police. Everyone kept cozying up to their horses then cursing them as they dropped manure and people stepped in it.

This morning, at the Mifflin Street Co-op, I saw the occasional straggler, dragging in, still in costume. (One has to wonder why he would be looking at beer at 9 am, but hey, the young seem to have stamina for that sort of thing.)


Madison Oct 05 332



Me, I preferred to spend some quiet contemplative moments talking about the days gone by while looking out at our totally cool skyline. And the geese, flying every which way.


Madison Oct 05 343

7 comments:

  1. Well, that's a lot of beefcake in those photos.

    And, is that just a shadow I see under that fellow's loincloth or is it his scrotum?

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  2. That kid in the g-string and afro wig jumped in front of our car Friday night and wouldn't move. I think he's actually my student. I'm going to go wash out my eyeballs with bleach now.

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  3. Nina,
    That is a great photo of the flying geese. I hope you didn't have to wait long to get the shot or if you did you had a bottle of wine and some good company.

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  4. odonatas: way too early in the day for good wine. never too early for good company.

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  5. Great pictures! I did like Robin Hood looking for beer at 9:00 AM. Did he pay for it? Or steal it and give it to the poor?

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  6. Thank you, even with your "selectivity," for feeding my nostalgia for Halloween in Madison. I was pressing my blogging friend, the Tech Goddess in Vilas, for info on this year's festivities, and she directed me to you. Takes me back 15 years...

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  7. Russ: I'm only sorry I could not put up more photos, for a variety of reasons. Apart from the deliciously wicked pictures, there were a number that scored high on the creativity index. But to shoot in the dark where thousands are moving quickly before you proved to be a challenge like no other.

    Sarah: To give Robin Hood credit, I later saw him in line holding a bunch of bananas. True, he appeared to be there with a girldfriend -- reality set in, I guess.

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