This man was a professional. Coffee in the right hand, briefcase with two fingers, and working his blackberry with the left hand. Not sure how well he communicated with the blackberry, but probably did well, as he was a professional.

professional

I had a view over a shelf to the station where people added cream and sugar. I faced them as they pondered. A large, black coffee did not make this man happy, and he stood for a while, then moved on without adding anything.

Unhappy

After a good wander, I ended up for lunch at Kelly’s Irish Times, a pub near Union Station, DC. This waiter was quietly waiting for the lunch rush, which came shortly thereafter.

Waiting for the lunch rush

This sign was visible from the window at the front of the Irish Times, where I was enjoying my Bailey’s and coffee. Quite judgmental, I’d say.

Judgmental sign IT

I travel with my Canon Rebel camera, and I was sorely tempted to drag it out when I saw this man. But he was very nervous, and I figured he would notice the camera, but perhaps not the sketchpad. It was startling to sit down as I waited for my train and see this. A man with a rolling suitcase, and the suitcase sprouting LONG antennae. I looked around, but no one seemed to notice. So I drew him, in case the FBI wanted to know about him later. He had shiny, new headphones, and was listening to something….

Startling man and suitcase

I sketched as I traveled on the train from Union Station to Elkhart, Indiana. This woman wore a lovely yellow and black caftan, and she was a wonderfully commanding presence with a ringing voice. She used the ringing voice to dispense worldly wisdom to a relative or friend who was making bad life choices. Very bad life choices… I heard alllll about it.

lady in caftan dispenses advice

My trip to Elkhart was only the first leg of the journey. We left from my parents’ home to drive north to visit family in Ellsworth, MI, and then onward to Mackinaw City. We then boarded a bus on Labor Day to get to the starting point to walk on the Mackinac Bridge. Photographs of all of this will be posted to Webshots soon.

This sketch is one of my mom, who posed for me at a loud, family restaurant called the Dixie Saloon in Mackinaw City, the evening before Labor Day. Lake Michigan Whitefish is one of my addictions and I only get to eat it when I’m in Michigan, so sitting in the Dixie Saloon to get my first plateful was worth the noise.

Mom and ? at the Dixie Saloon

kjn