The Bridge Photo

        I snapped this photo of the Verrazano Bridge in New York on my cell phone in January of 2009. I was in a car carrying me to the funeral of my last living Aunt, my Father's sister Eileen. Without question, she was my favorite aunt. She died on this date.

      In the weeks that followed, The N.Y. Times was soliciting cell phone photos to illustrate a story about that relatively new technology, and I submitted this one. It was accepted and published.

     Another event during that same trip: 

I was fired by long distance phone call. 

     I was working for Alabama Public TV, hosting "For The Record", and the network had decided to eliminate the show and several jobs, including mine. Remember 2009 was the year of the major recession.

     My aunt's death was sudden, and I had to leave for New York with little notice. Because of that, APT had to call me on my cell and let me know my job was no more!

     I've named the photo Bridge Eileen in her honor.

The bridge connects Staten Island and Brooklyn.