Mind Blown !!

Gather around folks, I have a tale to tell.

Eddie Large was a neighbor of ours for about 25 years. He was into cars and photography. Although not being a professional photographer he was an extremely active enthusiast with a darkroom in his laundry and a studio in his garage. As a teenager getting into photography Eddie was instrumental in my development and desire to learn, to grow. He was a great neighbor, for our entire family. 

Eddie got sick. He had asbestosis and passed away in 2020 during the first Covid19 lockdown. As such there was no funeral, no time to say goodbye. I had not seen Eddie for a few years as my mother has since left the family home next door but we would have all attended this funeral, my entire extended family. He was such a big part of our history.

Six months or more after his passing I was scrolling facebook and saw a box of slides for sale . $10 in a timber box. It's important to state here that I have never in my life bought anyone's slides or negatives. Not sure why but it has just never appealed to me. Anyway I mention it to Selena and she says yeah yeah sure. Five hours later I'm still thinking about it  " Selena I think I should go and get those slides - I mean i can use the box for something !! "   Of Selena is like " whatever - its $10 if you want it go and get it !! " 

So I did.

Looking through those slides that night in front of the TV I recognised certain things, an old Avery Scales work ute, houses being built that are today occupied by people I know, and on a few slides the initials E.L. These were eddies slides !!

There were no picture of Eddie in any of them so only a person who knew him would have been able to identify them.  I immediately rang the guy who I got them off - do you have any more ???

HE DID - 7 more boxes, so I went out and got them all. I must mention here that the guy selling them collects items from the tip and then on sells them. Nothing wrong with that but so sad to think that whoever cleaned out Eddies house felt that these were only good enough for the tip.

Over the last year or so I have gone through these slides and picked a few out that I would dearly love to include in The Creative Mix as a thank you to Ed for his support over the years.

This morning I was going back and forth with Kris Anderson as we were uploading a brand new batch of his images to the site ( that's coming at you very soon). Anyway I thought while I have the bonnet up I may as well throw a couple of Eddies up now too. I haven't been purposely not putting any up, nor have I been trying to, I just haven't till now . 

So I put up three of the Sydney Opera House under construction which are so cool! The iconic building 1/2 done, the fashion, the CARS !

Selena likes to keep an eye on me so she texts and says that the images don't make any sense, and yes yes I had made a mistake and uploaded all three to the one buying option, but i fixed that .

1/2 hour later she texts again   " did you know its his birthday "

WHO  ??

"Eddie "

Today He would have been 79 years old ..............

I have no words for this.