St. Louis - Day 6

August 23, 2004

0600. Have slept but badly. By dawn the rains and wind have left us replaced by beautiful sunshine. I descend the now beaten stairs of the production vehicle. They have been constantly dented and scratched by trunks of equipment that have surfed there way across their steel plates grinding the rivets flat. We are parked on a footage road overlooking a freeway. Peering between the front of one vehicle and the rear of another I see three crewmembers lounging on a sidewalk. They look shattered and worn. One holds a bottle of water to his chest as if it is his last drink. The others stare at the tarmac beneath them pondering their next move. In the background the towering shape of St Louis Union Station draws me to its magnificence. After pondering the tarmac myself for some time we decide to walk over to today's venue. Entering I am stuck by its grandeur. Now converted into a shopping mall this must have been an incredible sight back in the days of steam.

…… I wish that Dad could be here today. He would surely approve of our progress. Just before lunch we attempt a foolhardy attempt to reach 50 portraits and fail by five but still maintain good progress. Every now and then people come to me and I feel the exhilaration once again felt in Boston.

1600 and we reach 80 and in full steam. We have wonderful photographs and so diverse in there delivery. Interviews are selected well but for once I feel isolated from that process. I suddenly realize that I am not a pleasant sight and retire to the once elaborately decorated restroom. Electric shaver in hand I start to mow my face but there is no outlet available. After ten minutes and a failing shaver I start to turn a shade of beetroot. Fatigue hits me hard and my usually cool exterior falters at the sight of a depressed man. Depressed for my great friend who is touching the edge of death with a fatal and incurable disease.

'It cannot be true,' I mutter while chiseling away at the last whiskers.

By late afternoon we reach exactly 100 portraits. Richard looses his patience at my need to exceed his target by two.

I shake my head and know what it is to fight against pure fatigue. We finish and I sigh long and hard. Day six and we are ready to pack the equipment once again for the night's journey. A landmark day tomorrow, day seven and half way through. By 0630 we are packed and Taylor Drake our lead driver grows impatient sensing our clear lack of motivation to leave this place.