The 700 Dollar Violin

I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. I went out to explore.
I wanted to get out. I love nature and the outdoors as much as I love the city. I need a balance. Just like anyone does. We need to find a balance. So! I went to Los Angeles. Took a car from LA to Denver. And in the middle I visited a desert town at the border of CA and AZ. Then the Grand Canyon. I climbed up north to Utah to visit the Navajo in their sacred lands. Some more hours north, I discovered Arches National Park in Moab, UT. Then into snowy Colorado and into Denver, where I flew back to NJ.

In a rented cabin somewhere in Moab, UT, I remembered this man with his violin. I took the photo quickly. He was so magnetic and happy. Dancing around with his violin as if it were a woman. I didn’t notice the sign when I was taking his photo nor when I was talking to him. Actually I probably did see it, I just didn’t bother reading it. That night when I came home to review my photos, I read the sign and felt so bad that I only gave him a dollar. I even considered giving him $700 for his violin. Why do I trust him and his sign? Look at him. Tell me this man is trying to rob you. If you’re a musician you know what it means to sell your instrument. You give away a piece of yourself. A tool of your expression. An extension. You are trading it for money that has no meaning but financial value. He is willing to trade his beloved instrument for the love of his wife. (Click to view Largely)