I don't know how many of you have heard about the shooting that happened in Herkimer and Mohawk NY on March 13, so for those who aren't familiar with it, here is a link to the local news report. [link]

Today I had errands to run, and on my way home I passed a site that reminded me of that day, and saddened me. I, purely by chance, drove past the "Gaffey's Car Wash and Oil Change" like any other day and saw they had reopened. At first seemed it like a good thing, but then I realized there was no customers. The parking lot was empty, no cars in the garage, and a glimpse through the window showed a man waiting to work sitting on the floor of the garage, alone. I have driven past there hundreds of times over the years and never seen the place so quiet. How this grieves me. In that moment I wished I had time to stop and get my oil changed, not because my car is due, but because I would like to show support for the survivors, the families of the victims and for this local business that has been here, in Herkimer, for so long.

I don't know the man that was sitting in the garage today, but the image I saw today is now burned in my memory. I wish I could have stopped to photograph the scene, or I could draw to do it justice, but alas, this image will remain only in my mind. I will try to describe the scene:

--- The building is a small oil change place, the office is on the left, with the customer door to the office in the middle of the building. To the right of the customer door are two large garage bay doors made up of glass. The doors are the same in the back allowing the light to shine through from the back of the building. On an ordinary day there would be cars and/or trucks in the garage, men in the trench changing the oil. On this day, tho, there were no cars, no trucks, no business. The man, sitting on the floor, on the far right of the building, was back lit. He leaned against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him pointing across the garage, arms crossed over his chest and head slumped to his chest. In my brief pass he appeared a silhouette.

Whether he was having a private emotion or simply resting I will never know.

UPDATE: John Seymour, known as "John the Barber," or John the Signing Barber, says his recovery is going well.  He wants to thank everyone who has wished him well.
[link]