The Catch of the Century; Marilyn Propp

I slipped a roll of film into the camera, loaded the leader onto the spool, and clicked the camera back shut. Then, I called my dog Zack to hop into the VW bus. We were going to San Francisco. I rarely went to San Francisco to photograph, but the day seemed as good as any other, so north to the city we went.

The bus rolled to a stop on an unfamiliar street in the city. Zack waited while I got out and wandered around, taking photos of kids, trees, and city detritus. I remember the sky being bright but overcast, as it often was.

 As I looked around at all the possibilities, a young woman rode by on her bike. Swoosh—she was gone in an instant. I didn’t think much of it at the time, and then returned to the bus to drive to a different area. Zack, it turned out, loved going for rides in the bus. In fact, when I left him at home for any length of time, he would howl and tear things up. 

A few blocks later, I parked and got out to explore. Once again, the same woman zipped by, her hair flying free as she flew by. No sooner had I noticed her than she disappeared around a corner. I took some images, returned to Zack and the bus, then headed to one more spot. 

This time, I was in a part of the city where the N Judah bus ran. As I was getting out of the bus, there she was again—this time off her bike and crossing the street, heading to a small shop. I shut the door of the bus, ran across the street, and nervously asked her if I could take her picture. She said sure. "Should I take off my glasses?" she asked. I didn’t mind either way.

Marilyn Propp 1973

Marilyn Propp 1973

Marilyn Propp 1973

After taking her pictures, I asked if she needed a ride anywhere. She mentioned she needed to get to work at the Good Karma Cafe. I put her bike in the bus, introduced Marilyn to Zack, and off we went.  

Of course, I asked for her phone number and mentioned that if the photos turned out, I would get copies to her. We stopped at her studio to stash her bike. It was then, I thought, an artist? I dropped her off at the Cafe and drove home. It took me several months to develop the film and make prints. 

The Journey Continues...