That's really me on that bench!!

[Blake]

If you have seen my avatar you might be thinking "where did he get that photo?". Well, that's really me!! Two of my buddies and I were out at the Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ station (on the old Erie...of course) doing some night photography of the commuter trains going through. This was around 1989. After 9:00PM, the traffic died down a bit and I was leaning back (almost laying) on the bench. One of my buddies started to set up a shot of me and I said "wait a minute". There was a newspaper right next to the bench so I laid down and put the newspaper over me and he took the shot. I scanned it recently, added the text and sent it to another friend joking about my finances. I then thought of it as an avatar with the "model build'n bum" slogan and the rest is history.

 

[Ralph]

Hey blake, canya spare a dime?
Ralph

 

[Blake]

Not even a thin one Ralph.

 

[eightyeightfan1]

When you're done with that paper.....Can I have the sports section?

 

[Matt Probst]

No waaayyyyy....!!!!!
LOL LOL LOL

Matt--Hershey, Pa.

 

[sumpter250]

Now that really is a whole different kind of benchwork.

 

[Blake]

Great one Pete!

 

[jimmybeersa]

Blake....your photo reminded me of a time in my youth,The Navy decided to move a bunch of us to another Base, by train . we where stoped at a major station,whilst the loco took on coal and water, Walking down the platform we spotted a tramp asleep on the station bench, so we gently picked him and the bench up and deposited it in the baggage car, and piled up some luggage in front of him. Often wondered when and where he woke up.
Naughty pranks like this was part and parcel of my growing up, should write a book about my navy days but the memory is not what it was

 

[Blake]

Can you imagine what went through his head when he DID wake up!!! That's a good one.

 

[MCL_RDG]

Blake...

...if the ERIE still ran down those tracks, you, in my opinion, would be the only person I could deem worthy in the world to be a welfare railfan train bum recipient. That's because the taxpayer's would at least get a return on their invest in anything other than more of the same. Ya bum! But I know you'd be too proud to accept a handout, would you accept a finger? I crack me uP!

I really do.

Excellent shot, true to form.

Mark