I grew up playing cards. It started with nickel and dime rummy at the kitchen table with my parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles – whoever was around. It’s just what we did. And as you can see from the pic, the cards started long before I was around. I believe this is in the 87th/Wood basement in Chicago where my Mom was raised. This picture includes my Uncle Bernie O’Grady who died a young man. I vaguely remember visiting Uncle Bernie at school in Carbondale, Illinois and that he lived on a houseboat. (Some O’Grady can check me on that.) My Uncle Ed Crotty was married to Aunt Kay, my Mom’s sister. Finally, my Dad, in his favorite pose at the poker table, raking it in.
I am finding that old photos of everyday life like these are rare. Because cameras were for special occasions. And the camera was a thing you had to remember to bring with you, remember to take a picture, and wait for the roll of 12 or 24 or 36 exposures to be used. Then of course the roll was taken to Walgreens and left there for a week to be developed. Hopefully, some of the photos turned out. Were in focus with everyone’s eye open. Without the photog’s finger in front of the lens.
Now, of course, everyone has a camera all the time and everyday life is constantly captured. And instantly photos are judged for quality and shared. There will not be someone like me in 40 years sifting through polaroids. They will be hopefully – if we save properly – sifting through digital files.