Red Surprise

I found this photo in early 2005 on the downtown platform of the 66th street 1 station. I've meant to turn it in to Found magazine for some time, but I've never been able to do it. I think I like having it in my possession and just sharing it here and there.

I love the lurid quality of the overabundance of saturated red, the metal elevator doors juxtaposed with the gritty cinderblock, the glare of the flash. The girl in the picture is completely anonymous, so I can make up any story I want about where she is, why her picture is being taken, and why she is hiding her face. It's probably a simple reason, like a friend or family member was fooling around with her and snapped a picture when she didn't feel pretty. There are two high schools and a low income project nearby, so that wouldn't be surprising. But there's still that element of mystery: what if there's something more interesting or nefarious going on here? She's a victim of a killer who takes snapshots of his prey; she's a celebrity; she has an over-sensitivity to light; she was caught exiting a crime scene; she saw something she shouldn't have; she's had a surprise; her rival caught her wearing the jacket of the man she's having an affair with; she doesn't want you to see her tears; she was supposed to take the stairs; she's a stranger, and someone snapped her just because...

Make up a story. Go ahead. I'll listen.