Last summer sometime while checking out the old hydro building here in Welland, I encountered a group of three 'day parole' guys lounging around inside the place drinkin' some king cans of beer. Although I'd been in the building several times previously, this was the first time I found anyone else in the place.

They seemed more wary of me than I was of them, though. One guy in particular seemed rather concerned that I might be an undercover cop (lol), despite my assurances to the contrary. I guess they were breakin' some sort of terms of their parole by trespassing (even though the back door had been wide open) and drinkin' beers together.

Anyways...

I decided to leave them to their beer drinkin' and headed upstairs to the second floor to do some photography. About ten minutes later one of the guys (the paranoid one) came upstairs to see what I was doin', saw me taking photos and asked a few questions...still suspecting I was a narc or something. It would've been rather amusing had the guy not looked like a rather formidable individual. But he was more nervous than confrontational, and we managed to carry on a conversation for a few minutes before he headed back downstairs.

By the time I finished taking all the shots I wanted, I head back down to discover two of the guys had split, leaving behind the paranoid dude. I casually asked where his buddies had gone (not that I cared...just to make conversation)...and he explained his buddies had also gotten paranoid that I might be a cop, and booked out.

So I figured I'd defuse the situation entirely and handed him one of my adult photographer business cards. This seemed to satisfy his curiosity and nervousness, and we ended up chatting for a half hour about photography. He finally went on his merry way...and I was relieved it hadn't turned in to a nasty situation.

Just goes to show...you sometimes meet all kinds in the course of UEing. Just let a cool head prevail and keep your wits about you. I can more than handle myself in any sort of physical confrontation, but when you're carryin' a few grand worth of photography gear around with you...the last thing you want is a scrap with some transients.


Silent Knight