Scan & a Scam

At the last minute the scanner decision changed. I planned to go with the Ion, though I was still a bit put off by the possibility that the slide handling slot would be difficult for my hands and thumbs to cope with, but an email arrived from the folks at Epson (the only company to reply to technical questions the first go-round) offering the model I was eyeing at a very low cost.  It is refurbished, yes, but with a 90-day money back warranty (which can also be applied to the purchase of a new one.) And the price is less than half of a new one.

I talked with the tech/sales person who sent the note and made the deal.  Shipping is FREE and the box is scheduled to arrive Saturday. I am thrilled and excited and believe I made the right decision.  As I said earlier, something to keep me busy on the long winter nights. And it will be great to see many old faces, a few interesting experimental shots, and good times.

That said, another bit of the ugly was discovered as I began opening boxes labeled slide trays. Wanted to sort by year and get organized for the transfer to run smoothly.  Deceit from the previous life reared its head.  Many boxes were not marked properly. Though he had written "slide trays" on the outside no trays were found in 5 of the boxes.  Only old text books and other junk packed tightly with old pillows and linens - and I do mean OLD! All is awaiting garbage pickup in the morning.

Once all "slide tray" boxes were emptied and sorted by year, the truth was clear. No images before 1976 - the year our relationship began.

I started shooting slide film while working at the NY World's Fair in 1965 and shooting it exclusively by 1968.  There are no trays from that period on until 1976.  All images of family, friends, trips, outings, vacations, Pride Festivals, and just days playing around NYC in Central Park, or The Cloisters.  All the old pictures while growing up and the scrap books, they are all gone.  All friends who are gone, who died of AIDS, I have only memories of them now.

I am left with 25 years of slide trays (we went digital in 2002) and nothing more.

It boggles the mind because after moving to this apartment and getting all my things out of storage I found a small box that had been packed with my things by mistake.  The box contained his high school diploma, photos of when he did local theatre, high school pictures of friends and cousins and the like.  I thought he would like to have those things and contacted a mutual friend asking that he deliver the box to the EX.  Which he did.  No "thank you" was expected, and none came.

I could have thrown that stuff away, but I didn't.  I couldn't. It belonged to him and he had every right to have it. I don't know what to make of this and I am too angry to analyze it right now. I don't think it's even worth the time and effort. It is on his soul.

Just when I thought I had little to be thankful for this year, I realize there is.  I can only hope this is the absolute end of anything to do with him and that twisted mind.

I await the arrival of the scanner so the purging and saving process may begin.

And so it goes.
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