There I was in my automobile (as I am a great percentage of the day) minding my own business.
Suddenly I received a phone call and query about a gig for thee Jay-Z and, more specifically, his clothing line - RocaWear.
So then Yours Truly got to get out of a suit and into a more all-purpose shooting ensemble to document those coming to the HSBC gig in RocaWear (including these people above. not pictured: guy in very nice $450 sunglasses by RocaWear.
Where in the Middling City do you get these, YT asked. At - getthis - hardly-retailin' Main Place Mall.) and then Himself in his wares.
I worked the line of fans outdoors, then meandered into HSBC with cam out shooting in the lobby until a thuggish worker there in nice poly-oly-umphinfree-ester jacket informed YT that shooting in the lobby was absolutely never ever allowed. Alright then, YT sputtered, I'll continue shooting outdoors.
And out I went.
And then in I went to stumble along the usual process of Obtaining Photo Credentials.

sidenote: did see classical musician pal Gail, who'd also been recruited yesterday, but in her case to play classically behind the hiphopR&B stars. I liked saying, amid the backstage frenzy, costume lady looking all worried, lady gluing faux jewels to cordless mics See you at the Roycroft. Gail's Sunday gig is brunch at EA's Roycroft.

YT does not need to re-explain to You the way it was back in the day when three songs was de rigeur. Now it is one song and off you go.
Last night YT was given two passes - one Photo, one Working.
Working meant I could linger in the venue after the one song (which did feature a fab duet with Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige to many screams and delights and embraces of those on romantic dates) and document more RocaWearians.
I did.
Until the giant in the black tshirt collared YT. To which I fall into my most feisty vixenish self. I truly was heading toward the exit to meet up with Heady and Tiff for some v. late sustenance but decided to put up a little hacklish fight.
Pulling out my DayTimer and purple pen I demanded AND WHO ARE YOU ... so I can tell Jay-Z why I stopped working tonight.
He never did answer the question.
Suddenly all was well in our little power struggle but really I was famished.
I am leaving YT said, putting away cam.
For I had really done IT, done IT with aplomb and more.
Arrived back at little surface lot across from venue on the cobblestone street I like to show people, which much earlier (when YT arrived) was manned by a toothless couple who accepted Canadian money from YT to park there in what was obviously once a nice little brick building - or two.
The toothless couple had long split, having filled up the lot and their pockets hours before.
I had to slip off a rope to get the hell out of there. And I did.
I spotted an SUV of late arrival hiphop white boys looking for a spot, idiotically, on the street.
I beeped. They looked. I beeped again. They looked some more.
I made a hand gesture to indicate rolling down of window.
They looked some more.
Finally the driver rolled down his window.
PARK IN MY SPOT, I'M LEAVING, I PAID FOR IT, GO PARK THERE (pointing) ... YOU JERK.
I started driving away and heard the guy yelling Thank You.
Off I continued.

Real Love, Love.