Why can't I be loved as what I am, a wolf among wolves, and not as a man among men?

both photos, Welch, WV

Since last Saturday, I've been working 11+ hour days in the 90 degree heat, so I'm a little sun-addled and dehydrated and wacky and angry and depressed. I'm working for a lawn company, trimming weeds--honeysuckles, nettles, et cetry, et cetry--along the Rt. 460 bypass from Christiansburg to Blacksburg. It goes without saying that it's not the most glamorous job. I feel a bit like a convict in my yellow safety vest and hard-hat. But I doubt convicts work eleven hour shifts (with a 30 minute lunch break) in heat ranging from 80 something in the morning to the mid 90's in the afternoon/evening. I do get some interesting views out in the highway medians, though. Things are obviously much different when you're walking than when you're driving 60 mph in a car. Prior to this job I had been thinking about photographing the median on I-81 (a section between Christiansburg and Ironto that I drive every other weekend), documenting the sort of in between space that people don't see--or at least don't see in detail--when they're commuting. I initially thought this was a novel concept, then a few months ago I read about Roe Ethridge's highway median photos. Ah, well. I may still get out there and explore that strip of 1-81 when I can find the time.

Bonnie Prince Billy, Live in Louisville, "Wolf Among Wolves"