Paired: Hido + Carver

2314c by Todd Hido

The Phone Booth

She slumps in the booth, weeping
into the phone. Asking a question
or two, and weeping some more.
Her companion, an old fellow in jeans
and denim shirt, stands waiting
his turn to talk, and weep.
She hands him the phone.
For a minute they are together
in a tiny booth, his tears
dropping alongside hers. Then
she goes to lean against the fender
of their sedan and listens
to him talk about arrangements.

I watch all this from my car.
I don't have a phone at home, either.
I sit behind the wheel,
smoking, wanting to make
my own arrangements. Pretty soon
he hangs up. Comes out and wipes his face.
They get in the car and sit
with the windows rolled up.
The glass grows steamy as she
leans into him, as he puts
his arm around her shoulders.
The workings of comfort in that cramped, public space.

I take my small change over
to the booth, and step inside.
But leaving the door open, it's
so close in there. The phone still warm to the touch.

I hate to use a phone
that's just brought news of death.
But I have to, it being the only phone
for miles, and one that might
listen without taking sides.

I put in coins and wait.
Those people in the car wait too.
He starts the engine then kills it.
Where to? None of us able
to figure it out. Not knowing
where the next blow might fall,
or why. The ringing at the other end

stops when she picks it up.
Before I can say two words, the phone
begins to shout, "I told you it's over!
Finished! You can go
to hell as far as I'm concerned!"

I drop the phone and pass my hand
across my face. I close and open the door.
The couple in the sedan roll
their windows down and
watch, their tears stilled
for a moment in the face of this distraction.
Then they roll their windows up
and sit behind the glass.

We don't go anywhere for a while.
And then we go.

— Raymond Carver

Notes:
Peter Buchanan-Smith recently redesigned Raymond Carver's backlist for Vintage Contemporaries, using Hido's photographs on the covers. You can read a conversation between Buchanan-Smith + Hido about the project on The Sun & Anchor.

A Road Divided, an exhibition of recent landscapes by Hido, is on view at Bruce Silverstein Gallery through October 24, 2009.

The Phone Booth is included in Hido's stunning 2004 monograph, Roaming. (Published by Nazraeli.)

Comments

[retoque fotografico]

Great prose, makes me sad to read it. Your accompanying photo is stunning. The exposure has captured beautiful depth in the image!

[Kashuo]

That is one of the most terrifying photographs I have ever seen. It is remarkably hard for me to look at. Like something terrible is about to happen. Something dreadful is just outside the frame.

[Steven]

Just linked you up. Hope that's okay.

[Steven]

Just got a copy of this book. I love that there is no accompanying prose, only the photographs--language being suggested by the repetition of telephone wires in most of the images. And the single poem by Carver at the end...well, it's perfect. Thanks for the post!

[Cris Ronk]

I found nothing frighting about the photograph itself. It is mysterious though. Great prose.

[C.xiaoxiao]

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