Diligence

I snapped this photo last week Tuesday, December 29, outside of the Old Navy store on the corner of Fourth and Market streets, an intersection teeming with foot traffic.  

Now if you spend any time downtown, then I’m sure you’re familiar with Jose Rodriguez (left) and Frank Chu (right), and I'm sure you'll agree that these are arguably two of the most diligent (and prolific) individuals in all of San Francisco.    

I thought it was funny to see them doing their thing right alongside one another as they both tend to lurk solo, each conveying a much different message (although Frank's message is left open for interpretation).  As you can see, neither is paying any attention to the other, which, in my opinion, makes the image even more interesting.  

I was talking to Frank right across the street moments before shooting this pic, so he was totally infiltrating on Jose's territory here.    

I ran into Frank again twenty minutes later in front of the Gold Dust Saloon on Powell Street, catty-corner to Union Square.

“You wanna grab a Frosty?” I asked, gesturing towards the saloon.

“I’m not allowed in there,” he said.  “The bartender’s an asshole.”

So we went to Lefty O’Doul’s around the corner on Geary Street instead.

--Travis Jensen