George Nottle Revisited

George Nottle, the whimsical guitar player, is no stranger on my Flickr photostream. You might recall the story I wrote about him a while back, where I talk about going on a three-week long mission to find George so I could give him a drawing that an artist I met via Flickr, Carl Purcell, illustrated of him based off one of my photos.

This particular photo of George, shot using a Canon AE-1 Program and Kodak BW400CN film, was taken last week Thursday (2/4) when a friend and I ran into him on Mission Street, in-between 3rd and 4th streets, just outside of Jessie Square.  This is the same location where I first met George back in October 2009.

George, who I usually see with a guitar, was instead standing curbside playing a plastic harmonica.  There was a soiled Starbucks cup on the ground in front of him.  Minus a few pennies, a couple buttons and other knickknacks, the cup was virtually empty.  Like his guitar playing skills, it was clear George didn’t know how to play the harmonica either.

“Where’s your guitar?” I asked.

“It’s getting repaired,” he replied.  “I accidentally dropped it.”

George went on to tell me some elaborate story about how he dropped his guitar while sleeping in a chair at the shelter he resides at, but I had a hunch he pawned it instead.

Then, out of nowhere, George reached inside the breast pocket of his sport coat and pulled out a handful of grooming items.

“Here,” he said, handing me a packaged disposable razor and a mini bottle of shampoo.  “I’m tired of carrying this stuff around.”

So my friend wouldn’t feel left out, George gifted him with a mini canister of deodorant and a small tube of toothpaste.

All grooming items appeared unused.

The three of us chatted for a few more minutes about music and art as well as George’s imminent plans to return home to England, then bid farewell.  Before parting ways, I handed George enough money I thought he’d need to get his guitar back, whether it was truly being repaired or sitting in a pawnshop somewhere on seedy 6th Street.  George was speechless.

This past Monday (2/8), while photowalking with the same friend, we randomly bumped into George as he was crossing Market, near 4th Street, en-route to his usual spot in Jessie Square.  He had his guitar slung over his shoulder and seemed in good spirits. It was nice to see him back with his guitar, wherever it may have been.

Click the link below to read my original story about George Nottle, "Strumming on Mission":