This ink polaroid is of two people hugging in the underground station at Heathrow. They are standing in front of the ticket machines, amonst people and baggage. But they aren't noticing any of that. They recognized each other there on the crowded platform right away even though they hadn't ever met before, or seen pictures of each other. Oddly enough, they don't feel that kind of hesitancy or embarrassment of a first-time hug, it just feels natural and comfortable, like a relief. Like two old friends who have always hugged and always will. There had been discussion prior to the meeting about how they'd react, about British reticence and American loudness. It was amusing to note that the Brit wasn't in the least reticent, and the American was, for once, pretty subdued. There is an album full of polaroids of this friendship, taken over the years on both sides of the Atlantic: Bowlie, a wedding, castles, sidewalk cafes, shops of dubious reputation, planestrains&automobiles, crowds of people, quiet moments, individual portraits... yes, even one at the top of the World Trade Center. Some are happy and some are sad. That's how life and friendships go. It's best to look through it while playing Belle and Sebastian songs, because they are the soundtrack that inspired the photographs, causing Sinister to be born and bringing two friends together. But really, this first picture is the one that sums it up -- the friendship, the past five years, the Band -- that moment of coming together, realizing that a silly little mailing list really *did* provide the truest friendship one might ever know. Happy Belated Birthday Sinister. I just had to stop by one more time, to say thank you (I hope this gets through). Each person here has an album of polaroids, unique to themselves, and that is a gift. I may not be here anymore, but I continue to snap the polaroids of friends I've made, and my life is richer for it. And I carry that hug with me every day. Michele p.s. I've slipped in one extra shot: that's me holding up a glass of (very good, very dry) Champagne and wishing the list at least another 5 years for all of you. Long live Honey's servers. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "peculiarly deranged fanbase" +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "frighteningly named Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +-+ "sick posse of f**ked in the head psycho-fans" - NME June 2001 +-+ +-+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +-+ +-+ Snipp snapp snut, sa var sagan slut! +-+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+