too late

"Dude, you'll never believe what I just saw!"
I typically call my buddy Hans with unusual scenes from the road, like hilarious bumper stickers: "Circumcised? Lucky Stiff!" or license plates: "LUVBEER".
When I saw the most incredible skullet I'd ever seen, he was most intrigued.

A rather obese man was waddling down the sidewalk outside the Coors brewery in Golden, and at first glance, I was convinced he was wearing some sort of wig. At the very least, he must have been an extra in a movie, still in full makeup. The top of his head was glistening in the sunlight, with nary one follicle to reduce the glare. And along the sides and back was a frizzy, three foot long pseudo-afro glowing a fiery red. I'm not exactly sure what went through this guy's mind when he undertook the year-plus commitment to grow such a 'do, but judging from the denim shirt/jean combo, vanity wasn't his fatal flaw, anyway.

After I described the scene to Hans, he demanded I take a picture. Being the last man in America without a digital camera, I wasn't in a great position to capture the moment, and I chalked it up to a lost cause. We continued to talk as I drove for several more blocks until I realized that I had an old point and shoot film camera in the back of my car. With screeching tires, I pulled a U turn and headed back to the brewery.

I found a spot on the street and started a desperate search for my target. Christ, he shouldn't be that hard to find! With my camera in hand, I began to run up and down the streets where he was last seen, hoping to catch a glimpse of my own personal Loch Ness Monster.
I circled the streets, and asked a security guard if he'd seen the most outlandish character this side of Pixar. Nada.

He was gone. I didn't ever find him, and obviously never got a photo. I have since purchased not only a digital camera (how would I have even posted his pic if I'd have gotten it on 35mm?), but also a windshield mounted cradle, expressly devised to capture all those moments that previously required a phone call to describe.

Look for pics soon on patrickpharo.blogspot.com!