We continue the series on walking Buffalo, from the intrepid couple who walked every day—no matter the weather—in the first 30 months of Covid. They think (without being systematic) they walked every street in Buffalo, and many in other cities and towns, taking some 20,000 photos, some of which are shared in this series. While not itineraries, we hope to encourage others to “walk the walk,” to see, observe and appreciate Buffalo—and beyond. William Graebner and Dianne Bennett are also 5 Cent Cine’s film critics, here.
Today’s Photo-Essay: Trucks and Vans
When we walk, we’re mostly looking at houses and yards, storefronts and other buildings. But our field of vision also includes the occasional truck or van—even, now and then, a car–if it’s special in some way.
We’ll test your patience right off the bat, with a “category” called “windshield storage.” If you’re into using the space between the windshield and the dashboard of your vehicle to store your stuff, you’ll get the concept. Here are two examples: one from Riverside, the other, which deserves some sort of pack-rat or hoarder award, from Clinton Street, near Bailey:
Moving on to something more in the realm of sanity: business vehicles with worthy slogans or commendable design. We’ll start with a truck that just barely made the cut, though the black and yellow are undeniably effective, and the “hook” is a nice touch:
North End Electric deserves applause for the energized Buffalo with a cord for its tail. We found this van in Kaisertown:
The animal motif is a common one. We noticed this highly aggressive fox, here touted for its speed, on the Foxy Delivery van, in Kenmore.
A heating/cooling and pool service company, here working in Niagara Falls, has as its slogan “Swimmin’ with the Fishes,” in big bold letters. Our first reaction was that the plural of fish is, well, fish, but further research suggests that “fishes” is appropriate when referring to more than one species. Which of course they are.
The animal motif comes naturally to “Deer Guys,” a “Mobile Deer Processing” business, which employs “antlers” as its symbol and promises “You Drop Off/You Pick-Up,” obviously referring to one deer or more. Until we saw this van, we did not know such a business existed.
Nelson’s Heating and Plumbing has an elaborately decorated van, sides and back, featuring an enthusiastic man in a vest and something like a cowboy hat, promising quick service: “Just Call We’re on Our Way.” We can only guess at the meaning of the company’s slogan, “The Original Earth Surgeon.” The van also derives meaning from its provocative setting, in front of a building that proclaims the “Black Holocaust.” The words “We Used to Hang Together” take on a macabre meaning from the drawing, just above, of a lynching. The company’s business address is on Genesee Street; we took this photo on Bailey Avenue.
This Ford van is decorated with a contemporary cityscape and a rendering of Christ on the cross. There is no clear agreement on the meaning of Luke 19:10: “For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost.” The larger passage deals with Jesus’s relationship with a tax collector who had become wealthy through his occupation. His encounter with Jesus results in a new commitment to economic justice.
A colorful bus on the street in Riverside:
These days, you’re never far from Donald Trump. We came across this image in Lackawanna:
We’ll close with these photos of our favorite commercial vehicle. Cousin Vinny’s truck may be familiar to our readers; “Black Lives Matter” (the subject of an earlier post in this series) is prominently featured on the front of the cab. It’s usually parked in the Masten district on the East Side.
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: “Reading” the Signs of the City
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Look Up! Roofs and Roofers
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Buffalo’s Mini-Marts
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Remembering 9/11
How to Take a Walk – in Buffalo: Street Humor
How to take a Walk – in Buffalo: The Yard as Spectacle
How to Take a Walk – in Buffalo: Beware of (the) Dog
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Halloween
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Little-Known Trails and Paths
How to Take a Walk – in Buffalo: Church Board Advice
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Coping with Covid
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Planters
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Christmas Tidings
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Murals… Off-the-Beaten Path
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Scajaquada Creek
How to Take a Walk- in Buffalo: Block Clubs
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Black Lives Matter
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Once a Bar
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Queen City Sculpture
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Flying the Flag – Education 101
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: (Alternative) Places to Hang
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Those Long Buildings, on the Corner
© William Graebner