Avtar "Hat Man" Gills memorial at Findlay Market
The afternoon started out as a kind of light hearted gathering of people wanting to remember Avtar and his funky hats. Then I starting thinking you know, and I'm just as guilty as anyone, there are more cameras here than Avtar hats.
Interesting. Strange.
Then people started to step forward and talk about the Avtar they knew, he wasn't just a characture of a man, he was a living breathing person concerned with all the same social problems lots of others are. Councilmember Chris Seelbach remarked how Avtar came to every city council meeting but never spoke, his hats did all the talking.
It was all really moving, more so than I bargained for. In the end I thought about Avtar being out there, have his picture taken and his message of the day being spread, and thought this is OK, one last chance for Avar to get his message out.
3 comments
can you imagine an out of town visitor being there that day?
ReplyDeleteThank you for capturing the true essence of Avtar. He will be long remembered as a messenger of the common citizen. He was compared to Ghandi by a man that knew him, a man who conveyed his message quietly but forcefully.
ReplyDeleteThere comes a time when people need to but down the cameras and begin enjoying life as it happens. There is no need to continue documenting what you do as long as you keep doing interesting things. I was at a concert one day and saw 50% of the people were watching the damn thing thru the back of their Iphone. I haven't really taken a photo since then. I truly enjoyed Avtar and know that downtown lost a bit of color when he passed. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!
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