Reconnecting with subjects from my 100 Strangers Project is just another part of the incredible experience it was — and one that I did not foresee as I started out. Brooke and Chelsea (#22) were the first of my subjects that I would catch up to again and I came to realize pretty quickly that we were on our way to another project.

The part that fascinated me about reaching out to former strangers for another photo shoot was that the next time not only would we be familiar with each other, but we'd have more time together (when those initial meetings were rarely more than 15-20 minutes) and that element of surprise would now be gone. It was that combination of...emotional adjustments, if you will, and how they might affect the new photos, that intrigued me.

July 9th of this year marked the second anniversary of our meeting in Georgetown. And would be my third opportunity to shoot the sisters since then. I had to travel further this time, as Brooke as since moved to Brooklyn. But it was worth the trip. And I wanted this shoot to be more personal that the last. Shooting from inside her apartment, while they got ready to stand in line for an early-morning Lady Gaga concert would provide me with that opportunity.

I'm already looking forward to 2011.

"If you're looking for soda or beer they're in the back!"
"How do I get there?", I asked.
"I get them for you. They kept stealing from me."

That was the first exchange I had with Mrs. Wegert as I entered her family grocery store for the first time a couple weeks ago. She would share a lot more with me in the time that it took me to buy a Pepsi.

I grew up on Long Island and can't tell you how many times I've passed by Wegert Grocery on Sound Ave. in Riverhead. Whether it was on our way to and from Shelter Island in the summers before 1987; or heading back and forth to my hometown of Port Jefferson from Peconic where we eventually moved while I was in college — I drove past this little store each time and never ever stepped foot inside. I was back home for my brothers wedding recently so on Friday, July 30th I stopped in for that soda and walked out 15 minutes later with stories that dated back to 1943. That's how long she's been there.

I wish I could tell you these were happy stories. They weren't really. And as strange as it might seem for her to share such personal tales with a complete stranger, I could tell she'd been sharing them for years and with many strangers before me. And to tell you the truth it seemed like kind of place where you just might expect them.

I said hello and asked for the Pepsi and as she went to retrieve it I chatted with the gentleman who was already there. A Polish immigrant who'd been in the area for years and clearly there as a friend and not a customer. I'm sure he's heard the stories more than once.

Upon her return I told her how this was my first time inside and that I'd been meaning to stop in forever. I mentioned that I had lived in Peconic with my mother and step-father and that's when she got curious. She asked me how long my step-father had been my step-father (35 years), and how old I was when my this all went down (7). She asked if I had had a good life and was it a tough adjustment. (All good). She thought for a moment and remarked about how her son had just died in May leaving triplets that were not even a year old. He died even before the christening. She wondered out loud about whether her daughter-in-law (now 45) would ever marry again — hoping that she would for the sake of the children.

She might have regretted that she herself didn't re-marry after losing her husband shortly after they were married and settled here in Riverhead. He died when her kids were 7 and 4. She dedicated her life to supporting them and running the store (and farm as it was back then) and has never looked back. Over the years she watched over and welcomed many other family members. She told me of her sister-in-law, who moved in after the death of her brother. A woman who at one time worked for President Eisenhower. And before I even had time to remark she was reaching for the old photos to prove it.

I had no reason to doubt her of course, but I let her go on as I was genuinely interested and she was clearly very proud. And I was glad that we were ending on a happier note as it was definitely time for me to get going. I paid her for my drink that was already half empty and thanked her for sharing. I promised that I would stop in the next time I came through town and I intend to keep that promise. And I'm confident her stories will touch many others until then.