So, I was digging around in some of my old files and stumbled across an old photo I had found at a Salvation Army Thrift Store in Ottawa. Every time I pull out the picture I seem to find something new and interesting about it. For a still picture there seems to be so much action in the shot, so many things happening behind the scenes. It is almost as if you are watching a movie, and can visualize the reactions of each person. You can make out the stereotypical characters of the group, the alpha male coolio and his close buddies who want to be like him. Then you have the guys on the fringe of the club, who want to be accepted and think it’s hip to be hanging out with these guys. On one end you have the two younger guys (far left and second from right rear) who just aren’t cool enough to be with the inner group but model themselves to be exactly like the center guy, and on the other end you have the realist. He isn’t enamoured by the leader and is more than likely the one who keeps the group grounded, never wanting to stir things up too much. We definitely can’t miss the token nerds. You have the one accepted nerd that must have won the trust of the group by performing some crazy dare or will do just about anything for the group to get attention. Then you have geek who so desperately wants to impress the guys but will always be the butt of all jokes. In the background you can notice the ‘evil man’ behind the puff smoke. There’s something dark and sinister about him that I just can’t place. For some reason he reminds of Reverend Henry Kane in Poltergeist II. And to top it off, in the background there is the fatherly figure keeping watch over the trouble makers.

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, I would like to start a bit of investigative report on the photo. There are so many hidden clues to the story; the beer labels, the time on a guys watch, the pamphlets on the ground, and the “G” on the building in the back and the clothing style. Every couple of days I will post an enlarged image of each person as well as some images from the surrounding area and I would like you to let your creative juices flow, and write profiles for each character and post them on the blog. Once all of the character profiles have been written, I challenge you to write a short story on the photo. Give me your spin on what’s happening. Email me your short story and I’ll post them here for everyone to vote on. The winner, deemed by the 2qurios readers, will be awarded a small prize; a pencil signed by HB, the coveted title of, “2qurios Story Teller Extraordinaire,” and of course two Timbits (click here for contest rules and regulations). I am curious to see what you will conjure up, and maybe even solve the mystery of the photo. I guess you can never be 2qurios.