As anyone who is at all familiar with me can tell you, I like to walk. Generally downtown, but other places, too. While walking, I also like to take photos of things I see — often buildings, but other things, too. You can see some of them here. In May, you can see some more of them in my book, A Pedestrian’s Recent History of Dallas. (Absolutely feel free to pre-order it.) During my perambulation, I have, on occasion, taken a picture of the Bank of America tower. It’s kind of what it’s there for, lined in neon and 72-unmissable-stories-high. It’s not some secret government installation.
Now, also, on occasion, I have been shooed away from a location while attempting to photograph it. I think, if memory serves, this has mostly happened in or near parking garages. So, today was a first. While wandering around, not going anywhere particular, after I had written my daily prayer at Thanks-giving Square, I ended up at Bank of America Plaza. I took a photo from one corner and then moseyed down the sidewalk and took a couple more from another corner. I have included them here. They are nothing special. Not my best photos, and not even my best photos of the building. Not even really close.
ANYWAY, when I stopped looking up and leveled my gaze, I saw a security guard walking out of the tower and toward me, wagging his finger like Dikembe Mutombo and saying, and I quote, “You can’t take photos of the building.” Reader, I laughed. I laughed so hard. What I experienced, I would say, was pure joy, because it was so ridiculous.
I’m sure someone will jump in the comments and point to whatever city ordinance or law or whatever about private property and, OK, that’s fine. But that is not going to stop me from going to Bank of America Plaza for the next week to 10 days or whenever I get tired of it, and taking photos of that building from every conceivable angle. I’ll have enough for a dedicated Instagram account. Maybe another book.
