Morning Coffee - A True Story
Hundreds of millions of people worldwide perform the ritual of making or purchasing their morning coffee every day. For many it is an almost sacred act and very specific prerogative. It is defined by such variables as type of bean, its geographic origin and roast, method of brewing and custom additions such as milk, sweetners and flavoring, all to create that ideal personal cup.
Since my one bedroom condo doesn't have enough room to store my film equipment, I rent a storage space to keep it in. I met Hugh one morning at S&P Storage, where his locker is just around the corner aisle from mine. He was sitting and reading the paper after just having brewed a cup of coffee with his stored coffee machine, using the electrical outlet in the hall.
On the following days, when I would pick up my gear in the morning at around 7:30 a.m., he would be there, making his coffee to begin his day. After engaging him in conversation, (I love people and the stories that define them) I found out that he was homeless, lived and slept on the street and collected and recycled cans and bottles for a living. All his worldly possessions were contained in his small locker, where he changed clothes and made his morning coffee.
I was so moved by this gesture of his connecting to some vestige of an ordinary existence, that I decided to create a film giving a peek inside and paying tribute to a small part of a fellow soul that would otherwise go unnoticed.
When we have a "normal" life there is so much that we take for granted and don’t even give a second thought. There are so many people we dismiss at a glance as having no interest because they have no immediate relevant effect on our lives.
Yet everyone has a story with meaning and substance and my wish is that this window opens a door through which we are inspired to look beyond appearances.
- Erich, October 2010
