Words couple

They were sitting on a bench on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn. I wanted to snap them as they were. She was massaging his temples tenderly but the background was a car with disturbing color and contrast. I asked them if I could photograph them in the shade of a tree close by. He replied first, "I would love that." She said, "Awesome." Later they told us that he got headaches and she got rid of them for him. They both love words. She works for a literary agent and he for a magazine about infrastructure. I asked him if he studied engineering at school. "No, comparative literature." "What is that?" Caroline asked. "It's not anything," he replied. They loved Crown Heights and later we saw them again as we headed towards Breukelen Coffee House, a haunt they too like.

Art student

There's a bench outside Breukelen Coffee House on Franklin Street and as often as not anyone sitting there has a dog with them. It's either their dog or they are looking after their friend's dog. The waiters and owners of Breukelen Coffee House love dogs and will serve their owners as they sit outside. A bowl of water is always there for the dogs. Caroline looked after Gitzo while I photographed MMLJ

Chef who would

We revisited Prospect Heights and failed with the chef at Bristen's Eatery. Adamant about not having her picture taken. People either say yes or they say, "No thank you I'd rather not, or, wagging their finger, they say, "No pictures." There is no persuading them. Money would do it, I suppose. I've never tried.

Go up the road to Breukelen Café. Have a coffee and Caroline nips outside to make friends with a woman and her spaniel. Five minutes later I follow. Never mind the spaniel, the owner is special. "I'm not shy, go ahead." she says. By coincidence she is a chef. Cooks at the attractive place next door, Dutch Boy Burger.

Breukelen Coffee House owners

I spotted this couple in the window of the Breukelen Coffee House in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. When they told me they owned the place I thought the more time they spent sitting in the window the better their chances of survival.