Returning home from a long and tiring day in Roswell, Artesia, or Carlsbad, I frequently drive through Vaughn, New Mexico after dark. Each time, my eyes would catch a glimpse of an old house at the corner of E. 5th Street and Main, about a block off US 285. Each time, I would pass by in a rush to get back to Albuquerque for a late evening snack and a shot of bourbon before getting into my warm comfortable bed.

On one occasion, I stopped. Up close, the scene exceeded my expectations. A dim street light stood sentry over the house, waiting for people who will never return.

When I got home, I downloaded this (and dozens of others) and got to work. Rendering the image in black and white brought out the somber and nostalgic character of this abandoned house sitting quietly on East 5th Street.

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