| The following piece was to appear in a Miami | | | | for the commute into Miami will see. An hour later |
| magazine (which shall remain nameless) that never | | | | I'm beginning to think our Dame has either |
| got beyond its first issue which was to include a | | | | cancelled without telling me, or is lost. You can |
| story on a Miami chopper builder, a downtown | | | | only pose a guy so many different ways on a |
| jeweler, and a local bikini designer. The | | | | chopper before it becomes impossible to avoid |
| parentheticals are my comments | | | | posing him for some kind of gay publication-- not |
| after-the-fact.Let me tell you a true story about | | | | that there is anything wrong with that as Seinfeld |
| a young woman who got up early one morning | | | | and Castanza have reminded us over countless |
| looking for a fish market and ended up on the | | | | reruns.Home is only a short drive away. I decide |
| cover of a magazine.It's six o'clock on a Sunday | | | | to go back and see if I can get hold of our |
| morning. The sun still isn't up and I'm waiting below | | | | female model via an email. While I'm on the net, I |
| the Watson Island bridge between Miami and | | | | call her cell phone. Still nothing. I haven't a clue |
| Miami Beach feeling a little foolish holding a | | | | where she is. I drive back thinking we can't just |
| bejeweled bra in my hand and a little | | | | have a guy posing in the magazine. We're already |
| uncomfortable watching the homeless emerging | | | | skating on politically incorrect thin ice as it is what |
| from the shadows with the stray cats. I'm there | | | | with pin-ups for crisesakes, but having just a guy |
| to shoot the cover and pin-up pages (okay, so it | | | | and not a girl really would paint a different kind of |
| wasn't very politically correct-- at least we | | | | picture of what the magazine is all about. So, it's |
| offered both sexes), alone in the dark with the | | | | with great relief when I turn onto the dirt road |
| rats, the cats, homeless zombies looking for a | | | | beneath the bridge that I see Dennie talking to a |
| smoke, and an over-the-top bra in my hand that | | | | woman. I can't believe it, but our model finally |
| would make a jaded Las Vegas showgirl blush | | | | showed up! I park, jump out and rush over to |
| with envy.The bra is made of red acrylic and | | | | shake her hand but the young lady stops me |
| covered with Swarovski crystals. It's on loan from | | | | short with "I'm not her." I look at Dennie. He's |
| a downtown jeweler for the photo shoot which, | | | | smiling broadly. Seems this woman was looking |
| God willing, will happen in a few minutes. I'm | | | | for the fish market on Watson Island. She had |
| looking for cops patrolling the island but there | | | | gotten up early to score some fresh fish for |
| aren't any because it's too damn early!I know my | | | | dinner that night. She grew up in Miami but hadn't |
| faith in mankind is being tested. The photographer | | | | been back in ten years. Since she was away, the |
| who had agreed to do the shoot, bailed at the | | | | city moved the fish market and the commercial |
| eleventh hour. In desperation I turned to Dennie | | | | fishing boats. In the short time I was away, |
| and DK Cody of Cody Photo who shot our first | | | | Dennie convinced her to pose for our |
| cover. They agree to help me and suggest we | | | | magazine.She's only wearing flip-flops, shorts, and |
| schedule the shoot for 6am under the bridge to | | | | a t-shirt-- and no makeup. But we don't care. |
| catch the early morning light on the downtown | | | | She's adorable, smart, and has a great |
| skyline. This probably had something to do with | | | | self-deprecating sense of humor.And she's brave, |
| Dennie's pioneer spirit bloodline (he's a descendent | | | | the kind of personality that says "yes" to new |
| of Buffalo Bill) where no one ever gave a thought | | | | adventures; the kind of person that has helped |
| about getting up before sunrise.I know the Cody's | | | | this magazine get published (Little did I know that |
| will show, but I'm not so sure about the others. | | | | this courage was not shared by the publisher). |
| I've never met them. I've only spoken to them | | | | She's perfect. Her name? Alecia Walker. She's on |
| over the phone. Knowing that they are trading | | | | vacation, visiting her brother in Miami. Her home is |
| their time only for publicity and copies of the | | | | in Maryland where she works as a Surgical |
| magazine makes me wonder if they will really | | | | Technologist.Within moments we have her ditching |
| show. The longer I stand there alone in the dark, | | | | her t-shirt and wearing the "bejeweled bra." When |
| the less I'm sure they will.Dennie and DK are the | | | | I see the light bouncing off those Swarovsky |
| first faces to appear out of the darkness that | | | | crystals, I know it was meant to be. If we had |
| don't ask me for a cigarette or money. I hear | | | | shot the pictures with Alecia any earlier, we |
| myself paraphrasing the Cowardly Lion, "I do | | | | wouldn't have gotten that startling effect. Call it |
| believe in people, I do believe in people." Now, if | | | | serendipity-- I can't let go of my Cowardly Lion |
| only the rest will show so I can shake loose of | | | | tail long enough to say it was meant to be. That |
| my Cowardly Lion tail: the owner of Miami | | | | might be assuming too much. Only time will tell. (I |
| Choppers who agreed to bring one of his custom | | | | made the mistake of letting go of the tail at the |
| bikes down to the shoot, and the models.Patrick | | | | launch party for the magazine that followed this |
| Jones is the first model to arrive. All the way | | | | shoot a week later).I also can't promise if you say |
| from Ft. Lauderdale. He turns out to be a great | | | | "yes" to the magazine your life will change for the |
| guy with lots of enthusiasim for so early in the | | | | better. I don't know how being on the cover of |
| morning. I suspect he's from pioneer stock too. | | | | our magazine and becoming the second ever |
| Before long, Miguel Suarez and his lovely wife | | | | Downtown Dame will make your life better, but |
| Yami of Miami Choppers drive up with the first | | | | hopefully for this young spirited Ms. Walker, the |
| light of the day and I feel my faith in humanity | | | | Cody's, Patrick Jones, and the Suarezes, |
| rising with the new day's sun.Since the pin-up | | | | something good will come out of saying "yes" to |
| pages are single, full-pages devoted to a | | | | us (or at least to me).D.C. Copeland is a writer |
| "Downtown Dude" and "Dame," we start shooting | | | | and award-winning artist. When visiting Copeland's |
| Patrick on the bike immediately to catch the kind | | | | personal website and blog you will discover that |
| of light only insomniacs, milkmen, intrepid | | | | Wayne Cochran is the Patron Saint and that |
| fishermen, farmers, buffalo hunters, and people | | | | many people consider it to be "The Rodney |
| living in Ft. Lauderdale who have to get up early | | | | Dangerfield of Blogs. |