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E.T. phone home Several years ago, when I first visited the Mojave desert, I ran across this phone booth in the middle of the Mojave Scenic Preserve. I thought to myself, "hmmmm" and that was pretty much that. In January '98 I was exploring the area again looking for story/photo ideas, talking with folks and a ranger reminded me the booth was still there. He also told me about this guy, Godfrey Daniels, that was fascinated with the booth and even had a website devoted to it. I proceeded into the Preserve and Voila! there it was and even working. The whole thing struck me as too funny so of course I had to photograph it and then had to convince my editor to run the shot. He didn't think the guy and his website was too interesting so the shot only ran with a cutline explaining why the booth was there. (Yawn) This Easter Daniels organized another gathering at the booth and I asked if I could cover it. "Nope," said the editor. "Ah poop," said I. But then Time Magazine called the editor. Yes indeedy *the* TIME Magazine. They knew of Daniels and his obsession with the booth and wanted to know did I have any photos because they were interested.
"A woman
uses her intelligence to find reasons to support her intuiton."
The Original Booth Story It stands alone in the middle of nowhere surrounded by Joshua trees; visited by the wind and wild burros. Its windows are shot out and the sign that proclaimed "phone" is gone. But the dialtone announces that the phone works and the world calls in. Godfrey Daniels from Tempe Ariz. inspired an intrepid group to meet at the booth over the Easter weekend and the faithful few faced frigid temperatures in their pilgrimage to the telephone booth on Aiken Mine Road in the Mojave National Preserve -15 miles to the nearest outpost of civilization, Interstate 15. They camped by the booth until the snow drove them out. They added art works to the site and a sign asking folks to not desecrate the booth. They cleaned up the broken glass and the trash that had been left by others. And they all took turns answering the more than 100 calls that came in on Saturday. Daniels first became intrigued by the booth after reading about it in a 'zine called Wig Out. According to his Internet site devoted to the booth, he became obsessed with calling, hoping against hope that someone would answer. After trying for less than a month someone picked up the phone. Since the fateful day that Lorene, a desert resident, answered the phone, Daniels has been to the secluded site four times - the last two times taking phone calls from around the world. The curious from Albania have called - and Norway - and New Zealand - and from most of the states. In his quest Daniels has become a minor celebrity. Wireless Flash News Service picked up his story and since then Daniels has been besieged with requests for interviews. In addition to newspapers from Florida, Sweden and Yugoslavia he and the booth have been featured in the New York Times and the LA Times. Daniels can't explain his fanatical fascination with the booth other than to say "It makes people ask 'why'". And that he is attracted to this lonesome booth, where "there's nothing but the vast desert all around. It's kind of overpowering." So the Mojave telephone booth has become another desert legend, shot-out windows and all - shining as a beacon for anyone who needs to call somewhere from the middle of nowhere.
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Lara
Hartley
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Contributor
since 1998
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Behind
the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism |
