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When I worked in Sports, I used to have to park out in the blue lot, the one at the back of the N&R building. The rail siding that we use to bring paper rolls into the building splits the lot in two, and every once in a while Norfolk Southern will leave a boxcar there.

Boxcars are pretty non-descript. They're boxes, after all, and not all that inherently interesting. Some of them have graffiti scribbles on them. And then there's this one:

I remember seeing this box car about a year or so ago. Most nights when I trekked out to the blue lot, I was tired and just wanted to go home. But the night that this boxcar was parked on the siding, I stopped and looked and wondered.

Who is Carmen?
Where does she live?
How old is she?
Who is the artist? Is that his self-portrait?
Did Carmen ever see her birthday painting?
If so, what did she think of it?
How long did it take to paint this? And how could anyone get that much time with a parked boxcar without getting caught?

Yeah, yeah, I know it's graffiti. But what's weird is that it's still here a year (or more) later. You figure Norfolk Southern has seen it. But why they haven't scrubbed it off is anyone's guess.

There's probably a good story here. I'd love to hear it if anyone knows more.

Here are some more shots. First, the artist's signature:

A close-up:

A side shot of the boxcar so you get the full effect. Click on the thumbnail for the full blown-up view: