http://cargocollective.com Andrew Lamar Davis | New York Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:32:39 +0000 http://cargocollective.com en http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Short-Stories http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Short-Stories Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:32:39 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2268414 The Last Time I Saw Louis DiMarco.When I was little I had a best friend named Louis DiMarco. He grew up two doors from me and our Mothers loved to chitchat. Louis and I would always watch them from afar as their voices would go back and forth, cutting one another off with the newest buzz on Betty’s hair, Sally’s boyfriend, or Loraine and Joe’s marriage. The whole time they were chatting, they’d take drags of their long Virginia Slims and blow out the smoke in-between sentences. It was their favorite pastime. So one particular afternoon, we decided to make the biggest mistake we never meant to make. It was the end of Fall and we were out on our block playing with leaves and sticks like normal when all of a sudden, Louis stopped and called me over. I could tell he was trying to be sneaky, which made me nervous. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a flattened pack of Virginia Slims, the same ones our Mothers smoked. I looked at him and shook my head. I told him our Mothers would kill us if they caught us. (I wasn’t lying. My Mother showed me the knife once.) Somehow though, he talked me into it. It seemed like it wouldn’t take long, so we posted up about 20 feet from our front doors. I looked in front of us and saw Mrs. DiMarco’s old beat up Buick covered with colorful leaves from the branches that hung over it as we lit up our smokes. We got about halfway through them when we heard a gate slam and Louis’ Mother coming toward us yelling his name to come in. We both looked at one another and completely froze for a second. She was picking up her pace toward us, so I flicked my cigarette back toward the wall and started fanning my shirt to get rid of the smell. Louis tried to flick his the same way, but it somehow managed to go toward the street. He too started fanning himself and quickly got out a piece of gum for us to split. When his Mother got close enough, she stopped and told us it was time to come in. We both let out a sigh and started heading toward the house. Right as we reached the gate to go inside, we heard a crackling and popping coming from behind us. In what seemed like slow motion, we all turned around and looked back to find a fire sitting on top of Mrs. DiMarco’s car. Apparently, when Louis flicked his cigarette it landed right on her leaf-covered car that was now on fire. In disbelief she ran toward her car, screaming out every curse word in the book, but due to the dry leaves the fire was now the length of the whole car. A neighbor heard the commotion and finally came out with a bucket to settle the fire, but it was too late. The damage was done. She immediately ran toward Louis and demanded him to empty his pockets. He slowly reached into his jean pocket and pulled out the empty pack of Mrs. DiMarco’s cigarettes and a pack of matches. That was the last time I saw Louis DiMarco. Don’t Talk To StrangersJonathan wasn’t a very curious kid growing up. In fact, he grew up quite shy and closed off. He came from a close-minded home where what worked was what was done. He wasn’t pushed out of the box and he never thought beyond what he knew. It was as if there were guidelines to life that, if followed, would result in a long successful existence. The biggest rule for Jonathan however, was to never talk to strangers. It was deeply engraved into his mind since he could first remember. Whenever he even contemplated it, a vivid image of his Mother would come into his mind and he would hear the words that he could never disobey. ‘Jonathan, never talk to strangers, you already know the only people you ever need to know.’ She lived by that rule her whole life. She knew nothing else and wanted Jonathan to be exactly the same. She always told him how she already figured out the mistakes in life so that he wouldn’t have to figure them out. She told him she had a system. She told him that his family and the families in his small town cul-de-sac were the only people he needed in his life. Jonathan loved his Mother, so he never questioned a word she said. He too, lived by the system. Since Jonathan was from a small farm town, hundreds of miles away from the city, these rules really never got in the way. There were rarely ever any newcomers to the community, just the occasional passerby. His school was the same from pre-school up to 12th grade and he had the same friends the whole way through. He stuck to life how his Mother told him and everything worked out perfectly. It was on his 18th birthday though, when things started to change. He found out that his Mother was starting to get sick again, but she told him that it was nothing to worry about and that she had already experienced the same kind of illness earlier in her life. She beat it then and she would beat it now. She had a system. He did everything he could to help her through it. Missing school to take her to appointments, taking on extra chores around the house, and of course always being there to hold her hand during treatment sessions. He was with her through it all and began to see that this wasn’t like last time. This time she wasn’t sure. This time she was scared. His mother was now on her last stretch and Jonathan was right by her side watching as she fell into her final moments. Her skin was pale now and she had cloth wrapped around her bare head. He noticed her frame was now so tiny and fragile as she lay there still and silent. Jonathan’s eyes were glassy and watered uncontrollably as he heard her start to gasp. Her eyes slowly peeled open and she motioned for Jonathan to come in closer towards her. As he came in closer, she slowly told him what would be her last sentence. He held her gentle frame in his arms as she slowly slipped away. He gripped her harder, as if his grip could keep her alive to share just one more minute together, but it was too late. She was gone. The next day Jonathan woke up and started packing. He didn’t know where he was going and it didn’t matter. It was the first time in his life he didn’t want to be home. Everything in the house reminded him of his Mother and the bubble that she kept him in. He left that morning with a suitcase and his life savings. He was 18, lonely, and completely aimless. The nearest bus stop was only a mile away, so he left the house and started walking toward a new life filled with new people, new problems, and most importantly new experiences. It didn’t take long before he arrived. He walked straight to the ticket booth and asked which bus was leaving next. The teller told him there was a 10:45 to Denver and that he’d better hurry. Jonathan paid the teller, got his ticket, and ran to the half-loaded bus. He put his suitcase underneath the bus and gave one last look back at where he grew up. He gave the man his ticket and walked up the stairs onto the bus. Completely oblivious to anything, Jonathan took the first empty seat he noticed, sat down and took a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes for a moment and memories of his Mother quickly ran through his head. “So where are you heading”, he heard a soft sweet voice say. He opened his eyes to find that the seat he had picked was right next to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her dark brown eyes were fixed on his as she waited for his response. He roughly managed to put together a passable sentence, as he grew more and more fascinated by this beautiful stranger. “I’m heading to Denver, that’s all I really know”, he said as the words actually sunk in and he was confronted with the fear that came with the idea. “That’s all you know, huh? She said with a slight giggle and a smile. “Well I’m heading there too to take care of my Grandmother as she goes through treatment.” When Jonathan heard this, he immediately snapped back to reality and asked her more about her Grandmother and the treatment. She told him that it was cancer and that she didn’t know how much time her Grandmother may have left, but that she wants to be there to help her as much as possible. As they talked more about it, Jonathan told her about his Mother and how he’d been there the whole way up until she passed. He went into detail about the treatment sessions and even her last minutes by her side. “I don’t mean to get too personal, but did she have a chance to at least say goodbye before she passed?” Jonathan's new friend asked nervously. As Jonathan heard the question, he started to laugh. She looked at him with a nervous stare and immediately apologized for asking. “No, I’m sorry, I just never processed it until you asked", Jonathan said quickly. "When my Mother was in her final moment and only had time for one short sentence to tell me, it wasn’t goodbye or I love you." She said, “Jonathan sweetie, just promise me you'll never talk to strangers.” The ABC Exercise (each sentence starts with the next letter in the alphabet)Allegations were the start of another damp and gloomy day for Francis. Bickering with his boss all morning felt like being stuck in purgatory. Candace sat across the table, her face smothered with innocence and devious wit. Down the hall Francis could hear the faint chatter and knew exactly where his day was going. Eventually the discussion he was invited to, yet not allowed to participate in was over. Francis looked across the table at Candace, she was glowing today, like she fashioned her deception and charm into an illuminating raincoat. “ Great job back there,” Francis said in a deep soft tone, as he passed her on his way out. His head slouched – it felt like the muscles in his neck suddenly gave up on him, the same way he was giving up on himself. It was a Friday, “they always wait until Friday” Francis sarcastically laughed to himself. Just as he approached the elevator he gave one last glance over his shoulder at the life he once knew. Knowledge of this place and past experiences seemed to be just an old acquaintance now, nothing more than a friendly nod at the mailbox. Lightly walking through the lobby trying not to be noticed seemed much easier in his mind than when it came to the real life steps. More stares and chatter followed as Francis passed through the lobby, which seemed so unfamiliar as if he had somehow taken the elevator horizontally to another building. Neither his eyes nor his ears could make out faces or words; he just went straight for the exit and kept his eye on the door. Outside felt like rebirth, it was as if he had never learned how to breathe properly until that moment. “Perhaps you could use a drink too?” a soft voice asked Francis, whom had his eyes closed while resting on the side of the building. Quickly he opened his eyes to find a woman dressed as if she had walked straight out of a magazine. Rain floated down and bounced off of her jet-black umbrella, which she was now stretching generously over his head. She had such a delightful presence that Francis couldn’t help but give a shy smile and respond, “A drink would be perfect.” The two of them started walking down 6th avenue bouncing words off one another like they have known each other since elementary school. Under a small awning they reached a lounge that seemed to be very suitable for continuing their conversation. “Vodka and cranberry and a whiskey neat” Francis told the bartender as they settled over at a dim corner table. Water splashed off of her long coat as Francis helped her out of it and hung it on a nearby cloak rack. Xander, a young waiter who had his name fashioned on a small nametag pinned to his chest, ran the drinks over to the table and quickly scurried off. “You never did tell me what happened back there, what exactly were you so distressed about outside of that building?” “Zeal to succeed has a funny way of rewarding you” Francis replied, with a spark in his eye and his glass stretched for a toast to a new beginning. The Last Time I Saw Louis DiMarco.When I was little I had a best friend named Louis DiMarco. He grew up two doors from me and our Mothers loved to chitchat. Louis... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Lavazza-Digital http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Lavazza-Digital Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:28:55 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239122 LAVAZZA Working through OpenCMS, we managed to revise Lavazza's European site into a less wordy, more aesthetically pleasing, easier to navigate US site. My role included reshaping the site's layout, editing/proofreading existing copy, writing new copy, and a few icon designs. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_1_905.png" width="800" height="675" width_o="800" height_o="675" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_1_o.png" data-mid="27431806" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_4_2_905.png" width="800" height="750" width_o="800" height_o="750" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_4_2_o.png" data-mid="27433596" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_6_905.png" width="800" height="755" width_o="800" height_o="755" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_6_o.png" data-mid="27434598" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_7_905.png" width="800" height="800" width_o="800" height_o="800" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239122/Lavazza_7_o.png" data-mid="27434799" border="0" align="left"/> LAVAZZA Working through OpenCMS, we managed to revise Lavazza's European site into a less wordy, more aesthetically pleasing, easier to navigate US site. My role... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Thompson-Hotels-Digital http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Thompson-Hotels-Digital Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:51:18 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2701239 THOMPSON HOTELS Some SEO friendly description copy for a few hotel locations. Copy by Andrew Lamar Davis. <img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/thompson_home_800_905.jpg" width="800" height="675" width_o="800" height_o="675" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/thompson_home_800_o.jpg" data-mid="21835214" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/ffdd.jpg" width="670" height="383" width_o="2048" height_o="1172" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/ffdd_o.jpg" data-mid="13824785" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/test_6.jpg" width="670" height="381" width_o="2048" height_o="1165" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/test_6_o.jpg" data-mid="13821832" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/test2.jpg" width="670" height="383" width_o="2048" height_o="1173" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/test2_o.jpg" data-mid="13822359" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/hghh.jpg" width="670" height="383" width_o="2048" height_o="1171" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701239/hghh_o.jpg" data-mid="13824706" border="0" align="left"/> THOMPSON HOTELS Some SEO friendly description copy for a few hotel locations. Copy by Andrew Lamar Davis. http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Press-Releases-Bios http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Press-Releases-Bios Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:50 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239142 AMERICAN TABLE CAFÉ & BAR (copy + layout by Andrew Lamar Davis)<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/at2.png" width="657" height="795" width_o="657" height_o="795" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/at2_o.png" data-mid="22111350" border="0" align="left"/> ENNIO RANABOLDO'S BIO (copy by Andrew Lamar Davis)<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/ennio_5_905.png" width="756" height="587" width_o="756" height_o="587" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/ennio_5_o.png" data-mid="22075076" border="0" align="left"/> SHADOW OF DAVID BIO (copy by Andrew Lamar Davis)<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/SOD_3_905.png" width="672" height="473" width_o="672" height_o="473" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239142/SOD_3_o.png" data-mid="22106460" border="0" align="left"/> AMERICAN TABLE CAFÉ & BAR (copy + layout by Andrew Lamar Davis) ENNIO RANABOLDO'S BIO (copy by Andrew Lamar Davis) SHADOW OF DAVID BIO (copy by Andrew Lamar Davis) http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Stalgic-Spotify-App http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Stalgic-Spotify-App Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:43 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 3122777 STALGIC Stalgic is a Spotify app that lets you share and compare the memories that come to mind when you hear a song. Copy, Design, & Concept by Andrew Lamar Davis Stalgic from Andrew Lamar Davis on Vimeo. STALGIC Stalgic is a Spotify app that lets you share and compare the memories that come to mind when you hear a song. Copy, Design, & Concept by Andrew Lamar Davis... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/The-Daily-Show-Print http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/The-Daily-Show-Print Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:42 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239161 THE DAILY SHOW COMIC STRIP Assigned to promote Jon Stewart's The Daily show without using Television or the Web. The result - The Daily Show Comic Strip on the funny pages. Copy, Concept, & Design by Andrew Lamar Davis. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239161/ooo_905.png" width="800" height="517" width_o="800" height_o="517" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239161/ooo_o.png" data-mid="22109257" border="0" align="left"/> THE DAILY SHOW COMIC STRIP Assigned to promote Jon Stewart's The Daily show without using Television or the Web. The result - The Daily Show Comic Strip on the... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Sharpie-Digital http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Sharpie-Digital Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:36 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239093 SHARPIE WALL Turn your cover photo into a blank canvas for your friends to fill in. Copy, Concept, & Design by Andrew Lamar Davis. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/sharp-app_905.png" width="800" height="676" width_o="800" height_o="676" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/sharp-app_o.png" data-mid="22594771" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/grab_905.png" width="800" height="337" width_o="800" height_o="337" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/grab_o.png" data-mid="22598411" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/marker_905.png" width="800" height="337" width_o="800" height_o="337" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/marker_o.png" data-mid="22598440" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/wallfill_905.png" width="800" height="337" width_o="800" height_o="337" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239093/wallfill_o.png" data-mid="22599085" border="0" align="left"/> SHARPIE WALL Turn your cover photo into a blank canvas for your friends to fill in. Copy, Concept, & Design by Andrew Lamar Davis. http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Jet-Blue-Print http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Jet-Blue-Print Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:34 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2701097 JET BLUE To spread the word about Jet Blue's new direct flights to Amsterdam and Hawaii, I put together some headline driven print ads together to get people in the air. Copy, Concept, & Design by Andrew Lamar Davis. <img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701097/jetblue_750_19_905.jpg" width="750" height="1015" width_o="750" height_o="1015" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701097/jetblue_750_19_o.jpg" data-mid="21550283" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701097/jetblue_800_17_905.jpg" width="750" height="1015" width_o="750" height_o="1015" src_o="http://payload20.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2701097/jetblue_800_17_o.jpg" data-mid="21550000" border="0" align="left"/> JET BLUE To spread the word about Jet Blue's new direct flights to Amsterdam and Hawaii, I put together some headline driven print ads together to get people in... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/Netflix-Digital-Outdoor http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/Netflix-Digital-Outdoor Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:32 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239109 NETFLIX By putting interactive screens at bus and train stops - Commuters can experience and sign up for Netflix while they wait for their ride. Copy, Concept, & Design by Andrew Lamar Davis. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/netflix_675_905.png" width="675" height="656" width_o="675" height_o="656" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/netflix_675_o.png" data-mid="22135028" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/oll_905.png" width="675" height="738" width_o="675" height_o="738" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/oll_o.png" data-mid="22135016" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/net3_905.jpg" width="675" height="935" width_o="675" height_o="935" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239109/net3_o.jpg" data-mid="21834364" border="0" align="left"/> NETFLIX By putting interactive screens at bus and train stops - Commuters can experience and sign up for Netflix while they wait for their ride. Copy, Concept, &... http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/DexKnows-Web-Banner http://cargocollective.com/andrewlamardavis/following/andrewlamardavis/DexKnows-Web-Banner Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:55:29 +0000 Andrew Lamar Davis | New York 2239150 DEXKNOWS DexKnows.com wanted to increase the amount of local business reviews customers were submitting - so we created a banner ad to help the cause. Copy by Andrew Lamar Davis.<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239150/dddex_905.png" width="800" height="675" width_o="800" height_o="675" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239150/dddex_o.png" data-mid="22815935" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239150/dex2_905.png" width="800" height="504" width_o="800" height_o="504" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/129107/2239150/dex2_o.png" data-mid="22274742" border="0" align="left"/> DEXKNOWS DexKnows.com wanted to increase the amount of local business reviews customers were submitting - so we created a banner ad to help the cause. Copy by...