I love this photo. It’s of us shaking hands with New York State Senator Charles Schumer at the Atlantic Antics street festival in Brooklyn a couple years ago. Schumer and his entourage waded through the crowds, and we encountered them somewhere between Junior’s Cheesecake Eating Contest and one of the roasted corn stands along Atlantic Avenue.

One of Schumer’s entourage offered to take the picture. Instead of it turning out like a nice heartwarming shot of politician and citizen, it makes me, his constituent and supporter, look extremely skeptical and dubious. And it makes mein Schatz, the foreigner who’s not allowed to vote, look like he’s just agreed to cast his ballot for the Senator in the next election.

In reality, Schumer was asking us where he could find a falafel (nevermind the fact that we were standing in the middle of Atlantic Avenue and surrounded by a hundred falafel stands). I think about that every time I hear him speak on the radio or see him mentioned in the paper. In fact, I pay more attention to his politics now, than I did before — but to me, he will always be the Senator with the hankering for Middle Eastern food.