Western Union office--Butte, Montana 1956

This photograph of a Western Union office in Butte, Montana, was taken by Robert Frank sometime in the mid-20th century. I imagine Frank with his camera, trying to capture something about the mood of this place and time, a certain mood I know so well. There's a woman behind a counter, and a calendar on the wall showing the 15th, but it's the woman’s gaze that gets me. She looks tired, maybe a little resigned. I feel for her. You can tell she’s seen a lot. What stories could she tell? Was she waiting for a letter? Maybe she’s sending one. Frank was so good at capturing the way light falls in a room, the textures of everyday life. This image isn't just a document; it's a feeling. It’s a mood. I wonder if she knew she was going to be immortalized like this?