Comic Relief: 1922

The building on the calendar is the Union Central / Central Trust / PNC building in Cincinnati.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNC_Tower

For Pete's sake, Rufus! Stop moving around, or I'll find somebody else with a lamp attached to his head!

It is obvious that this proposal will come to you as a
suprise. This is because we have not met before but I am inspired to sending you this email by the huge fund transfer opportunity that will be of mutual benefit to the two of us.

However, I am Barrister Martins jide,the personal
attorney to the late Engr. Suk Hun Wufei flody, a Citizen of Japan, who used to work with Nigerian National
Petrolum Co-operatrion (NNPC).

On the 26th of August 1921, my client, his wife and
their three were involved in a fatal house explossion at
Nigerian National Petrolum Co-operatrion (NNPC)
quaters Lagos. ...

bu De Woouten Send Dit?

(I trying but am DeWitt Mooreless.)

I fussed around, reversing the image and playing with contrast and brightness. I think I can make out the message on that piece of paper.

Nobody is touching this one!

The calendar on the right says "Union [General?] Life". But isn't that the Met Life Tower? Wikipedia claims the name "Metropolitan Life Insurance Company" goes back at least to 1868.

[It's the Union Central building in Cincinnati. See Doug's comment above. - Dave]

I think the calendar on the left is stuck on November 1921.

The light on the wall - what's the top half? Was it combined gas/electric? A gas fixture converted to electric?

And, Mr. Moore...regarding whatever terrific news you just got...CONGRATS!

Looks like you've got us good on this one, Dave. After downloading the largest tiff file of this image and squinting and grunting and fiddling with the brightness and contrast settings, I was able to make out only that the brass label on the happy man's cap reads "PORTER / [???] Savings Bank." Maybe "U.S. Savings Bank," but more likely not. And my favorite online search methods also goose-egged. The photo is great, and Concerned Citizens Would Like to Know. Hope somebody out there can enlighten us.

[The porter's cap says UNION SAVINGS BANK ("Oldest Savings Bank in Washington," at 710 14th Street NW) - Dave]

"Yah suh, I predict in 2008 there is going to be a black President of the United States."

Obviously the happy fellow won the lottery. His boss has just recieved his letter of resignation in the mail,and called him in to discuss it.

But that is one funny photo. I think we need to add a section where people can put text balloons over the people in the images to add what they think they might be saying.