So there I was, late night, all alone, deep in the bowels of Stockholm’s (T Bana) metro system, setting up to take this shot of Solna Centrum, when all of a sudden this Swedish dude rushes up to me. He stammers, “What are you doing, taking pictures!?”

*(Now, I’m from South Florida & I basically grew up in Miami, so when someone approaches me like that, I automatically go into combat mode.)

I tense up, caught off guard, “Excuse me, yea? What do you want?”

“Oh sorry,” he says, looking apologetic, “I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m just really into photography & I’m a bit drunk. Want some wine!?”

He gingerly reaches down the front of his pants, pulls out a bottle of nearly finished red wine and brandishes it toward me, red liquid sloshing around and says, “Here, have some wine!”

I look at the wine, look at him, look at the wine again, “No thanks,” I say, “I’m more of a white wine kind of guy.”

“You sure?” He shrugs, smiles, and produces a small plastic cup. He pours in some wine and takes a sip, clearly satisfied with himself.

All I remember thinking was, “Where the hell did the cup come from!?” — Probably best to not know…

After a lot of interesting conversation about Sweden, photography, the Tunnel Bana system, and (of course) wine, we exchange email addresses and he continues on his way, headed to a nearby party.

You meet the strangest people in the metro at midnight…

Belly Of The Beast || Stockholm, Sweden

Belly of the Beast, Elia Locardi