We made this ham costume in the year 1999. We brought it with us on a winter camping excursion in the New Mexico desert the following year, as a way to have some laughs. Instead of simply standing in front of landmarks for the traditional tourist photo, we posed in the ham costume.

This particular photo had an unsettling and sinister cast to it, totally unintended, which made it seem even funnier at the time. The awkward pose, stiff and slightly turned to the side, the hostile landscape, the long stark shadows all combine to convey a sense of unease. But the ridiculous pink felt costume and crisp white lettering soften the tableau. Who is this? Why are they here by the side of this lonely dirt road? Are they waiting for someone to pick them up? Where did they come from? Why are they wearing that? What does “HAM” mean? Is it a joke? Is it offensive? Something odd is happening in this place. Why is everyone in the desert so strange? Are they friendly? Is it safe to approach them? Not so sure about that. But what if they’re lost and heed help? Maybe it’s a bizarre attempt to performance art, or just some jackass. I can’t tell… but it certainly is odd. Ah, the joyful humors of youth.

The costume is a literary reference. It’s a detail from the famous 1960 American masterpiece featuring a girl named Scout. The novel was later made into a celebrated motion picture, also considered a masterpiece. Our version of the costume? Less so, but we had fun running around the desert posing in it, leaving other tourists scratching their heads.