On Floyd Avenue, in a part of Richmond that still feels like it belongs to its people, there’s a chalkboard. No fanfare, no neon signs, no marketing ploys. Just a weathered board, a question, a quote, and sometimes, a little plastic Magic 8-Ball dangling at the side. It doesn’t try to draw attention, but it does anyway. People stop. They read. Some write. It’s become part of the rhythm here, like a quiet pulse running through the street.
And behind it all is Gary.
Gary isn’t looking for fame. He doesn’t hand out pamphlets explaining himself. His chalkboard is as much a mystery as he is—always there, always steady, inviting you to think about something bigger than yourself. Filmmaker John Marenic was one of those people who couldn’t walk past without wondering what made this guy tick.
“When I started thinking about my next project, I kept coming back to Gary,” John says. “My head filled with questions as to why he was doing this. I wondered if he was some kind of lonely man, or what really motivated this persistent project. For something as consistent and introspective as his project, there had to be a motivator behind it and I needed to figure it out.”
John stopped one day, introduced himself, and asked Gary if he’d be willing to be the subject of a documentary. Gary said yes.
What came next, John admits, was unexpected. “And everything he said during it was much better and more impactful than I could have ever foresaw or anticipated. I’m glad we were able to highlight this little niche source of joy and curiosity for people in the community. I’m also happy Gary was able to express his reasons for those that might’ve been curious as well.”
The Chalkboard as a Mirror
Leah Silverman, the project’s interviewer and production assistant, didn’t need an introduction to Gary’s chalkboard. She’d already been drawn to it long before filming started. “Since I moved to Richmond, I’ve gone out of my way to pass Gary’s chalkboard to read, write, and ask his magic 8 ball about the future on walks around the city with friends and family,” Leah says. “It is a source of contemplation, community connection, and whimsy.”
Leah sees the board as more than just words scrawled in chalk. “I was grateful for the opportunity to talk to Gary and learn about his chalkboard on Floyd Avenue,” she explains. “ Gary emanates a humble and warm dedication to bettering the lives of the people around him. His chalkboard serves as a way for himself and others to relate to one another and as a reminder that we are not alone in our trials, tribulations, or triumphs. He holds genuine interest in the lives and minds of the neighbors and passersby that write on his board.”
A Story Worth Sharing
For Casey Hickman, the film’s story editor, Gary’s motivations are what make the project so compelling. “For this project, we set out to uncover what exactly inspired Gary to do this day after day,” Casey says. “The backstory that we uncovered with the interview adds a lot of weight to the words. Just learning how important it’s been for him personally has made reading the messages every day more meaningful to me.”
Casey hopes the film will inspire people to stop and engage with the board themselves. “Hopefully as more people hear about him and the sign’s origin story, they’ll be more inclined to take a second to read the messages and respond themselves. Getting more people to appreciate and participate in the Chalk Talk would be awesome, and I think our video has the potential to do just that.”
Gary’s Legacy
Gary doesn’t seem like the kind of person who’s out to change the world, but maybe that’s the point. His chalkboard isn’t about grand gestures or life-altering revelations. It’s about small moments—a line of chalk, a passing thought, a bit of shared humanity.
What John, Leah, and Casey’s documentary reveals is something deceptively simple: the value of showing up. Of creating something and leaving it there for people to make of it what they will.
In a city that moves a little faster than it used to, Gary’s chalkboard is a reminder to stop for a second. To look. To think. To connect. And maybe, just maybe, to leave something behind for the next person who passes by.
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