Prologue to Seeing Clearly: ViewFinder
Where did I put that battery? There it is. Okay. Camera is all set to go. I can't believe I found this spot. It is perfect for the closing shots of my videography portfolio. Now to adjust the frame. There. The tree is just to the left, the four head stones are across center and the bench is just to the right. Pull back… Perfect. Now, I just have to wait until dawn.
The sunrise coming over the mountains in the background should make for a beautiful shot through the stones. They are the simplest yet most elegant ones in the whole cemetery. Black granite with one word inscribed on each. Simply put: LOVED. The tree is trimmed neatly and the grass is in good condition except for the stone nearest the tree. It appears someone was added not to long ago. Maybe as recently as a week. I know there were only three when I came out last month.
You know what they say about it being darkest before the dawn? It's true. A minute ago it was dark but I could still see and now, it's pitch black. God is getting ready for His next light show…
Ahhhhh…. Like a sleeping giant opening his eyes from slumber, the sun is making it's royal entrance. Yes! Perfect! This shot will be sooooo cooo…. Wait a minute…
There are people in the viewfinder now. No, no no no… Not today…. I'll have to come back tomorrow. Well, I'll let the camera run for a few minutes. Maybe they'll leave or I can get some interesting shots or something…
If I'm going to do that, I need to see who my props are. Close in a bit and stop. There is a blonde-headed woman on the bench. She's wearing gray, I think, dress pants and a deep rose blouse. The light is really picking up on that color. This might be good after all. The man with her is very tall and has brown hair. Not classic brown but it's nicely cut. Mmmmm…. Jeans, sport coat and a burgundy Henley. The light loves that color too. They are in profile so I can't see faces clearly, that and the light is still adjusting. They seem to be looking for something over toward the sunrise.
Pull back a bit and wait for the iris to adjust to the light amount. There. Just beyond the tree, coming in with the sunrise. Two people. Men. Yeah, oh, this is a great shot. The mixed pair in profiles looking toward the pair in silhouette. With the sun behind them it is just…I couldn't've planned this…
The two men come to the top of the small rise behind the stones. The taller man keeps coming toward the pair but the slightly shorter man has stopped. He's so still. And the light behind him…words fail me…
The woman is standing now and the tall man is beside her watching the second tall man approach. I can see some detail now. The new guy is blonde as well. Wearing khakis and a green button down with a tweed-type jacket and shades. Shades at this time of morning? The blonde man and woman embrace and she says something to him. I wish I could zoom in closer but I'm too far away. The tall guy shakes hands with the blonde guy.
The other guy hasn't moved. He's looking at the other three, staring… The woman starts to move toward him, taking care to go around the outside stone. He takes a step or two turning. I can see him now. Dark brown hair with a nicely trimmed mustache and beard. Jeans, gray sweater and dark blue jacket. He stops again frozen as she approaches. She stops about an arm's length away…just watching him while he watches her.
This is getting a little personal but…. I have to watch… He raises a hand to touch her face in a gesture like a blind person would do. Only this looks very intimate. She returns the movement reaching to touch near his eyes.
He seems to lean into her hand saying something. Drat this zoom. She taps his chin and he straightens up a bit. He's about five inches taller than she is. He's telling her something. The look on his face is…fear, terror, awe, love…so many things…indescribable. Her back is to me but I can tell she is crying. I feel like an intruder…
He pulls her into a tight embrace almost like he never wants to let her go. She is holding him with equal ferocity. I guess she told him something because he is nodding. Together, they walk back over to the other men.
The dark headed man is greeting the tall guy. Whoa…I swear, I think the blonde guy just looked right through me…
Pull back on the picture there…. The way the sun is striking the foursome is quite breathtaking. The woman has this earthy beauty that seems to absorb the light. You can't get that effect with light filters. And the blonde guy, the light hits him and seems to just stop and linger around him. The dark headed man is in between the two blondes partly shadowed, like they are protecting him. And the tall guy looks like a bronze statue watching over them.
The tall man is blocking my line of sight but I can tell that the woman is now sitting on the bench with the dark headed man. Ah, tall guy steps back, resuming his hand-on-the-shoulder protective thing with the woman. The blonde man begins to move his hands…looks like sign language. Is he deaf, I wonder? He isn't talking… I wish I knew sign language.
Lots of signing. Lots and lots of signing. I think he's telling a story. I'll bet he's the one who owns that plot. I'll bet he's telling them about why there are no markings on the stones except for the word LOVED. Oh, I wish I knew what they were saying…
Dark headed man leans his head to touch the woman's. She seems to be crying and trying to talk. I think she's interpreting for the other two.
Wait…something is happening. The woman has moved to stand next to the blonde guy and is talking to the dark headed man. Tall guy has moved to stand behind him.
Looks like bad news…The dark headed guy has fallen to his knees, with his head buried in his hands… Oh, my … I…I can hear him from here.
God, I haven't heard a man cry like that since my mother died and it broke my father's heart. Now, I know I'm intruding…
The woman wants to go to him but the blonde guy won't let her. He stays between them, signing like mad. She practically spits back a reply but he won't let her pass. Tall guy kneels next to…he's been pushed away rather violently.
If I'm right, if this is like my dad, he's going to have to ride the sobs out. The woman is now crying into the blonde guy's shoulder. Tall guy is back up, standing guard over the dark headed man.
The woman seems to be faltering a bit. Tall guy says something to the blonde man who takes her over to the bench. Wait…he must be able to read lips…okay… Tall guy wraps his coat around the woman. I think she may be as upset as the dark headed man. Speaking of whom is still on the ground. He's quieted enough that I can't hear him anymore. The wind is blowing all sound away from me.
He just did it again—looked right through me…
I feel like a heel, like I'm spying and maybe so but I can't tear myself away. I don't want to be a voyeur…this is just so heart-wrenching… Dad never recovered from mom's death. I guess I just want to—need to know if the dark headed guy will be okay…
The blonde man is kneeling next to him now, helping him up. He's weak…shaky…stumbles to the closest stone before falling on it. I can hear him again…
Tall guy is holding the woman now. She must be saying something because he's nodding a lot and rocking her. Poor girl. She really seems to feel for the dark headed guy.
The blonde guy is again kneeling next to the crying man. He…he…
I can't watch anymore. I can't even see them clearly through the viewfinder. I just wanted to get the last shots for my videography portfolio….
I'm going to get some water from the car and give them some privacy. My heart can't take it right now…
Well, I've had my own cry for the day…I miss my mom and dad. They were so close…I hope to find that some day even if it breaks my heart…to be loved so much…
The dark headed man is on the bench with the woman now. They are holding on to each other for dear life. She's talking to him and he seems to be calming down.
The sun is truly up now. The dark headed man has turned his face to the sun. He has a strong profile. The sunlight seems to be caressing him like a mother's soft fingers soothing away hurts. The woman is holding his hands and resting her head on his shoulder, her face profiled as well.
I won't be getting any of my shots today. But that's okay…
One more peek through the lens eye. The tall guy and the blonde man have disappeared. Oh well. I'd better pack up my gear. Do I have another disc for another day? Yes. Now, I need a pen and paper…