Bayside Park Photowalk, An Eye Opener
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The thing about photo walks is, they often open my eyes to things I don't always observe or haven't been "aware" enough to appreciate. Be it wildlife, vistas, nature at large.
This photo walk was an eye-opener of a completely different kind. Walking at the Daphne, Bayside park, it was extremely-extremely cold. (by our standards anyway -- 5-10 degrees with a brisk wind off the bay)
On a walk back from my perch on the bay capturing (or .. trying to..) capture some wildlife, I encounter a man and woman walking towards me on the nature walk-path. I'm naive, apparently but not THAT naive. I know I'm carrying a significant value in camera equipment so I'm usually also carrying a significant value in appropriate weaponry. On this day, my Kimber 1911 .45. Besides, the demographics of mugging, how many are done by man and woman on a nature walk?
The man, pays extra attention to me and as he gets closer in the failing light, his facial features light up to reveal someone I.. barely.. know. His body language is exuding all sorts of nervousness, with special attention to the 300mm zoom lens on my camera. We say our niceties, his walking partner doesn't pay me much attention -- and I go to part ways.
He pulls me aside into what I call "drug deal" mode. That is, the mode where two people are entirely too close to each other, trading words in low speech. He begins to explain to me why he is here with his current, um "walking partner."
Ya know, up to that point, it hadn't occurred to me to care who he was with or to even question it. He offers a nervous explanation that I not inform his.. umm.. significant other and reassures me that "nothing is going on here."
Talk about cool under pressure :)
We trade assurances that I don't really care even if he is engaging in impropriety and that I'm not here to photograph his outing, just funny squirrels and hungry birds.
As i walk back to the parking lot, with this on my mind, my eyes are opened to other activities in the parking lot.
Things like two cars parked near each other and two people of opposite gender occupying one of them. Or… a car with the driver's window down and a "customer" at the window.
Things like two cars parked near each other and two people of opposite gender occupying one of them. Or… a car with the driver's window down and a "customer" at the window.
it makes me wonder how many times I've been to this park, walked around with my little camera doing the nature- and-wildlife bit and completely unaware that this is apparently the place to be for cheating spouses and recreational pharmaceutical activities.
… and here I was always just worried about someone taking my camera...