The phone rings, and it’s my Dad, who asks me right away a question that I know in the front of his mind because it’s the first thing he says when I answer… ”you take pictures, don’t you?” “Well, I have been known to take a few Dad, what do you need?” “I need a passport like photo for a application I have to put in, and I’ve forgotten about it, and it needs to be in before my birthday” he tells me. His B day in in mid spring… he insists we hurry, after all it’s only a few months away. I get the forgetfulness gene naturally.
The adventure continues when both of my parents come over, I line Dad up in front of a white door, for the plain background that is required, and get the camera ready, then my Mom fusses around him, like a bee on birthday cake… buzzing into the photo to straighten a collar, smooth a errant hair, and pluck a imaginary piece of lint. It’s true love, long term lasting love that shows every time she steps in… ”don’t purse your lips” he blows her a raspberry, “stand straight” he does and goes up beyond the frame of the shot, “smile, no don’t show your teeth.” I readjust, crop her out as she darts and pounces on his collar… you can see she cares, and wants him to look his best.
After 20 shots, all of them with him making faces, we finally get the keeper. And then I ask to take a shot of both of them, but my Mom won’t stop adjusting every wrinkle on my Dad… so all of the shots are of her looking up at him… a life time of marriage… in a single click. Priceless. Don’t forget to join in our No Winter Whining on Sunday at Heather’s blog.