Night Photo
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A Place I Will Never Forget
I spent a few years in Gaillac, France. My late husband, who was Dutch, wanted to move there. I did not know how I would take Gaillac. After all, I did a course in Paris, and we were heading to a small French town, close to the South Of France. Well not that close, but close enough, for me that is. It did not take long to be completely enamored with the town and its people. I made friends quickly and after a while I felt they were my family away from home. I have fond memories in Gaillac, but my husband Peter and I love to visit often. Take the journey to Gaillac someday, it’s well worth it.
One Photo At A Time…
Nighttime in Liverpool
Growing up in The Bronx during the 50s and 60s I loved watching black and white films. My first recollection were the movies by Alfred Hitchcock. I Loved the black and white tones. It was mysterious, beguiling, and exciting. Consequently as the years went by I was drawn to white and black images. So I majored in photography back in 2001. I continued to grow and tried to get black and white images as perfect as Hitchcock. The bar is high, but I keep trying to get that almost perfect black and white, and maybe with a story attached to it…
At my age, where do I fit in, and why does it matter…
The clock is ticking faster now and at the ripe old age of 72 I do get the occasional aches and pains, and believe me some of them are doozies. But I get by. What keeps me going is my hubby, my son, and my grandchildren. My son and grandchildren all live far away, but no problem when you have WhatsApp. But what is really getting me out of my seat is my camera and iPhone. Everyday I try to walk and look and I mean really look. Sometimes I get lucky and get a great shot and then other times, not so much. I try to look at places or objects that are overlooked. Or maybe just sit and wait for it to come to me….. so tomorrow will be another day to see if I click on something special…
I want a nose like yours Mommy
Mommy why is my nose fat? I want a nose like yours.
You have a cute nose.
No it’s not. I want my nose like yours
But you have papa’s nose and it’s a lovely nose
I still want a smaller nose like yours.
Ay hija you are beautiful and we love you very much.
When I grow up maybe I can make it smaller
Why? Because I want to look like the pretty girls in my school.
I bet they wish they had curly hair like you.
Maybe but they can change that in the beauty parlor. I have seen them do that.
But you don’t have to. You are beautiful hija, when you get older you will see.
In essence that was how I felt when I was a young girl living in the South Bronx. But no matter, I still have my chubby nose and I would not change a thing. Thank you Mommy and Pappy.
These times….
We are all experiencing the dire effects of austerity, even more now then ever. As I walked past this man, he did not make contact with anyone, he just kept looking at his dog and just smiled. I noticed he had a container of coffee or tea. Sadly, as many of us do these days, I had no change only my plastic card. Next time, I will hopefully remember to take my change purse….
Little Puerto Rican Girl Who Wanted to Live in Paris
She was living in the projects in the South Bronx, but after seeing lots of old French movies from her old black and white TV set, she told herself that someday she will get to live in Paris and meet Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, and… . Oh by the way her name is Liliane.
One day, there was a new girl in her class. Her name was Viviane and guess where she came from? You’ve guessed it! Paris! (No way) yes way!
She and her French friend became inseparable. The little girl from the Bronx wanted Viviane to teach her French. She told Viviane that when she goes to live in Paris, she wanted to visit Edith Piaf. Viviane was confused. Viviane told her there is no one in Paris by that name. Viviane shook her head. Viviane took her by the hand and they went to play. However, Lilliane still wanted to go find her. She truly believed Edith Piaf lived in Paris.
I Remember…
I Remember or Me Acuerdo
I remember living in The Idenwald Projects in the Bronx. It was the 1950s and we had a flat on the first floor. We had a modern bathroom with toilet, bathtub and sink. I felt like we were rich, but of course we were far from it. My school was across the street and you could see it from our living room window. I was around 6 or 7 when Mama let me go to school by myself. She could watch me through the window.
I remember my dad working at the Art Steel Company somewhere in the Bronx. It was far from where we were living and far from my grandmother, Abuelita, Papa’s mom.
I remember getting athletes feet and my mom dumping hydrogen peroxide on my toes. The bubbling scared me, and it stung.
I remember watching The movie One Touch of Venus with Ava Gardner, and I just loved her beauty and the movie, of course…
I remember the time I visited my dad in the hospital after gall bladder surgery. I appeared with a poster in my hand. It was about the revolutionary Albizu Campos who was the leader of the independent movement for Puerto Rico. My visit to my father was around 1969. It was my second year at the university, and I had been exposed to revoluntionary ideas while there. I showed my father the poster and we began having a discussion which soon began to be very animated. He did not support the independence and I said how could you believe that when you enlisted during WW2, they put you in the ‘colored’ section. I then said to him the unthinkable. Papi you are just an Uncle Tom. He knew what I meant. At which point I knew I went too far. He said he was tired and wanted to go to sleep. I gave him a kiss and asked him for the blessing. He did, then turned away from me and I left.
A NuYorican Flaneuse: Words and Images by Benilda Pacheco Beretta 