a 2007 Christmas story

Just below the bus stop a miniature bulldozer was removing snow. Some guy
walking up the street paused on the other side of the little bulldozer from
me, pulled out a camera, and snapped a photo up the street.

As he was passing by me I said to him: "Are you a photographer?"

"Yes," he said, "why?"

I said: "Because it looks like you just took a picture of me."

And he said: "No, I took a picture of him," meaning the snow removal guy.

He proceeded up the street, then stopped, turned around, and said to me:
"One thing I can tell you for goldarn sure: I don't want a picture of you."
Then he turned around and walked away.

As people in the bus shelter laughed, I stood there in befuddlement and
said, to his retreating back: "Thank you...I think."

I made eye contact with one lady in the bus shelter and said: "Was that a
compliment?" She said nothing, just returned my gaze merrily and shared her
wordless laugh with me.

Miki

On Dec 17, 1:30 pm, "Miki Kocic" <malefrancesfar...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> He proceeded up the street, then stopped, turned around, and said to me:
> "One thing I can tell you for goldarn sure: I don't want a picture of you."
> Then he turned around and walked away.
>

It sounds like you responded to him in a normal, well-adjusted manner.

If that sort of thing had happened to me a few years ago, I would have
thought it was because I was some sort of grotesque freak, and I would
have gone back into hiding for months or years.

If you looked strange and think strangely then, the people around you
have become your doubts and you'd tend to question everything and
every person around you their intentions, and so on.....So don't think
too much in terms of palying victimhood of yourself...And you'd be
much better off...

"Miki Kocic" <malefrancesfarmer@yahoo.ca> a écrit dans le message de news:
13mdg2g7e9o2t8f@corp.supernews.com...
> Just below the bus stop a miniature bulldozer was removing snow. Some guy
> walking up the street paused on the other side of the little bulldozer
> from me, pulled out a camera, and snapped a photo up the street.
>
> As he was passing by me I said to him: "Are you a photographer?"
>
> "Yes," he said, "why?"
>
> I said: "Because it looks like you just took a picture of me."
>
> And he said: "No, I took a picture of him," meaning the snow removal guy.
>
> He proceeded up the street, then stopped, turned around, and said to me:
> "One thing I can tell you for goldarn sure: I don't want a picture of
> you." Then he turned around and walked away.
>
> As people in the bus shelter laughed, I stood there in befuddlement and
> said, to his retreating back: "Thank you...I think."
>
> I made eye contact with one lady in the bus shelter and said: "Was that a
> compliment?" She said nothing, just returned my gaze merrily and shared
> her wordless laugh with me.
>
> Miki
This is how I see it:

There are people who don't want to be photographed and most photographers
know they should ask permission but often don't. The photographer was put on
the defensive and was slightly angered when you asked if he had taken your
picture and that's why he said he wouldn't want any "goldarn" picture of
you.

Your saying "thank you" made the scene amusing so the people at the bus stop
were laughing with you.

It's always nice to share a laugh.

But I wonder, why did you think he might be taking a picture of you and not
the rest of the people at the bus stop?

Katie

"Katie" <vfolle@yahoo.fr> wrote in message
news:4767e214$0$3798$5402220f@news.sunrise.ch...
>
> "Miki Kocic" <malefrancesfarmer@yahoo.ca> a écrit dans le message de news:
> 13mdg2g7e9o2t8f@corp.supernews.com...
>> Just below the bus stop a miniature bulldozer was removing snow. Some guy
>> walking up the street paused on the other side of the little bulldozer
>> from me, pulled out a camera, and snapped a photo up the street.
>>
>> As he was passing by me I said to him: "Are you a photographer?"
>>
>> "Yes," he said, "why?"
>>
>> I said: "Because it looks like you just took a picture of me."
>>
>> And he said: "No, I took a picture of him," meaning the snow removal guy.
>>
>> He proceeded up the street, then stopped, turned around, and said to me:
>> "One thing I can tell you for goldarn sure: I don't want a picture of
>> you." Then he turned around and walked away.
>>
>> As people in the bus shelter laughed, I stood there in befuddlement and
>> said, to his retreating back: "Thank you...I think."
>>
>> I made eye contact with one lady in the bus shelter and said: "Was that a
>> compliment?" She said nothing, just returned my gaze merrily and shared
>> her wordless laugh with me.
>>
>> Miki
> This is how I see it:
>
> There are people who don't want to be photographed and most photographers
> know they should ask permission but often don't. The photographer was put
> on the defensive and was slightly angered when you asked if he had taken
> your picture and that's why he said he wouldn't want any "goldarn" picture
> of you.
>
> Your saying "thank you" made the scene amusing so the people at the bus
> stop were laughing with you.
>
> It's always nice to share a laugh.
>
> But I wonder, why did you think he might be taking a picture of you and
> not the rest of the people at the bus stop?
>
> Katie

I was standing partway down the street, and everyone else was in the bus
shelter. The Cat clearing the snow was off to the side a bit. From the angle
of the camera it looked very much like he was aiming the camera at me.

I didn't mean to offend the guy and didn't, IMO, act in a confrontational
manner. If he's going to be that touchy about people not wanting to the
photographed then he shouldn't photograph things on the street.

On a bus that goes by there, just yesterday, I saw a mean-looking man with
his hand stuck deep in his jacket pocket muttering to himself about blowing
someone's head off. Our photographer is very lucky it wasn't *that* guy who
thought he was "shooting" at him.

Miki

"Miki Kocic" <malefrancesfarmer@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:13mdg2g7e9o2t8f@corp.supernews.com...
> Just below the bus stop a miniature bulldozer was removing snow. Some guy
> walking up the street paused on the other side of the little bulldozer
> from me, pulled out a camera, and snapped a photo up the street.
>
> As he was passing by me I said to him: "Are you a photographer?"
>
> "Yes," he said, "why?"
>
> I said: "Because it looks like you just took a picture of me."
>
> And he said: "No, I took a picture of him," meaning the snow removal guy.
>
> He proceeded up the street, then stopped, turned around, and said to me:
> "One thing I can tell you for goldarn sure: I don't want a picture of
> you." Then he turned around and walked away.
>
> As people in the bus shelter laughed, I stood there in befuddlement and
> said, to his retreating back: "Thank you...I think."
>
> I made eye contact with one lady in the bus shelter and said: "Was that a
> compliment?" She said nothing, just returned my gaze merrily and shared
> her wordless laugh with me.
>
> Miki
>

I think he was insulting you, but I can only speculate as to why.

>
> I was standing partway down the street, and everyone else was in the bus
> shelter. The Cat clearing the snow was off to the side a bit. From the
> angle of the camera it looked very much like he was aiming the camera at
> me.
>
oh, I see!

> I didn't mean to offend the guy and didn't, IMO, act in a confrontational
> manner. If he's going to be that touchy about people not wanting to the
> photographed then he shouldn't photograph things on the street.

The other day in line at the store I got told off by a bitter old man
because my coat accidently made a toy fall to the floor. He was just looking
for someone to fight with. It was weird. I got angry even though I know he's
to be pitied.
Katie


>
> On a bus that goes by there, just yesterday, I saw a mean-looking man with
> his hand stuck deep in his jacket pocket muttering to himself about
> blowing someone's head off. Our photographer is very lucky it wasn't
> *that* guy who thought he was "shooting" at him.
>
> Miki
>