Capturing Savannah by J. L. Krajcirovic Read Free Book Online Page A

reaches his arm out slowly. His hands shaking as he does and he grips the bag. He gives me a little smile and I ask him “Is it ok if I take you and your dogs photograph today?” holding up my camera in front of me.
    He doesn’t say anything but nods slowly several times. I take several images of him. Several of his face, which has a cracked leather look from the harsh sun and lines across the sides of his nose that move around his eyes. Stacked lines on his forehead dip down to the top of his nose. Despite the warm weather he wears a faded brown leather jacket that has more lines and cracks then his face. He eats slowly while I continue to take shot after shot. I am trying to be quick because I don’t want to bother him but he is such an interesting subject to capture. And it makes me a feel a little bit closer to my brother Jacks. My last sets of shots are from the top of his knees down his faded pin stripped pants to his mismatched shoes. One shoe has laces the other doesn’t. The shoe facing me on the left is pointed slightly out to the left. The shoe on the right is straight on but propped up some from the back so I can see the empty and frayed lace holes clearly. I can see the details of the chow dogs matted hair and how his position although at ease is attempting to encircle the mans feet. Ok, time to let him finish eating.
    “Have a good rest of the day sir.” I say. Walking away in the direction of the graveyard. I cross the street take a right, and walk around the backside of the enclosed Colonial Park Cemetery. I feel good about taking his picture. About capturing a moment of him and with him. In a way I feel like I am trying to make up for Jacks being responsible for a homeless mans death. I don’t really think I can ever make up for that but somehow doing this makes me feel a tiny bit less guilty. I walk with purpose to another one of the city’s famous squares. Walking what must be miles and passing a few other squares I land at Whitefield Square. In the middle is a beautiful arched gazebo surrounded by bushes and a wide faded red brick path. A man in a green jacket and a blue hoodie is shuffling around the path. I pull out the second lunch bag and approach the man.
    “Hi I brought you lunch. Sandwich, fruit, and chips. My name is Thea and I was hoping if it’s ok with you I could take your picture.” I say.
    The man gladly takes the lunch and mumbles , “Yes. Ok.” He looks up at me and smiles. I start clicking away capturing his toothy grin. He has two teeth sticking out on the left hand side of his face and you can see gaps in his smile where others should be. He has dark brown wrinkled skin. His facial hair is short and grey. I click a few more times and say “See you later sir.” to him.
    I walk back towards the river and along the other side of the Colonial Park Cemetery. Shuddering when I think of those haunting words from the gravestone. Age seventeen. Beloved brother. I continue a few blocks straight to Columbia Square. It features the Wormsloe Fountain in the center with a short brick façade around the perimeter. The branches from the large oak trees extend high into the sky with some of them twisting and turning almost in a motion like the fountain water itself. On the grass sits a younger woman with short dread locks and light brown freckled skin. She is saying something quietly. I get out another of the brown-bagged lunches and attempt to hand it to her.
    “Here are you are. It’s a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with some other stuff too.” I say. Knowing she is most likely hungry even though it’s late afternoon now and no longer lunchtime.
    “Leave me alone .” she mumbles and I barely understand her words but know what she wants by her tone. I leave the brown-bagged lunch in the grass next to her and walk to another part of the square on the other side of the fountain. Her back is facing me and she hunches over to eat the food I left next to her. I snap some shots so