Don't stand so close to me

Red leaf in a strong wind
London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

A single leaf stands vertically in the tall grass, defiant against the stiff evening wind trying to sweep it into oblivion. I kneel down beside it, hoping to somehow capture it in the last dying moments of sunlight.

As I set up the shot, a grey-haired man wearing purple sweatpants approaches me on the adjacent sidewalk. Pandemic culture being what it is, I stop what I’m doing to ensure he doesn’t get too close.

Sure enough, he makes a beeline for me. As he approaches, he cheerfully asks me what I’m doing. Normally I’m all too happy to share the moment, to spread the simple joy of telling stories through glass. But this isn’t a normal time, and I feel guilty that my first inclination is to will him away.

I tersely answer, "Taking some autumn pictures," as I give him a quick smile, then just as quickly pick the camera up and step back. He smiles and continues on his way.

I am at once relieved he got the message and didn't wander closer, and saddened that this is the way we live now. Because any other time, it probably would have led to a delightful chat about the random beauty of autumn leaves and the simple joy of taking pictures whenever creativity strikes.

But this isn't any other time. Either way, I hope he understands the why. That I wasn't being deliberately rude. Just careful.

Seconds later, the light fades for good and I'll have to settle for whatever imperfection I was able to capture before a stranger crossed my path.

But as I walk back to the house and wish for an end to the antisocial-first facade we must now present to strangers whenever we're among them, I realize every photo has a context, and it's up to us to remember the accompanying stories just as powerfully as the pixels that spawn them in the first place.

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