Seven Snapshots
May. 1st, 2003 11:23 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
theodosia.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ds_flashfictionI felt like trying a different way to tell a story, but even so: "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a schmoopy ride."
857 words
Seven Snapshots
I.
Front:
A man with aggressively blond hair kneels in front of an elaborately decorated Christmas tree, “Santa” hat askew on his head. He is grimacing, perhaps laughing, as a brown terrier mix dog, wearing a novelty antler affixed to its collar, licks him on the right ear.
Back:
Entered with precise printing:
December 1993(?)
Ray Kowalski, age 33
“Sparky” approx. 3
II.
Front:
A handsome brunette man dressed in spotless white cowboy garb is standing next to a rough-hewn gate. Next to him is a man with unruly blond hair, dressed in grubby brown cowboy garb, six-shooter prominent on his hip. The brunette is looking out of picture, the blond is half-turned towards him, hand out-stretched in the act of touching his shoulder.
“Brodie Studios” embossed in gold leaf on bottom right corner
Back:
Scrawled pencil:
Roy Rogers and the Sundance Kid go undercover!
Below in precise printing:
November 1998
Ray Kowalski, age 38
Constable Benton Fraser RCMP, age 39
At Big Jim’s Traveling Wild West Show, Cook County Fair Grounds
III.
Front:
A man with scraggly sandy whiskers wearing heavy outdoor gear crouches in fresh white snow, wrinkles visible in his face as he squints against the light, surrounded by six frolicking husky-mix puppies of varying coloration, and a mature white husky-wolf mix standing calmly next to him looking directly at the camera. The man is grimacing slightly as one of the puppies rears up to lick his ear. The lighting is from behind the photographer, and a clear shadow of head and upraised camera is recognizable at lower left.
Back:
Scrawled handwriting:
Marge’s first litter
Underneath precise printing:
April 2003
Ray Kowalski, age 43
Diefenbaker, age 9 (approx.)
L to R: Apu, Moe, Barney, Lurleen, Mrs Krabappel, Tod Flanders, all approximately 3 mos.
IV.
Front:
A posed studio family photograph, seated on a coach from left to right: a mature brunette man in formal RCMP uniform with Corporal insignia, a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) black-haired girl in a green dress, white tights and Mary Jane shoes, a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) black-haired younger boy in a blue suit hugging a grizzled white husky-wolf mix dog, a mature man with erect blond hair in a blue suit. All are smiling at the camera except for the wolf mix, who appears to be looking at the blond man’s near ear.
front is embossed with “Northern Lights Studio, Yellowknife NWT” in the lower right hand corner
Back:
Entered with precise handwriting:
September 2008
Corporal Benton Fraser RCMP, age 49
Calli Littlecrow, age 10
Gus Kowalski, age 5
Diefenbaker, age 14 (approx.)
Ray Kowalski, age 48
The last name of Gus Kowalski has been emended at an unknown later date from Littlecrow.
V.
Front:
From left to right, a mature brunette man (with silver on his temples) leans down for a kiss on the cheek from a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) teenage girl dressed in a long blue dress with flowers in her long dark hair. He is dressed in jeans and a green plaid flannel shirt with a white Henley underneath. Next to them stands a teenage boy (Caucasian, red hair) in a powder-blue tuxedo holding a corsage.
Back:
Scrawled in loose handwriting:
Calli’s first formal
Precise printing:
March 16th, 2013
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP, age 54
Calli Littlecrow, age 15
Enas Mackintosh, age 16 (approx.)
VI.
Front:
Informally posed family picture, from left to right: Mature man with surprised blond hair, in blue business suit. His arm is around a young mixed-blood woman in formal RCMP uniform, her black hair in long braids. She is looking up at a mature man with brunette hair (silver at the temples) also in a formal RCMP uniform (with Sergeant insignia). Next to them stand a mixed-blood teenage boy in a brown suit and a mature blonde woman in formal RCMP uniform (with Corporal insignia). They are all smiling.
Back:
Precise handwriting:
May 23, 2018
Ray Kowalski, age 58
Constable Calli Littlecrow RCMP, age 21
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP, age 59
Gus Kowalski, age 15
Corporal Margaret McKenzie RCMP, age 50
Depot Graduating Class of 2018
VII.
Front:
Informally posed family picture, from left to right: Slim mature man with upright blond hair in a blue work shirt and jeans, seated on couch next to a white husky mix dog who is straining to lick the ear of the blond. He is wearing a “Santa” hat askew on his head. The husky mix has a novelty antler affixed to his collar. The blond has a hand across the back of the sofa, touching the shoulder of a mature silver-haired man dressed in khaki pants and a green flannel shirt with a white Henley underneath, who smiles back at him. In his lap he is very carefully holding a black-haired baby, dressed in a red “Santa” suit that has been carefully revised into an RCMP costume with little Sam Browne and insignia. The baby is smiling directly into the camera.
Back:
Precise handwriting:
Christmas 2023
Ray Kowalski, age 63
Pierre Trudeau, age 3 (approx.)
Martha Kowalski, age 5 mos.
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP (ret.), age 64
857 words
Seven Snapshots
I.
Front:
A man with aggressively blond hair kneels in front of an elaborately decorated Christmas tree, “Santa” hat askew on his head. He is grimacing, perhaps laughing, as a brown terrier mix dog, wearing a novelty antler affixed to its collar, licks him on the right ear.
Back:
Entered with precise printing:
December 1993(?)
Ray Kowalski, age 33
“Sparky” approx. 3
II.
Front:
A handsome brunette man dressed in spotless white cowboy garb is standing next to a rough-hewn gate. Next to him is a man with unruly blond hair, dressed in grubby brown cowboy garb, six-shooter prominent on his hip. The brunette is looking out of picture, the blond is half-turned towards him, hand out-stretched in the act of touching his shoulder.
“Brodie Studios” embossed in gold leaf on bottom right corner
Back:
Scrawled pencil:
Roy Rogers and the Sundance Kid go undercover!
Below in precise printing:
November 1998
Ray Kowalski, age 38
Constable Benton Fraser RCMP, age 39
At Big Jim’s Traveling Wild West Show, Cook County Fair Grounds
III.
Front:
A man with scraggly sandy whiskers wearing heavy outdoor gear crouches in fresh white snow, wrinkles visible in his face as he squints against the light, surrounded by six frolicking husky-mix puppies of varying coloration, and a mature white husky-wolf mix standing calmly next to him looking directly at the camera. The man is grimacing slightly as one of the puppies rears up to lick his ear. The lighting is from behind the photographer, and a clear shadow of head and upraised camera is recognizable at lower left.
Back:
Scrawled handwriting:
Marge’s first litter
Underneath precise printing:
April 2003
Ray Kowalski, age 43
Diefenbaker, age 9 (approx.)
L to R: Apu, Moe, Barney, Lurleen, Mrs Krabappel, Tod Flanders, all approximately 3 mos.
IV.
Front:
A posed studio family photograph, seated on a coach from left to right: a mature brunette man in formal RCMP uniform with Corporal insignia, a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) black-haired girl in a green dress, white tights and Mary Jane shoes, a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) black-haired younger boy in a blue suit hugging a grizzled white husky-wolf mix dog, a mature man with erect blond hair in a blue suit. All are smiling at the camera except for the wolf mix, who appears to be looking at the blond man’s near ear.
front is embossed with “Northern Lights Studio, Yellowknife NWT” in the lower right hand corner
Back:
Entered with precise handwriting:
September 2008
Corporal Benton Fraser RCMP, age 49
Calli Littlecrow, age 10
Gus Kowalski, age 5
Diefenbaker, age 14 (approx.)
Ray Kowalski, age 48
The last name of Gus Kowalski has been emended at an unknown later date from Littlecrow.
V.
Front:
From left to right, a mature brunette man (with silver on his temples) leans down for a kiss on the cheek from a mixed race (First Nations, Caucasian) teenage girl dressed in a long blue dress with flowers in her long dark hair. He is dressed in jeans and a green plaid flannel shirt with a white Henley underneath. Next to them stands a teenage boy (Caucasian, red hair) in a powder-blue tuxedo holding a corsage.
Back:
Scrawled in loose handwriting:
Calli’s first formal
Precise printing:
March 16th, 2013
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP, age 54
Calli Littlecrow, age 15
Enas Mackintosh, age 16 (approx.)
VI.
Front:
Informally posed family picture, from left to right: Mature man with surprised blond hair, in blue business suit. His arm is around a young mixed-blood woman in formal RCMP uniform, her black hair in long braids. She is looking up at a mature man with brunette hair (silver at the temples) also in a formal RCMP uniform (with Sergeant insignia). Next to them stand a mixed-blood teenage boy in a brown suit and a mature blonde woman in formal RCMP uniform (with Corporal insignia). They are all smiling.
Back:
Precise handwriting:
May 23, 2018
Ray Kowalski, age 58
Constable Calli Littlecrow RCMP, age 21
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP, age 59
Gus Kowalski, age 15
Corporal Margaret McKenzie RCMP, age 50
Depot Graduating Class of 2018
VII.
Front:
Informally posed family picture, from left to right: Slim mature man with upright blond hair in a blue work shirt and jeans, seated on couch next to a white husky mix dog who is straining to lick the ear of the blond. He is wearing a “Santa” hat askew on his head. The husky mix has a novelty antler affixed to his collar. The blond has a hand across the back of the sofa, touching the shoulder of a mature silver-haired man dressed in khaki pants and a green flannel shirt with a white Henley underneath, who smiles back at him. In his lap he is very carefully holding a black-haired baby, dressed in a red “Santa” suit that has been carefully revised into an RCMP costume with little Sam Browne and insignia. The baby is smiling directly into the camera.
Back:
Precise handwriting:
Christmas 2023
Ray Kowalski, age 63
Pierre Trudeau, age 3 (approx.)
Martha Kowalski, age 5 mos.
Sergeant Benton Fraser RCMP (ret.), age 64
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no subject
Date: 2003-05-01 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-05-01 09:31 pm (UTC)Now look what you did
Date: 2003-05-01 09:34 pm (UTC)Re: Now look what you did
Date: 2003-05-01 09:48 pm (UTC)What she said. ::g::
This was great - interesting, inventive, touching. Lots of loving detail but plenty of space to let the mind wander.
Just lovely.
Re: Now look what you did
Date: 2003-05-02 08:52 pm (UTC)I can't begin to tell you how chuffed I am the story worked for you (or any of the other commentators!
no subject
Date: 2003-05-01 09:44 pm (UTC)I'm a sucker for schmoop. *g*
I like this format. I really felt like I was going through a stack of photos, and I like that it makes the reader fill in the backstory behind that one instant captured on film.
no subject
Date: 2003-05-01 09:57 pm (UTC)Brava, my dear. This was really masterful.
no subject
Date: 2003-05-01 11:46 pm (UTC)Damn you all, I had gotten through this lovely story with a dry eye, and then I started reading the emotional responses, and now I'm all teary.
This is a really good story, Theodosia. It was just like flipping through a photo album.
no subject
Date: 2003-05-02 04:05 am (UTC)This is gorgeous. I love that you gave them children to raise. Really, really love that.
Strangely enough, I think the little detail that gave it the extra kick was that Calli kept her original surname. Kept it from seeming too good to be true.
no subject
Date: 2003-05-02 06:49 am (UTC)What shayheyred said, basically. Maybe I don't generally like schmoopy stories because they push too hard, but you didn't push! You kind of rattled the heartstrings instead of tugging on them. Which is the best kind of hurt.
Okay, and I was worried about the last picture having someone missing. It would have been fine if there had been, but I was sniffly relieved there wasn't.
And dammit, Theo, who said you got to be so damned good?
no subject
Date: 2003-05-02 08:59 pm (UTC)Yeah, couldn't bring myself to have somebody missing from a picture. If the wishes of my heart could influence events, they'd just be bodily assumed directly into heaven....
no subject
Date: 2003-05-02 09:19 am (UTC)(And I love that Dief's descendent apparently puts up with the same indignities Dief had to go through *g*)
-Beth
no subject
Date: 2003-05-02 07:30 pm (UTC)Wiebe's story takes photos and artifacts from an incident in the Riel rebellion of 1885 and presents them in this straight, factual way, but at the same time allows the reader to draw such rich meaning from it. If I may quote:
"The problem is to make the story...Presumably all the parts of the story are themselves available. A difficulty is that they are, as always, available only in bits and pieces."
It always struck me as an amazing testament to the way history is constructed by the choices made, and I can see this in your narrative, constructing the personal histories of these two characters. Wow, wow, wow. Wonderful stuff.
Wow
Date: 2003-05-02 09:24 pm (UTC)What really inspired this was the family genealogy research my roommate has been doing, which includes archiving a large variety of family photographs from several generations. She's studying archiving as part of her MS in library science, so she's going all out in the cataloging, trying to identify who is in each snapshot, what was the occasion, the date. I can just see Fraser going over the year's photos on a long winter night, neatly labelling each and putting them into albums that are stored away in the big trunk.
Another thing that gave me inspiration was reading (some time ago) about a therapist who likes to go over family photographs with her patients, because unacknowledged dysfunctions -- and also authentic love and tenderness, sometimes -- are often so apparent to close scrutiny of such elements of who is touching whom and how, who is looking at other family members, who is gazing out of frame, et cetera. Posed versus informally posed versus unposed pictures also provide interesting information, because how a professional photographer arranges us, versus how we'll decide on our own to arrange ourselves, versus how we look when we're not aware of being observed all say interesting and indirect things about us and our relationships.
(Could you tell that one of my favorite subjects in college was photography?)
Anyway... I'm so glad that you got so much out of my little story! I guess I had a lot going on in the back of my head....
Re: Seven Snapshots
Date: 2003-05-03 07:12 am (UTC)