katherine waits for the bus

Returning home from a shoot the other day, I decided to drop the film at the lab on the way rather than make another trip out later. The last roll of the session was still in my camera only half shot, so thought I’d stop and see what I might find to finish it on. I never do this. After a shoot I can be pretty worn out and ready for a break from photographing, and I certainly was on this day. I’m surprised I stopped.

I noticed her immediately. Back perfectly straight, feet firmly on the ground and cane positioned forward as if to stabilize her position, she appeared regal to me. I took a photo of her at a distance, the old clock above her read 10:55. As I walked closer to where she was, her concentrated gaze at the road in front of her intrigued me. She was waiting……for a bus I assumed. And it was clear she took her bus waiting very seriously. No twelve ton city bus traveling on the narrow 2-lane street where she sat not 2 feet from the edge was going to slip by her unnoticed. No sir, not on her watch.

Like an idiot I probably circled her three times before working up the nerve to ask if I could photograph her up close. While other passersby noticed my suspicious behavior she did not waver in the least from her job of bus-watching. I finally began a conversation with her.

Her name is Katherine and she is 93, both of these facts stated with a soft southern accent and pride apparent. And yes, she was waiting for the bus. She was reluctant to be photographed but agreed after I told her I thought she looked beautiful sitting there and would send her copies of the images made. I suggested a slight repositioning of where she sat to improve the lighting on her a bit but she would hear nothing of it, reminding me again of her reason for sitting there. I liked that she would not be pushed around, even for better light.

I took several shots, got her address, and crossed the street. As I glanced back over at her I noticed she was exactly as I had found her, back straight, feet firmly planted with cane forward, apparently unaffected by our brief encounter. I took the last shot on my roll, the clock above her read 11:05, and Katherine continued to wait for the bus .

~Cynthia