Chapter 291: Hidden magical wonders (1/2)
It was a beautiful Autumn afternoon when Ben strolled into Washington Square Park with a camera hanging from his neck, planning to use this marvelous environment as the background for his photos.
Even though it was a small park, for a city-dweller, there was much to appreciate here. That's why as he stopped to inhale the fresh air, recognizing it was a rare treat in such a metropolis, Ben smiled and savored the tree farts...
Then, he also opened his other senses, discovering new things. He heard the singing of birds, along with a dreadlocked guitarist in a tie-dye sweater playing a horrific cover of Dave Matthews Band...
Ben's smile became stiff as he glanced at him. 'You couldn't just leave it to the birds?'
...
Nevertheless, it was an intriguing atmosphere. Here, the two mighty powers of nature and civilization achieved a temporary truce, enjoying each other's company. As for Ben, he gazed around this peaceful scene, realizing that since he'd taken up photography, he'd gained a newfound appreciation for his environment and its wonders. It even heightened his awareness and allowed him to discover hidden magical things:
A dog humping a sleeping man's leg...
A squirrel chasing another squirrel for an acorn debt in the trees...
A young couple in love on a bench. The man's eyes scanning around sneakily, before his hand wormed its way under the jacket in her lap as she frowned...
The man's eyes popping out and her frown twisting into a trolling smile as he bumped into something unexpected...
...
These hidden wonders were always there but people missed them, not bothering to look, or not wanting to look...
However, Ben's increased awareness even led to his consciousness blending into these scenes:
He was that squirrel debt...
He was that creeping hand...
He was that surprising sausage. 'NO!' Ben shook his head violently!
...
That damn scene was too much!
So, he paced away with an awkward gait as he peered over his shoulder at that man on the bench, finding him narrowing his eyes as if he was making a decision...before his expression became firm, and he grinned...
Ben's face turned pale as his head swiveled away from them, vowing to never turn his head back to that general direction...
Marching away, in his mind, he recited that man's eulogy. 'When you gays long into the abyss. The abyss gays also into you.”
...
It was lucky for Ben that not the entire park was full of animal and human derelicts...
Soon, sitting on the edge of the large stone fountain, he discovered Charlotte waiting for him.
When he saw her, he paused for a second, because it was his first time seeing her wear a dress, a cute blue ensemble that showed off her narrow legs on this warm day. Spotting Ben, she also stood up, but kept her head down as she clutched her purse in front of her, nervous when she thought about what they were planning to do.
Today, she would model for Ben once again.
Although he'd agreed to cancel her promise to send her photos into the competition, it was only under the condition that she once again modeled for him, and for Charlotte, it was a difficult proposition.
When Darryl insulted her at the critique, it made her self-conscious, even more than she already was. Yet, Ben used his motivational speaking ability to convince her to do it, along with pretending it broke his heart that she didn't want him as a model…
He didn't have to pretend too hard though... In truth, he had oh so many more memes to show off, so there was some regret there…
However, he'd accept it as long as she modeled for him. After all, he'd declared he'd defeat Darryl in the beginner's photography competition using Charlotte as a model, and when Ben chose her, it wasn't out of spite for Darryl. He needed her!
In reality, when photographing her, his instincts told him that she possessed something special! Something that could lead to miraculous photos! Albeit, he wasn't sure what it was.