The Thoughts of One Moment

I ran my hands through my ratted hair and took another swig of the glass beer bottle that sat effortlessly in my hand. Its contents spilling into my mouth and down my throat. I looked at myself in the small mirror I had on hand and sighed. Dark circles had formed around my green eyes making me appear ten years older than I really was.

I coughed into my hand and tipped the chair back on its two back legs, staring up at the cracked, white ceiling. The thought for this moment: Looks like I’m going to work with a hangover and no cigarettes left in the pack. What a bummer.

I grabbed my keys and sunglasses off the desk and then the camera off the table next to the couch. With my jacket finally on, I locked the door behind me and headed down the single flight of stairs and hopped in my car.
...
My phone rang twice before I was able to answer it. I stopped down at the red light and peered under the dash to see who called. “Fuck.” I mumbled. I flipped the phone open and held it to my ear. “What do you want, Allison.” I tried to sound somewhat welcoming. “I just called to say good morning.” She took offense. “I’ll, I’ll let you know when I’ve had one.” I could hear Allison sighing on the other end. “What?” I asked like I didn’t already know. “You know what, Rikki, you’re like a hopeless cause.” I chuckled a bit at that. “Um yeah. Please inform me of something I don’t already know.” I stepped on the gas to start again. “Look, I’m coming up on the intersect, I’ll call later.” Click. I lied.
...
I finally reached the common about half an our later. Yeah, this was my “exciting” job that I looked forward to everyday. I’m a hired photographer. I take pictures of really bratty kids who don’t know anything and once in while I would get a thank you for having taken time out of my busy schedule to come down here and do the said job. Nevertheless, it paid which was the main reason I did this.

I rested my car on the side of the road and walked into the park where the “Norrington” family waited. “Sorry about that.” I looked at the watch I didn’t have on my wrist. “So are you all set?” I asked. The mother nodded and pushed her kids to wear the set was set up.

“Can’t we just like photoshop my picture in?” The teenage son sulked. I gave him a sympathetic look as his mother and father as if on cue, shook their heads together. Their daughter was all for the picture, the son on the other hand, I could tell had better things to be doing. “Skylar, what have I told you about leaning like that?” The mother harped. I paid no mind as I positioned my camera, leveling it with the set and getting the whole image.

“Okay, smile now.” I repeat for the hundredth time in my life, trying to act like it doesn’t bother me. Everyone but the daughter smiled surprisingly enough. Like a sudden camera-shyness came over her seconds before the flash let off. “Why didn’t you smile, honey.” I pretended to care. Hell, she could be killing her mother with a knife in the scene and I wouldn’t of cared.

I put on a smile just before her mother looked up at me and asked, “You think you could retake that photo?” I smiled letting her know that retakes costs an extra twenty five dollars. “No problem. Now come on Karen, smile for the camera.” He mother pleaded. Boy ain’t I happy that she ain’t my mom. You couldn’t pay me fifty bucks to get in frame. Sure I love photography, as long as I wasn’t physically in front of the camera, I was perfectly fine with it.
...
I took another shoot which came out great. Skylar didn’t have much of smile but the family didn’t seem to notice. The mother handed him the money and went to pack up their things in the car. “Here’s your money.” He said shyly. I grabbed the money when I notice him continually switch his weight from one foot to the other. “Is something wrong?” I asked as I folded the money and pushed it deeper into my back pocket.

“You did a great job with the photo." He said. “Wait a second, boys just don’t walk up to me, give me money and say ‘you did a good job’. They usually want something.” He got really nervous cause I had apparently figured him out.

“You think you would wanna go out with me.”
“Shacking up with the family photographer. Not a good idea. Nah, actually I’m a little to old for you. I mean you’re seventeen and I’m twenty five. Not to good” He got this real embarrassed look on his face when I told him not to worry about it. I wasn’t going to tell anyone.

I watched their car drive off and then turned around and started heading back to my car. one hundred and twenty five more dollars in my back pocket always made me a little happier about how my life was going.