Snapshot of the Past

Thrift Shop Finds

-Fall of 2020-

            Jongho stands indecisively in front of the dusty bookshelf littered with old cameras at his local thrift store. He scans the shelves over again for a few minutes until he spots a pop of  orange color hiding behind a rusted black camera.                        He shifts it out of his way so he can see what the orange was coming from. Laying at an angle is a Polaroid camera that looked in pristine condition. Jongho's eyes light up in excitement as he grabs it with eagerness.

"This is the one" he mumbles to himself as he makes his way thorough the endless shelves and tables filled with different figurines and worn out books.

       He was able to save alittle bit of money due to taking wedding photos for his mother's friend from work. Ever since he started college and majored in photography his mother was all too eager to start searching for photography work to help make a name for himself in his town. He walks up to the counter to find out how much the vintage camera would cost.

"I'm ready to check out Mrs. Bae" he said as  he sets the camera down.

"Hun I've told you this last time just call me Irene" she says in a friendly tone.

"Yes ma'am I do apologize Irene" Irene Nods as she inspects the camera.    

"Hmmm that will be 10 bucks"

Oh really?!? That's all?" Jongho said in a shocked tone.

"Yes, a woman came here a few months ago and donated it so I don't really know the value of it. Besides, you come in here enough that I can cut you a discount."

He smiles towards her as he hands her the cash. "Thank you so much Mrs Irene!"

      He almost yells as he grabs the camera and waves her goodbye opening the door. Once outside Jongho walks slowly as he inspects the camera and carefully opens it to see the inside. The camera still has Polaroid film in it but it has dry rotted as time went on. He's not worried at all in the slightest as he has fresh film at home.

       As Jongho keeps inspecting the camera a familiar presence of comfort surrounds him. He looks up to see the familiar old lady he always sees everyday walking home from school. She looks up and gives him that same reassuring smile as he passes her. He gives her a nod as he walks closer to his dorm. He looks back and watches her fade away. He wasn't fazed as the apparition disappeared as she did this every day like clockwork.         

       Jongho was always able to see ghosts ever since he was 8 so this was his normal life. He never told anyone. Not that he was ashamed he just never thought to bring it up to anyone. Jongho knew he had the ability to see and sense the departed and they would sometimes communicate with him. Some of these ghosts would tell him how they died or even gave him flashbacks of their life back when they were still on Earth. Most were friendly while others were not. Most ghostly encounters he had were fairly tame but sometimes he would get a few that he could clearly see how they died.

      Ghosts that died violent deaths would show themselves to him as how they looked when they unfortunately passed away. He's seen car accident victims, drowning victims, and some that looked like they could have been killed but he never asked in fear of making them scared or even violent with him. Jongho finally reached his door and unlocked it and went inside and threw his backpack in the empty chair in his living room. He quickly made his way over to his computer and did a quick research of the camera model. He quickly found out the camera was a limited edition Color from 1978. The value of the camera greatly exceeded the money he paid Irene by at least 2,000 dollars.

        That is why he loves going thrifting, he can find valuable cameras and refurbish them for his own collection. Jongho's phone went off next to him. It was one of his best friends Kim Hongjoong asking if he scored anything at the thrift store. He texted back yes that he got a 1970s camera basically for free that's worth over 2,000 dollars for 10 bucks.

       "Sounds cool! Why don't you bring it tomorrow when we all go up to the Dynamite Ruins. Hwa wants you to take photos in the clothes Yeosang Just finished making for him." Hongjoong replied.
      "Sounds great Ill bring it then" Jongho quickly texted back then put his phone on the charger before getting ready for bed.

        He was excited to go back to the Ruins as he gets a lot of hauntingly beautiful photos. The locals ever since he was younger always called that place The Ruins. It was a popular nightclub back in the 1970s called Dynamite that was ran by the famous group BTS. The band built the club higher in the hills that could have been seen from the town below. It was a very exclusive club as it was found out years later it was a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community that wasn't able to be themselves during that era.

        Jongho soon settles into bed and quickly falls asleep after the exhausting day eager to go back to the historical site.