Love Circum-fended

𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Thamizh gets excited seeing the advertisement. He keeps walking to and fro in the shop and urges his parents to finish their shopping.

Thamizh's Father: Dei, wait da. We're shopping for you only, why are you this eager to go home now?

Thamizh's Mother: Yeah, otherwise you always hangout with your friends.

Thamizh sighs and keeps walking nervously. They finish their shopping and reach home. Thamizh runs to his room and locks the door.

Thamizh's Mother: What's wrong with him?

Thamizh's Father: Must be some contest again. Come we will have dinner, most probably he will not feel hungry today.

Thamizh opens his laptop and searches for the advertisement in Google. After a two minute search he finds the advertisement given by Amara Prod Pvt Ltd.

It was a photography contest held by the production enterprise to acknowledge budding talents. The best talents would be awarded on their reality show.

Thamizh (reads fastly): rules and regulations... develop an innovative concept and take photos based on that... any kind of malpractice is strictly prohibited... last day of submission is on 10th July. Oh... so this programme is conducted for World Photography Day.

He reads the other information about the photography contest. When he scrolls down to see the address of the company's office, he gets stupefied !

Thamizh (with his eyeballs popping out): Ramya ?!

He was stunned to see his role model Ramya Venkatesh, a popular Architectural Photographer as the chief guest for the event.

He reaches out to his files on his bookshelf in which some of his most-recognised and appreciated clicks by his family and friends were printed as hard copies. He wanted to make the best use of this opportunity therefore he started thinking hard about the concept in which he wanted to shoot.

Thamizh's Mother (shouts): Don't you want to have dinner?

Thamizh: No ma !

He went through his photographs many times to think of an idea. Finally, he came up with a concept and decided to shoot based on that.

Thamizh texted his friends asking them for good photogenic locations to shoot. He got a bunch of them. Listing down the concept and the locations in the half-used diary beside him, he went on to lie on his bed with the conviction of a promising future, which automatically brought that cheerful smile on his face. He texted his friend saying, 'Be ready at 8 am, we are going for a shoot :) '.

With that curve on his lips steeping higher and higher, his dreamful eyes closed slowly in expectation of the golden rays hitting his eyelids earlier than ever stimulating the optic nerve and human CPU to divert morning calls to each other in search of the best song, and them in return whispering on the wakeup song to each other.

It was morning. Thamizh came out of a 2-storeyed building that was situated at the dead end facing the other end of the street. Thamizh, in his formals was almost about to leave, that was when his neighbour called him.

Thamizh: Uncle?

That uncle: Where are you off to, this early in the morning pa?

Thamizh: I am going to take pictures uncle.

That uncle: I see you doing this all the time, don't you have a proper job?

Thamizh (in his mind): Yeah, just like you...

Thamizh: No uncle, this is my job.

That uncle: Hmm... wildlife photographer ah?

Thamizh (in his mind): There goes his movie reference again. It's 'Nanban' this time ah...

Thamizh: No uncle, landscape photographer.

That uncle: But why are using that camera?

Thamizh looks at the camera.

Thamizh: This is the Minolta SRT 101 35mm Film Camera uncle. I borrowed it from Abdul Anna's photo studio for the concept I've taken. I'm going to take proverbs as the main subject and capture visuals that reflect them.

His neighbour looks at him surprised. Thamizh's friend signals him by waving hands. Thamizh takes leave and joins his friend to find the locations.

In the mid-afternoon, after visiting most of the places, they finally arrive at a crop-less field.

Thamizh's friend: What photos will you be able to take here?

With sweat running down his forehead and hair, Thamizh looks to the right, left and down. He notices something. Swiping the sweat off his face, he bent down with his eyes partially open because of the irritation cause by sweat.

Thamizh clicks a picture of an earthworm sliding into the not-very-moist soil of the fields.

Thamizh: Can we use this proverb, 'A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out' ?

His friend: I don't know about all of that, but I'm doubtful about this picture. I don't think they'll accept this.

Thamizh: We will have this for backup then.

His friend: Hmm... hey look at that !

The sky turned mildly pink in color. The clouds veiled the big bright body, which made the air cooler. A dove appeared through the few rays of light of the blazing sun above the fertile land. The buoyant and gently motile clouds added beauty to the landscape. The brown-pink color combination looked like heaven on earth.

Thamizh captured the moment.

They both give the film to Abdul's Photo-Studio to develop it. They also send the photos take in the digital camera to be printed.

After a week's time, Thamizh goes to AMP Television's office to submit his work.

He goes to the reception and inquires the receptionist about the show. The receptionist gives him a form to fill.

Thamizh fills the form and goes to her to submit it. Before he could ask her anything, she gets a call. She quickly directs him to the other receptionist and moves to a quiet corner of the lobby.

The receptionist: Hello... yes... what?

TO BE CONTINUED.