September 19, Elk Grove Village.
Behind the high school it is, and the marching band streamed by a little while ago, and the cheerleaders too, now teenagers walk bike roller-skate by every minute, this way and that, and the cheers and the whistles all but drown out the sounds of the circus even though the playing field is a lot farther from our trailer than the circus is.
Memories flood by, Friday night football as a photojournalist in Jacksonville, downstate from here, all geared up and still trying to figure out the rules of this mysterious, bizarre-looking game, which I grew to love shooting nonetheless, and not just the game but all the drama around it, the small town rivalries, the high school high drama, the parading of the jocks and the agony of the wounded players, you're out and the fun is passing you by, the shouting parents, and then, rushing back to the newsroom for there's only fifteen minutes to shoot, less if the town is far, praying there's something good on the film, still high on the adrenaline, it's contagious is what it is, and on the drive back it slowly ebbs away, nothing you can do now, good pictures or not the dice are cast, and the night is long with more work ahead, there's more rushing to do to get the pictures ready before deadline, and finally heading home exhausted to a sudden sleep, satisfied at last, the work done.
I used to both dread and love Friday night football, but the fun always won.
2 comments:
Circus was better than ever. We want you back for your 5th visit. I love seeing the same faces year to year plus all the new ones. Avana told me about this site, thought I'd tell you how much we loved your husband's performance! Must be a very interesting experience for you.
Yes it is, and I'm glad you enjoyed the work the circus did. It's always heartening to hear people's reactions.
One of the things I miss from my job is meeting new people all the time, and the public's comments on the blog sometimes break that isolation a little, thank you!
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