The Assignment

by Doug Oldfield
1000 Words

There she was, like everyday, just sitting on the bench with the strangest look on her face. It was almost like a kid who was caught peeking at his Christmas presents. She always nodded and said hello, which seemed strange coming from that face. This intrigued Ron. He wondered why she was out so early each morning. He wondered if she was married, if she had children, where she lived, all questions a good photographer hopes his photos raise.

Rob arrived at Breighton Studios on Sixth Street, his assistant, Pam, met him at the door.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“What do mean? It’s not even eight o’clock.”

“We had a meeting with a client this morning.”

“Who?” Rob asked.

“I can’t believe you don’t remember. It’s City View Magazine. They’re doing a story on life in the city. Does any of this ring a bell?”

Rob slapped his forehead, “I thought that was tomorrow. Are they here now? “

“Yeah, they’re in the conference room,” Pam answered. “You need to pull it together.”

Rob hurriedly grabbed his portfolio and note pad. Pam followed close behind.

“I’m sorry, Pam. This divorce is really getting me down. If it’s not the attorneys wanting a piece of me it’s my soon to be ex-wife.”

“It could always be worse,” Pam said. “Remember that guy in the news last week whose wife hired a hit man. She said she didn’t want to drag the kids through a long divorce.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. At least we don’t have kids.”

“That’s not what I . . . “

Rob pushed the door to the conference room open while Pam was in mid sentence. Three people sat around the table. Two very well dressed women and a middle-aged man.

“I’m sorry to be running late this morning,” Rob said. He then went around the table shaking hands. “My name is Rob Fischer. I understand you are with City View Magazine. “

“Yes we are,” the woman in the blue suit said. “I am Marie Jackson, the editor. We are looking for a photographer who can capture the heart of this city in a single photo. Do you think you can do this?”

“Have you seen any of my work?” he asked.

“Yes,” Marie said.

“Then it doesn’t matter what I think. You obviously think I can or you wouldn’t be here.”

“You’re very sure of yourself, Mr. Fischer.”

“If I didn’t believe in my work then where would I be?”

“I think we have all we need,” Marie said. “You will get in touch with us when you have a picture?”

“It will either be me or Pam.”

“Good. We hope to hear from you soon. We need the photo by noon on Friday.”

“You realize that’s only three days away.”

“In the magazine business you live and die by the deadline.”

“We’ll be in contact,” Rob said.

He watched them walk out the door then called for Pam. “The deadline is Friday at noon. I’ve got to get on this right away.”

“Do you have any idea who to use as a subject?”

“As a matter of fact I do,” Rob smiled. “I pass this little old lady every day on my way in here. She just sits on the bench and waves at people as they go by. I believe I can get a candid shot of her that would work.”

“How are you going to get a candid shot?”

“She’s on that bench every morning. I’ll just hide in the tree line and snap away.”


~

The next morning Rob arrived in the park at five AM. He didn’t know what time the old lady would get there so he was early. As soon as he had his equipment set up he saw the lady take her seat. Rob centered her in his viewfinder and began to snap photos. It was still dark so he wasn’t getting much. Soon someone approach the bench. They were near enough to the old lady to say hello. Rob snapped a picture of the man, saw him tip his hat. The man passed the bench and Rob noticed the old lady’s head lean back in a half smile, half grimace. Suddenly a blinding flash filled the area next to the bench. The man was gone. Rob looked everywhere he could from his vantage point but the man was gone.

Light was just breaking through the tall buildings around the park. Rob could smell the newly cut grass, the water in a nearby lake. He had convinced himself that what he saw earlier could not have happened. It was a combination of low light and sleepy eyes, he repeated to himself. Another man approached the bench, nodded and passed by. Rob had the camera trained on the lady. Again, her head went back, she had the same look on her face. Another flash of light and the man was gone. The man was nowhere to be found.

Rob stood in shock then noticed the lady looking at him. He dropped back behind the bush and trained the camera lens on her. He saw her lean back and then a mind numbing blast hit him.

~

The old lady sat on the bench reading a copy of City View Magazine. Her photo was on the front page.

“Not very flattering,” she said to herself.

At the end of the walkway stood three people, two young women and a man.

“We finally found her,” Marie said. “I just wish it hadn’t const so much.”

“Yeah,” the man answered. “We had to hire 230 photographers.”

“I was talking about the one we lost. I wish we could have told him to be careful.”

“He would have laughed if we said, ‘Hey, be careful because the person you’re photographing may be a soul stealing alien.”

“Yeah, I know. Let’s finish this.”

They walked toward the little old lady on the bench.

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