This boy.
He sails through my dreams.
I close my eyes and see only him over and over again.
During my stay in Tonga, my computer was barely functioning so I wasn't able to review most of the pictures I was taking each day. Imagine my surprise when I found I had photographed this young boy on three different occasions.
And now that I am so far away I find myself looking through his pictures over and over again to see if I captured the spirit of this elusive elf. He seems so small in this picture and I feel so far way from that rainy day on the beach when I sat to watch him and his sister play while his father fished. Looking at him as he dances and leaps through my frames, I feel a unique kinship with him. He was the only young child who ignored me as he played. All the other children would approach me once they noticed me and pose for me, quite willingly, for a good amount of time. If I parked myself, hoping they would continue on with their activities, they assumed I stayed because I needed more pictures so they would generously invite their friends, siblings, and neighbors to have their picture taken as well. They'd even offer suggestions, in quite good English, of what other kinds of pictures I should take. From the teenage boys, I usually heard "Hey Palangi!" followed by some stunt, jump, or pose that look like it belonged on a rap album. I can't tell you how many fabulous pictures I have of boys jumping into the water and posturing with what looks like to this palangi, gang hand signs (ok, maybe I can, 800-1,000).
But this young boy seemed to know what I wanted and needed as a photographer. As his sister stopped her playing and smiled for me, he motioned for her to keep playing. As she turned to dash away, he shot me a quick smile of understanding over his shoulder and then completely ignored me for the next half hour . They ran about the beach continuing their endless game of tag as I sat and photographed them. It was only that as I was leaving that I approached them for a closer shot. I look into his eyes and can't help but wonder if our lives will not cross again. If I came away from Tonga with only his pictures, I would have left a happy woman.
