Capturing Savannah

by Krajcirovic, J. L.

  Walking I notice several of the run down alleyways like I’ve seen in some pockets of the city. Most of them appear deserted. I know I should keep going so I can get into the darkroom but a shot of one of these alleyways could be good for the project I am working on. I see a striking graphic of graffiti in the next alleyway I am approaching and decide to turn into it. Not sure yet what else that particular alleyway holds. As I am turning in I snap my camera over and over again and then happen upon several figures. I can’t help but notice how young some of them look. A few look like they could have been Jacks age, seventeen. Their clothes indicate that they are homeless along with the fact that they are going through the trash in the dumpster. There is a broken down partially stripped car in the alleyway too which I pause next too. And I know I should get out of there, keep on walking and mind my own business but a shot of this magnitude would be perfect. I pause keeping the distance between us in check. I decide to take a few shots and as I am snapping away one of the guys looks up in my direction.

  “What are you doing there sweetheart?” he asks.

  “Working on a school project to take pictures around the city.” I say.

  They laugh and yell “Fuck off pink haired princess.”

  “Wow. Ok.” I say whispering so only I can hear my reaction. I back up a few steps quickly bumping into the broken down car and I feel a stinging sensation on my leg. I make a move back towards the sidewalk that extends down the remainder of the street and to my destination of the photo lab. As I do I hear footsteps and know I am being followed. Stupid. Stupid Thea. I think to myself.

  Barely out of the alleyway I hear “Hey wait a minute princess. I think we can work something out. Come back and take my picture.” One of them says. I glance back continuing to keep walking and see that three of them are practically on my heels. Just then one of them grabs my shoulder roughly swinging me around and the others surround me.

  “Hey guys. Look I am sorry I stepped onto your turf. I am just doing a project for my class. I won’t bother you again.” I say. One of them chuckles and reaches out to my hair touching the pink and moving his face in close. He takes a deep breath trying to inhale me.

  “Just what I thought, your hair smells like pink roses.” he says.

  I take a step back shaking my head so his fingers are forced to leave my hair. For an instant I think about doing nothing. I think about how I might deserve whatever it is they might do to me. How letting this happen might take the guilt I feel away. But then I start thinking of how I could use my camera as a weapon. I do have a pretty strong flash setting if I can get it turned on quickly.

  A car screeches next to us alongside the sidewalk. I hear a voice yell “Get away from her.” And I know it’s David. I fumble with the buttons in my hands and quickly lift my camera clicking the button in the guys face just as he makes a move to get closer to me. The flash goes off blinding the one temporarily and the others jump. The guys take off and David has his arms around me.

  “Oh my god Thea. Are you ok?” he asks. “Your leg. It’s bleeding.” He adds and I can hear the concern in his voice and I look down at my leg and see the cut in my jeans and red stuff underneath the slightly open gap the jeans are making. Physical injuries don’t mean much though. They are on the outside. They don’t compare to how it feels to lose a brother.

  “I’m fine. I think I cut it on a car in the alleyway” I say.

  “Alleyway! What were you thinking Thea?”

  “About my photography project.” I say with a little sarcasm.

  “Well…” He stumbles with his words “You…Get in the car.” he says.

  He opens the car door for me without his arm leaving my side. When I get in I smell an overwhelmingly delicious smell of pizza.

  “Pizza?” I say as he gets into the drivers side of the car.

  “Ya I was out on a delivery when I happened to see you in trouble.” he says. “I’m calling the police.”

  “No.” I say. “You don’t need to do that. It’s fine nothing happened. I am ok.”

  “Ok? You’re hurt.” He says.

  “Really. I am ok.” I say.

  We sit in silence for several minutes.

  “Thea. Are you sure you don’t want me to call the cops?”

  “Yes. I am sure.” I say.

  “Ok. Let me finish this delivery real quick. It’s a block away. And then your coming back with me to the shop to get that leg cleaned up.” We sit in silence as he pulls the car over in front of a meter. “Don’t go anywhere.” he says with a serious tone. I think he is only gone a minute before he returns back to the car. The rest of the car ride is more silence. I feel like crying but then I remind myself they may have put their hands on me but they didn’t hurt me, not where it really hurts. On the inside. But they aren’t the reason why I am really upset. I am upset about how I let my remaining guilt almost get me into trouble. I am upset because for an instant I might have gone through it. With letting them hurt me. The cops wouldn’t be able to help with that, not with really happened. Plus it was my fault. I am the one who walked up to them in the alleyway. I am the one who lingered when I knew I shouldn’t have. I asked for it.

  David parks the car in front of a building with a sign that reads Vinnie Van GoGo’s Pizza. It’s green and yellow like his shirt. I didn’t notice it before but his shirt has the same text as the sign. He turns off the engine, takes out the keys and turns to look at me. I am waiting for him to speak so when he doesn’t I turn to face him.

  “Thea are you sure you are ok?”

  “I am good, really” I say. Turning back and reaching for the car door handle so we can go inside. I leave my camera equipment on the floor of the car. He gets out too and I attempt to change the subject.

  “So this your car?” I ask. Looking back at the white Honda Accord. Thinking to myself about the white color of the car and how he just might be my white knight here.

  “Ya. It’s how I got the job here. Having a car helps with a delivery job.” He says. “Plus I am not too bad with making a pizza either.”

  He opens the pizza shop door for me and we walk to the end of the bar top counter all the way in the back. It’s packed inside but I take the empty seat at the end stool and he says he will be right back. In only a few minutes he returns with hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls. He rolls my jeans up to my knee very delicately. The light touch of his hands on my leg brings the butterflies back into my gut. So much that I don’t feel anything else when he applies the peroxide. It’s not a deep cut but it’s a few inches wide. He carefully puts a large bandage over it and rolls my jeans back down.

  “Thanks.” I say.

  “Hey do you want to just get a pizza to go tonight instead?” he asks.

  “Changed your mind about the date thing already huh?” I ask a little sad but mainly being sarcastic. “Actually I didn’t get a chance to make it in to the photo lab.” I say. “So I think I may just go do that tonight. If that is ok with you.” Giving him an out in case he did change his mind about our date. But also just wanting to keep myself busy instead of thinking of the guys from the alleyway and Jacks.

  “Ok” he says. “I’ll bring pizza. What kind do you want?”

  “You want to go to the photo lab?” I ask.

  “If you think I am letting you out of my sight after all of that, you’re crazy.” he says making me blush once again.

  “Ok. Ham and pineapple then.” I say.

  “You got it. Hawaiian it is. Coming right up.” He says.

  He goes to the back but I can still see him through the kitchen window that follows the length of the bar. I catch him looking through it at me every now and then. Before I know it he comes back out with the box of pizza and we get back into his car.

  There are only a few people in the lab. I guess since it’s Friday night it would be pretty deserted. Most students are out partying right now. I start mixing the chemicals. I watch David in the low amber light of the room as he looks around at all the tanks
and tubs and tongs and jugs of chemicals. I have the developer part, the stop bath, and the fixer solutions ready. I put the roll of film into the canister and tilt and turn it to start the agitating process putting in each of the chemical solutions followed by a wash as they are needed. After awhile the negatives are ready to be looked at.

  I wash up and bring the negatives and David out into the non-darkroom processing area. We take a seat on the couch and I look through the negatives as he eats what must be five slices of pizza by now.

  “Hey, save me a slice.” I tease.

  “You might have to fight me for it.” he teases back.

  But I decide to make him pay for that remark. Getting up and lunging towards the pizza box. He moves it just out of reach from me. I pretend to give up and when I notice him let his guard down a little I go for it again. He tricks me and traps my arms around his waist not letting me go. We both laugh and there is a moment in there I think, but we both let is pass. And he gives into letting me have a slice of the pizza.

  “This pizza is amazing.” I say. “I can’t believe you made it.”

  “What just cause I am a guy I can’t cook?” he says back.

  I laugh remembering my comment to him that first night at the Paper Moon when I said what girls can’t pay for themselves or something to that affect. His sideways grin is back and I think I might melt right there.

  We finish the pizza and I pick out the seven negatives that I want to make prints of. I ignore the negative of that last photo I shot today. The one that I used the flash on, the only protection I could think of in the alleyway and went through with when David appeared.

  There is one other guy in the darkroom but besides that it’s just David and I. I set up the negatives in the carrier and position the enlarger over the paper on the easel. I am relieved that I am not alone in here with David because that thought makes me really nervous. Just then the other guy in here leaves saying goodnight to both of us. Shit I think to myself. David watches as I continue working on the prints. I have the seven pieces of paper ready for the next chemical process. David comes up behind me and I can feel him standing extremely close but not touching me.

  “Teach me how to do it.” he says.

  “Ok sure.” I say. I feel his arms slide around my waist and move along the tops of my arms asking me to guide him. The butterflies are back full force but I manage to stay calm enough to talk him through what I am doing and keep going. Our one set of arms holds the tong and move together placing the prints one by one in an assembly line down through the tubs of chemicals. I was resting the other arm on my stomach when he put his arms around me so that set of arms remains around my waist. It feels amazing.

  “Wow. Thea these pictures are amazing.” he says”

  Before I know it we are done and ready to hang the prints. So I pull away enough to grab the close pin holders and start hanging. David moves so he is facing me and helps me reach the top of the line to hang all of the prints. Our hands brushing against each other. After the last one is hung I drop my arms slowly to my side. David leans in closer to me and moves one of his hands along the side of my face. Gently he caresses my hair and ear. He leans in closer and now caresses my lips with his. I feel his tongue on my lips gently parting them. The butterflies are so intense now that I moan out loud. This makes his kiss harder and he intensely sucks my top lip between his. His grip on my face tightens and grabs onto my hair. My hands touch his chest. Our tongues move together fiercely. It all makes me moan even more.

  His other hand comes up on my waist lifting my shirt a little with it and I can feel the touch of his thumb run along my ribcage. We lose control and shift our stance back smashing a little into the wall of the darkroom. I move my hands under his shirt and run them along his bare chest feeling the lines of his muscles and ribs. I move them around to his back wanting to feel that too. In between kisses I pull his shirt over his head.

  Our kiss deepens even more. His fingers move lower on my waist and he lifts my shirt slightly touching the skin above my jeans on my hips. Still up against the wall he gently unbuttons my jeans unzipping them next. His fingers lightly graze over and under the top of my panties. I bite his lip the part of his mouth that always moves into a sideways grin. But I have to pull back stopping the momentum of things and to take a breath. He stops starring me right in the eye and touching my face gently.

  Just then the dark room door opens and a new guy comes in forcing us apart. I rapidly zip up and button my pants as David puts his shirt back on. The guy clears his throat a little and I hear David chuckle slightly under his breath. I check the prints and pull them down from the line. Trying to think straight which is really hard to do after that...that kiss.

  We load all of my things into his car. After we both get in and shut the door we simultaneously let out a laugh. I think it’s nervous energy from getting caught just before. He drives us back to the dorms and walks me to my room.

  “It’s been a pretty eventful day.” I say.

  “Ya,” says David with his wicked grin. “You sure your ok from earlier? I can stay with you if you want.”

  “I am ok. You don’t need to stay.” I say.

  “I hope you mean it when you say you are ok. I respect that you didn’t want to call the cops, but I just want to make sure you don’t think you deserved that or anything. I mean you shouldn’t have gone into that alleyway, but you didn’t deserve that, not for going in there and not for what happened with your brother. And I think what are you doing with those photos are amazing so keep doing that just stay out of sketchy alleyways ok?”

  “David?” I say.

  “Ya?” he says.

  “Thanks. Your friendship means a lot to me. And I don’t want to mess that up.” I say.

  “Thea. You are not going to mess things up between us. I’ll always be there as your friend or more than a friend if you want that.” David says.

  I blush when he says it. The butterflies in my gut are on fire now.

  “See you tomorrow then?” I ask.

  “And anytime you need a ride. I’ll take you. Don’t walk around that part of town by yourself again.” David says.

  Chapter Five

  I see David the next day and the day after that. He has to work nights the rest of the weekend and part of the next week. And somehow he gets me to agree to go on a fancy date with him next Friday night but I remind him that we need to focus on school. At the same time the new college me remembers that I wanted to have some fun here too. I do have plenty of assignments to keep me busy until next Friday. Tomorrow is my Intro to Photography class where we will be displaying our photo series that represents Savannah. Today I need to get all the black matte board cut down and the photos mounted. I am a little bit of a perfectionist so I already know it will take me some time to get it lined up, measured, and placed on there. I get it finished though and ready to go.

  In the morning after breakfast in the cafeteria the school shuttle drops me off at the Photography building. I carry the seven boards with me. When I walk into the classroom there is a ledge that goes all the way around the room and several series of photos are displayed on it. I add mine to the ledge as well. Keeping them in the order I took them in.

  Class starts and we are asked to all walk around the room to have a look at each of the series of photos. I notice quickly that mine are the only ones with people in them. So I am a little worried about that. There are few that have the same subject matter, like the fountain from Forsyth Park and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is an on going theme between projects. One of the graveyard and another that shot the squares kind of like I did but the squares not the people in them. All amazing photographs by the way. Everyone is making comments and giving feedback.

  Then we get to my photos. There is a drawn out silence. Someone says, “Bums. So bums are the visual for Savannah?”

  Someone else interjects “It’s brilliant really. Ya it shows homeless people in the squares. But you can see the history i
n their faces. All the lines and wrinkles are these rich details making up this rich history and hardship. Which says a lot about this city.”

  The teacher chimes in too and they seem to go over really well. Then we do another walk around of the room to discuss the development techniques and camera settings used and then it’s lecture time. We get our new assignment and we are done right on time. I walk out of the building to find David waiting on me on his white Honda Accord.

  “So what have you been up to? You haven’t been waiting here long have you?” I ask.

  “No. Drawing class got out a little early so I figured I would give you a ride. I was just doing some sketching in the meantime.” He says.

  I peek at his sketchbook and see another image of an oak tree with Spanish moss. It’s breathtaking.

  “Do you mind if we stop by the pizza shop? I need to pick up my check. I know I’ll be there tonight but need to get it in the bank.” He says.

  “Of course I don’t mind. It’s your car, drive where you need to go. I am just a passenger here.” I say.

  We pick up the check, he runs into the bank and then it’s back to the dorms. He only has a few hours till his shift starts so we both go back to our rooms to get some assignments going. I catch up with Emily on how things are going for her with her classes. I ask about black haired ponytail guy too. Which she says is no more.

  “Actually speaking of that Thea. A few girls and I are going to this pizza place tonight with a couple of guys from our Architecture class. You should come with us. It will be fun and we can catch up some more.” Emily says.

  “That does sound fun. I’m in. Which pizza place is it?” I ask.

  “Vinnie Van GoGo’s.” She says and it makes me smile knowing that is where David works.

  We have a few more hours till we leave for dinner so I start thinking through my assignments. The time passes quickly and by the end of it I haven’t settled on anything yet. It’s time to go now and I decide to bring my camera. I always seem to wish I had it when I don’t so might as well be prepared.