Who: Jay Daniels & anyone What: Lunching, sunning, whatever! When: Friday lunch time Where: Garden square in commercial district Rating: G Status: Open
Jay sat on the bench seat in the open-air food court, the sub he'd bought for lunch on the table in front of him, his camera beside it. He leaned back for a moment, enjoying the slow stretch of his legs as he sipped the cool juice from the straw, his forearms warming up with the touch of sun to his skin.
It was Friday lunch time, he'd had a very enjoyable evening the night before with Nathan and was getting a few things done while Natahn finished working before they headed out to Westport for the weekend at the Chateau and the surf festival. He'd decided to hunt up some film stock to take with him, the opportunity to do something more with some of his shots too attractive to not have some on hand. It was difficult to source but he'd found somewhere that still carried it, in fact specialised in 'old gear' as the young kid behind the counter said when Jay asked about a lens in the display case. The lens was older than the assistant and Jay smiled when the kid's eyes widened as Jay pulled out his camera body and fitted the lens.
With the film stock in a carry bag, along with a few other things he'd picked up, Jay had found the square which was slowly starting to fill with workers coming out for their lunch break, herding into areas where they could catch the sun and enjoy the fresh air before returning to the environmentally controlled offices for the rest of their day.
His eyes was caught by a young couple seated on the edge of a garden area. They were completely oblivious to the world around them, absorbed by one another, sharing the intimate little touches and looks, smiles and whispers of young love. As he watched their faces, the emotions as clearly blazened across them as the neon signs were of the food outlets around the square, he smiled to himself, then frowned a little. The intensity of their feelings was obvious, but it was that intensity that made Jay realise how rarely he saw that any more. Without having to consciously think of it he reached for his camera and lifted it till he could frame the pair, the soft sound of the shutter only audible to him as his finger lightly pressed on the release a number of times. He lowered it again and picked up his food, looking around the square briefly but regularly returning to the couple.
Others noticed them, a group of young women nudging one another as the young man pushed his partner's hair back behind her ear and leaned in to whisper something to her. Jay could've sworn one of the young girls in the group almost winced, the pained look on her face something her friends missed as they all stared across at the couple. He wondered what caused it, and a small flicker of sadness passed across his face as he noted the wedding band on her finger. Another loveless marriage forced by the government possibly? His lips thinned as he watched her lower her eyes to the dish of food in front of her, her fork absently stabbing at it, apparently all appetite lost.
He looked away, turning his own attention back to his food and taking a bite of the overloaded baguette.