I will never forget one lesson taught me by a former office-mate and mentor, the late Rene Lumawag. He once said, one trick to human interest photography is to get lost in a crowd of people and know deep inside, each person has a story to tell. Even in a crowd, individuals will always reveal a little at a time, even without their being aware of it. All one has to do is patiently observe whatever unfolds before you.
I remember that particular moment as though it were only yesterday. It was during the early 80s, I was his trainee, us working in an advertising company and out on field assignment, he was teaching me how to handle my very first Nikon. Since then and through all the years, whenever I’m in the midst of any large mass of humanity, be it in musical concerts and performances, political rallies whatever, that lesson had somehow stuck with me: never forget, everyone has a story.
“One trick to human interest photography is to get lost in a crowd of people and know deep inside, each person has a story to tell. Even in a crowd, individuals will always reveal a little at a time, even without their being aware of it.”
Two or more weeks ago, I always got up early for two straight days to be at the Southern Philippines Medical Center or SPMC, the city’s public hospital, so I could avail of a battery of free medical tests for seniors. (Aside from the center’s services to these costing an arm and a leg when done in private facilities and other medical institutions, their care, plus the equipment are top-notch and so unlike going-around rumors that they are otherwise. Besides, the partner had always chided, “You go, that’s where my taxes go.” Ergo, end of story, or end of days.
Being a public hospital, where everybody literally means everyone in Mindanao if possible, it’s only understandable strict implementation of regulations on medical safety be followed. As such, everybody (and everyone hehe) must at each step subject themselves to the longest, winding line, much like the Snake game of Nokias long ago to be served.
Of course, seniors have a special wing dedicated to them for this. Not as voluminous, er longer, than those aged below sixty, but relatively shorter. A member of the staff estimates, in that first part of Triage consultation, they serve at least a thousand, more or less, before the cut-off for the day. So, that Snake line consisting of benches, where we, seniors all sit as though playing a game of chairs, until we’ve inched closer to several window of waiting nurses, is our objective. The nurses and some aids will then direct us where to proceed after.
Going back to my first Nikon lesson: everyone has a story to tell. And so, I sit patiently, trying to quiet myself as I observe around me. While there are those who freely share snippets of who they are (to release stress perhaps), a few mellows will just patiently sit, move to the next space then sit again, as in a trance. I respect those the most, ready with live-in bubble dome of their own. However, as last, there will be the loud and dominant ones will always try to manage the flow of seniors by ordering people about, hurry, hurry, for the time is slipping by. During one visit, I had no choice, as I was in pain, and I had to put my sore foot forward, enough already. We’re all in the same boat, and we’ll all get there, I say. As I sit back, I wonder what’s her story? Better yet, how’s it going with the under-sixties people?
