Philadelphia Freedom

If you were to walk into my great room this afternoon, you'd find it a tad disheveled and tossed about. I get in those moods when I just 'must' change things up. Here on the most comfortable chair in the history of chairs; now owned 'with a deed' by the dog, are three things that tug at my heart strings. One, my 12 year old son's blue jeans thrown in a heap. I just love 'boys' clothes. There is something about Sons & Moms. He decided on the Nike pants instead for outdoor ice-skating at a neighbour's home. Two, a beach portrait of my 22 year old daughter when she was little. I can feel the sandy breeze in her hair and the warmth of the setting sun kissing her velvet skin. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Taken at Constance Bay, near Ottawa. Three, my all time favorite photo I've taken. The majestic Swann Memorial Fountain in downtown Philadelphia. The large 'river god' Native American figures symbolize the area's major streams, the Delaware, the Schuylkill, and the Wissahickon. It was a stifling hot day and the fountain pool was full of children, a city tradition (which sadly is now prohibited), but when I got home and developed the film (circa 1997), there was only this young boy peeking his face out of the water. He was about the same age as my son is now. He was obviously dirt poor, living in one of those horrid boxes under the bridge near by; break my heart, and he found some 'freedom' swishing away his worries whilst the tourists clicked away. I cried. I will never forget that moment. Ever.

I plan to scan this photo and do something with it, perhaps even make some posters. You can see it better if you click to enlarge.