Had a small but beautiful thing happen in the dump today. A number of these little special moments have happened over the last while. Little moments I will remember with fondness when I am back working security nights in the howling snows of Canada.
Two days ago the father of the groom came up to me and showed me his foot, spoke to me in Burmese and said something like "Segway". The grandma from the same home spoke to me also, pointing at her sons (?) foot. I knew they wanted me to help with something but I had no idea how?
Yesterday as he was working the garbage this same man who I have known since 2013 (I photographed his sons wedding in the dump)., came over to speak to me again. He took off his right rubber boot turned it over and showed me where it had split. Then he showed me his foot (all covered with moist dump fluids) and said " Des-say" which with some joint counting of fingers in Burmese I took to mean size 10 boots. Now I got it, he was asking me to buy another set of rubber boots for him.
The next day I went in search of boots at a Mae Sot market store. After finding the same style in the right size I paid 120 baht ($4.49 CAD) and bought the boots. When I got to the dump they were working on the road so I had to haul in all my gear from the more distant elementary school. I had 2 donation bags of food, the rubber boots, my 5x7 camera and tripod, my backpack and some left over cooked chicken. Eventually with some sweating and much huffing and puffing I made it to the first of the dump homes.
After handing over the chicken to a grandma who was taking care of a young girl I have photographed many times I went in search of the 60+ year old father of the groom to give him his own boots. On approaching his dump shack he came out to greet me wearing a red shirt. He watched me approach and on seeing I was carrying a bag with rubber boots he shot both hands into the air fingers pointing upward and shouted out a "Ooh-ooh Ahah!!! He was grinning from ear to ear and quickly walked up to me. I showed him his new boots then gave them to him, he was very happy and gave me a thumbs up and another big smile showing his red betel nut stained teeth.
I think I will remember that simple moment of joy from this old man for a long time. Here is a father, a husband, a hard working person who simply wants to take care of his family. It felt so good to do this for him, to help him in this very small way. Today was a very good day regardless of the photos made.
Two days ago the father of the groom came up to me and showed me his foot, spoke to me in Burmese and said something like "Segway". The grandma from the same home spoke to me also, pointing at her sons (?) foot. I knew they wanted me to help with something but I had no idea how?
Yesterday as he was working the garbage this same man who I have known since 2013 (I photographed his sons wedding in the dump)., came over to speak to me again. He took off his right rubber boot turned it over and showed me where it had split. Then he showed me his foot (all covered with moist dump fluids) and said " Des-say" which with some joint counting of fingers in Burmese I took to mean size 10 boots. Now I got it, he was asking me to buy another set of rubber boots for him.
The next day I went in search of boots at a Mae Sot market store. After finding the same style in the right size I paid 120 baht ($4.49 CAD) and bought the boots. When I got to the dump they were working on the road so I had to haul in all my gear from the more distant elementary school. I had 2 donation bags of food, the rubber boots, my 5x7 camera and tripod, my backpack and some left over cooked chicken. Eventually with some sweating and much huffing and puffing I made it to the first of the dump homes.
After handing over the chicken to a grandma who was taking care of a young girl I have photographed many times I went in search of the 60+ year old father of the groom to give him his own boots. On approaching his dump shack he came out to greet me wearing a red shirt. He watched me approach and on seeing I was carrying a bag with rubber boots he shot both hands into the air fingers pointing upward and shouted out a "Ooh-ooh Ahah!!! He was grinning from ear to ear and quickly walked up to me. I showed him his new boots then gave them to him, he was very happy and gave me a thumbs up and another big smile showing his red betel nut stained teeth.
I think I will remember that simple moment of joy from this old man for a long time. Here is a father, a husband, a hard working person who simply wants to take care of his family. It felt so good to do this for him, to help him in this very small way. Today was a very good day regardless of the photos made.
