ThePerfectPicture
詹姆斯·亞歷山大·湯姆/JamesAlexanderThom
Itwasearlyinthespringabout15yearsago,adayofpalesunlightandtreesjustbeginningtobud.Iwasayoungpolicereporter,drivingtoasceneIdidn』twanttosee.Aman,thepolicedispatcher』sbroadcastsaid,hadaccidentallybackedhispickuptruckoverhisbabygranddaughterinthedrivewayofthefamilyhome.Itwasafatality.
AsIparkedamongpolicecarsandTVnewscruisers,Isawastocky,whitehairedmanincottonworkclothesstandingnearapickup.Camerasweretrainedonhim,andreporterswerestickingmicrophonesinhisface.Lookingtotallybewildered,hewastryingtoanswertheirquestions.Mostlyhewasonlymovinghislips,blinkingandchokingup.
Afterawhilethereportersgaveuponhimandfollowedthepoliceintothesmallwhitehouse.Icanstillseeinmymind』seyethatdevastatedoldmanlookingdownattheplaceinthedrivewaywherethechildhadbeen.Besidethehousewasafreshlyspadedflowerbed,andnearbyapileofdark,richearth.
「Iwasjustbackinguptheretospreadthatgooddirt,」hesaidtome,thoughIhadnotaskedhimanything.「Ididn』tevenknowshewasoutdoors.」Hestretchedhishandtowardtheflowerbed,thenletitfloptohisside.Helapsedbackintohisthoughts,andI,likeagoodreporter,wentintothehousetofindsomeonewhocouldprovidearecentphotoofthetoddler.
Afewminuteslater,withallthedetailsinmynotebookandathreebyfivestudioportraitofthecherubicchildtuckedinmyjacketpocket,Iwenttowardthekitchenwherethepolicehadsaidthebodywas.
Ihadbroughtacamerainwithme—thebig,bulkySpeedGraphicwhichusedtobethenewspaperreporter』strademark.Everybodyhaddriftedbackoutofthehouse,tighterfamily,police,reportersandphotographer.Enteringthekitchen,Icameuponthisscene.
OnaFormicatoppedtable,backlightedbyafrillycurtainedwindow,laythetinybody,wrappedinaclearwhitesheet.Somehowthegrandfatherhadmanagedtostayawayfromthecrowd.Hewassittingonachairbesidethetable,inprofiletomeandunawareofmypresence,lookinguncomprehendinglyattheswaddledcorpse.
Thehousewasveryquiet.Aclockticked.AsIwatchedthegrandfatherslowlyleanedforward,curvedhisarmslikeparenthesesaroundtheheadandfeetofthelittleform,thenpressedhisfacetotheshroudandremainedmotionless.
InthathushedmomentIrecognizedthemakingsofaprizewinningnewsphotograph.Iappraisedthelight,adjustedthelenssettinganddistance,lockedabulbintheflashgun,raisedthecameraandcomposedthesceneintheviewfinder.
Everyelementofthepicturewasperfect:thegrandfatherinhisplainworkclothes,hiswhitehairbacklightedbysunshine,thechild』sformwrappedinthesheet,theatmosphereofthesimplehomesuggestedbyblackirontrivetsandWorld』sFairsouvenirplatesonthewallsflankingthewindow.Outside,thepolicecouldbeseeninspectingthefatalrearwheelofthepickupwhilethechild』smotherandfatherleanedineachother』sarms.