Just A Small Prayer

for a red umbrella

Gary Gardiner

Mar 4, 2023

Finding a good news feature is always the answer to a prayer. In this case, it was the answer to several prayers.

They were:

“Lord. I really don’t have a very good My Final Photo. It’s raining. A lot. But, you know that. Of course, you do.

“Raindrops on my car window and ducks in the lake are not representative of what I want for my daily photo. Even the pedestrians Uptown aren’t what I want.

“Maybe you can help me find some flooding. Don’t want anyone to be harmed by it but significant enough that people would be concerned when they see My Final Photo. It would also be nice if a car or truck could speed through it creating a pattern of organized chaos with just enough design to draw attention.

“Even better could I have someone in the foreground almost knee-deep in the water carrying mail retrieved from the mailbox at the end of his flooded driveway? He should be wearing a bright yellow slicker that matches the tones in the muddy portion of the chaotic but artful spray thrown from the vehicle running through the flooded street in the background.

“Even better it would be nice if this was someone I know. Someone who I‘ve made photos of before and appreciates the news feature photos of which they are now one.

“Then, how about later, when I’m on the way home, when I drive through Alum Creek Park, a routine I follow almost every day, sometimes twice, or three times, there’s a woman with a red umbrella walking her white dog. Don’t let her be frightened by a strange man making her photograph.

“That’s not too much, is it?

“Thanks. I promise to be a good boy. See you tomorrow.”