i often walk about 3 kms south along the beach until i come to the mouth of a small winding river called mochemad. the area upriver is very open so on full moon nights it is a perfect place to observe the sunset to the west then turn around toward the east and watch the moon rising. it is really something to see so whenever i get a chance i go. the beach is wide and it's easy to walk even in the dark and especially with the moonlight it's never any problem getting back home. however much of the area adjacent to the beach is jungle and somewhere along the stretch there is ususally a pack of stray dogs that can be rather intimidating for anybody more easily frightened than i am.
anyway a few nights ago there was a full moon and sure enough i enjoyed the magic of the red sun kissing the ocean horizon and disappearing in a play of light just as behind me the yellow moon emerged above the distant treeline bathing the river in it's glow. i always feel a little ecstatic on the walk back home, at least until i meet the dogs. but the other night was totally crazy.
just as i started heading home i noticed someone or rather something staring at me from the jungle's edge. it scared the bejeezes out of me standing in the moonlight like that. i had been taking photos all evening and had my mobile in my hand so i took the quickest shot ever and sprinted the hell out of there
i had never been happy to see the dogs before but when i reached them i suddenly felt a lot safer. luckily nothing else happened that night. i got home fine but i was so wired i couldn't sleep. the photo was all blurry 'cuz it was dark and i must have been shaking when i took it. but still, i kept getting this feeling that i had encountered this thing before. i mean, not exactly but it reminded me of someone i had seen somewhere, not so long ago. i was lying in bed racking my brain trying to recall who this creature reminded me of. finally it hit me. yeah, that lady in the market. i had taken her photo without asking her first and she was giving me a very sharp eye of disapproval.
she was definitely not pleased about having her photo taken but i had done so without apologizing, discussing it or erasing it. i just went on with my marketing and pretty much forgotten the matter. ususally when someone is sceptical about being photographed like that when i show them their image they lighten up and everything is cool. but not this time. this woman did not want to be approached. and that's who was there by the beach that night. i am sure of it. i won't be going back anytime soon and i am going to have to rethink this whole idea about taking shots of random people in the street. the term stranger just got a deeper meaning 'cuz there is more going on out there than we like to think.
edit: oh shit, come to think of it i hope she doesn't read this!