33

There was an easy casualness about Michelle that I enjoyed. She has a very positive energy and smiles with her eyes. When I asked for her photo there was no litany of woes about her appearance. She simply asked, "Where do you want me to stand?" That's it. There was none of the usual last minute checking of lipstick or patting down her hair. I was secretly glad of the latter because I loved the look of the little fly-away wisps. It's hard to judge someone on the basis of a 5 minute encounter ( I usually need 6 :-) If I had to hazard a guess, based on this picture I'd have to say that Michelle is fearless and loads of fun.

31

I met Michelle’s husband Oliver for the first time 4 months ago in a Carnival fête. Olivier is French and his sister was with him visiting from Belgium.  She speaks French was how I was introduced to them by my friend. I can’t remember the name of Olivier’s sister but she said something to me in French. I promptly responded in English with the explanation that my French was very rusty and looked around frantically to kick my friend who had by this time wandered off. Thanks Jeffery!

Hopefully the Saga Boy mojitas made more of an impression on Olivier and his sister that night than my embarrassing efforts to dredge up a few  butchered French phrases from the deepest recesses of a slightly tipsy brain. I know Oliver certainly impressed me by the devoted way he spoke of his Trinidadian wife. Can you blame him?

26

"I don't photograph well," is a phrase I hear a lot. So it is deeply gratifying to me when I take a photo that pleases  someone who has uttered these words.  Michelle was surprised to find that she actually liked the quick snapshot that I took of her. My niece (#21)  tells me that people only say that they like a picture just to get rid of me. Maybe so. But I an even better strategy for getting  me to move along is to find me another willing victim subject. In this instance Michelle offered up her son who she said never smiles.