After noticing my shooting him, we talked for a while about why he’s out there, and the meaning of repeating: “God is King…Jesus is….”
His message is chanted, and somewhat hypnotic. It is practiced, repeated on a loop, and I suspect invoked from within him as well as for those of us outside.
After noticing the camera, he became self-aware, laughing a bit, awkwardly. Sheepishly, even. He pointed at me, smiling.
Who was I? What did I want? Friend or foe? What might the lens see?
In the photos, in his face, I see some anger, impatience, sadness, despair, and maybe a bit of hope. The kinds of emotions usually visible when people (kids, especially) stop paying attention if anyone’s looking.
Thanks for looking.
