65 Life Chapter: The Excited Tiger

Past saterday, I went to the zoo with Thomas, one of my best friends.

He didn't bring his sons with him. The kid was exhausted from playing around the days before our zoo trip, so this time it was just the two of us.

I was really happy to see him. It's been two years since we last met.

We caught up quite a lot while walking around the park. At some point, we started talking about photography and how I have been thinking about taking it more seriously.

Around noon, we went to eat somewhere inside the park. It started raining, so we stayed there for a while talking, and then some kind of magic and stunt show started nearby.

I actually enjoyed the show a lot.

At some point, I took out the small photo printer I recently bought. I bought it partly because I want to start scrapbooking and printing memories, but also because I liked the idea of sometimes giving people pictures I take.

I printed a picture of a tiger and gave it to Thomas.

The excited tiger.

It is an inside joke, and the tiger is also his favourite animal, or at least it used to be, so obviously I had to give it to him.

Earlier that day, I had noticed an older man with a huge Alaskan Malamute. We briefly talked, and I got to pet the dog.

I love dogs, and this thing was basically a giant fluffy teddy bear. It reminded me a little of Viggo.

Later at lunch, I saw the old man enjoying a beer. I looked over at him and the dog and thought, That would actually make a nice picture.

So I took one, printed it and gave it to his wife.

A little later, I noticed another lady sitting further away. Something about the moment made me think it would make a good picture too, so I took one, printed it and gave it to her.

I didn't linger. I smiled, handed her the picture, she said thanks, and I left.

Probably awkward as hell, but maybe words aren't always necessary.

When the rain stopped and the show was over, Thomas and I continued walking around the park.

Eventually, we arrived at the wolf enclosure.

One of the wolves was walking around with one of the biggest pieces of meat I had ever seen hanging out of his mouth.

I looked at him and basically went, “Look at the massive steak he has.”

I tried to take a picture and kind of failed. Thomas made fun of me and told me I needed to be faster. In that moment of time the joking around reminded me of the old days.

Eventually, the wolf buried the meat. Another wolf clearly noticed where he had hidden it but didn't dig it back up. I guess the first one was the alpha, or maybe the second wolf just knew better than to steal his steak.

We stayed around the enclosure for a while, and then the older couple from earlier showed up again with their Malamute.

The wolves immediately noticed the dog. They were staring at him either like prey or like he had just entered their territory. Meanwhile, the Malamute started barking at them.

I looked at the dog and said, “Look at your cousins, Santos. They might want to eat you.”

The couple started laughing and asked how I knew the dog's name.

I told them I had overheard it around lunchtime.

We started talking again, and they thanked me once more for the picture. Then, completely out of nowhere, they asked if I would be interested in taking pictures at a dog show somewhere next year.

I looked over at Thomas in disbelief.

I told them I would be willing to do it for free because I am still experimenting and don't consider myself that experienced yet.

They immediately said no. They would pay me and even provide food and, if necessary, a hotel. for that weekend.

I was kind of shocked.

All I had done was take a picture because I thought an old man and his giant fluffy dog looked nice together, and that somehow turned into a possible photography opportunity.

I told them I would think about it, and they gave me their business card.

Afterwards, Thomas and I talked about it. He thought it sounded like something I should seriously consider.

Somewhere during that conversation, I started thinking that maybe Claire was right too. Maybe my pictures are actually good enough? I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it that much.

Funny how things happen sometimes. One random picture I took and gave away led to this.

Life is weird.

Maybe that is also why I like photography.

Obviously, I enjoy taking pictures of animals, dancing and whatever else catches my attention, but photography also gives me another reason to interact with people I probably would never have spoken to otherwise.

It reminded me a little of what I originally wanted this blog to be about.

The people you meet along the way.

Thomas and I haven't really talked properly in almost two years, yet yesterday it felt like almost no time had passed at all.

We became friends when I was around eightteen. I had just broken up with my first girlfriend and needed someone to talk to. He was there, and somehow that turned into years of movies, games, going out and a ridiculous amount of memories.

And then there are people like the couple yesterday. Complete strangers who I might never see again, or maybe next year I will somehow be standing at a dog show taking hundreds of pictures because I decided to print one random photo at a zoo.

Who knows?

You never really know what a small interaction with another person might become.

There was something else about yesterday that stayed with me too.

Thomas impressed me. We had lunch and dinner together, and both times he went for the salad.

Meanwhile, I allowed myself something less healthy once. Nothing wrong with that by itself, but later that night, lying in bed, I started thinking about it.

I think I am still scared of fully committing, and not only with losing weight.

I want things and make plans for them, but sometimes I still keep one foot near the exit. Maybe because if I don't fully commit, failing hurts less.

Photography might be another example of that. I love doing it, people have complimented my pictures and asked me to take pictures for them, and now complete strangers are potentially offering to pay me to photograph an event.

At some point, “I'm still experimenting” can become another way of hiding.

The same goes for my diet, so I think I am going to be more committed to it again. Not in some stupid or punishing way, just actually committing to what I keep saying I want.

saterday started as a simple zoo trip with an old friend.

I went home smiling the entire drive back , seeing someone whom i love dearly, weird story to tell and a few things to think about.

Life really had more surprises for me after all.

Picture from our trip to the zoo and the one i gave him.