10:30pm, day not over. Still have a bit of work to do for that SCE project I’m producing and shooting. I’ve been watching the clock all day, looking for my chance to break away for a 365 outing. Finally at 9sh and watching the clock tick away, I peel myself from my desk, grab the car and canvas the neighborhood. I come across three teens hanging out.
Only one of the three feels up to standing in front of the lens. Even with that they are all engaging. Another shoot with the youth of Canoga Park. I’m really not trying to do an essay on teens. This week is just naturally turning out that way.
Remember, I expressed from the start of the project that I’d be working in a very organic way, with the greatest part of the challenge to stay in the moment with no agenda.
For some reason the universe keeps putting these great kids in front of me. Perhaps there is a message I’m supposed to be documenting. Trust me, I’m clueless each day as to where I going to find someone to interview, and the discovery process is as much mine as it is yours. Never-the-less, we are where we are, and tonight’s entry feature’s another teen, my newest friend: Poet Salvador.
We are very rushed. It’s passed nine and Salvador’s ride, one of the two girls he is hanging with, needs to be home, worried that her father is going to be nervous if she is too late. A respect that I pray my daughter will give to me when she is a teen.
No real time for a formal set of interview questions. But here is what I learn. Forgive me if I am a broken record, and maybe this is the message I’m being led to share.
“We have some awesome youth among us.” These kids were kind, smart and caring. I saw no self-agenda and a real interest to encourage each other. They call themselves, weird buddies.” but there is nothing weird about these kids.
They teach me a few new slang terms and now as I’m relaxed in writing this entry, life is chill. And, for the sake of trivia in further contributing to the “it’s a small world theory,” turns out they go to a high school where a very good friend of our family is the dean. El Camino High School.
Now back to Salvador. He tells me of the English class he is taking and how he is loving writing poetry, promises me a poem to publish. So as soon as he forwards one to me, I’ll publish a special entry in tribute to him. Looking forward to seeing what he gives us.
We hit 9:15pm and I knew I needed to let these kids get home. I ask for a closing statement. They all say in unison, “Kawan (the star player on the El Camino football team) is going to kill Canoga.”
Brings back great memories!
Salvador and friends, I’m with you! “Go Kawan!!”
I’m about to hit publish and this just in. Salvador has emailed me to let me know his goal is to get into the business of nursing. Very cool! Salvador, I’m sure you’ll make it!
He also sends us that poem he promised.
Observation-
he playgroud lady
stars spark attention
glazes youth
fun size with a cute smile
sweet romantic laughter
tunes your soul
“Gorgeous”
watch for a few moments
too long and you’ll go blind
elegant brown eyes
hourglass figure
sands of gold dust
drips within her
soft lips, men desired
entrance to passion and pleasure
whispers of fear
dismantles opinions
shadowed emotions
pushes strangers away
seductive touch dessipitates
the brute strenght you behold
soft palms enlightens demons
ornaments of nature
worth more than
sparkles of gems
young & beautiful
rainbows druel
finest gold ever weilded
that man must be lucky