Storytime

Turns out, capturing a picture-perfect moment is all in your attitude

Once upon a time, Lena dawdled at breakfast. When it was time to go, she tied her shoelaces, untied her shoelaces and tied them up again. She forgot her lunch on the kitchen table on purpose and had to come back for it. Lena wished the bus would roar away without her, but it waited quietly at the corner. At school, she hoped her teacher, Mr. Beckman, would forget about Photo Day. He didn’t.

“It’s time to line up for school photos,” Mr. Beckman said after recess. “Comb your hair and get your beautiful smiles ready.”

Lena’s best friend, Natalie, pulled out a comb from her desk and ran it through her long black hair. Lena thought Natalie was so pretty she could be a movie star one day.

“Better get yourself ready,” said Natalie to Lena. “You don’t want another picture like last year.”

Lena knew it wouldn’t matter if she combed her hair. She knew it wouldn’t matter if she smiled her biggest, toothiest smile. It wouldn’t matter if she showed her dimples, popped her pimples or wore her favourite shirt. Her school photo would turn out cross-eyed, bed-headed, cow-licked and pucker-pussed. It would be an embarrassing magnitude-ten disaster, same as always. Just once, Lena wanted to have a photograph of herself that she could give to her friends that didn’t look ridiculous.

On photo day in kindergarten, Lena’s ringlet curls refused to co-operate. Natalie said that Lena’s head looked like it was covered with twisty balloon animals.

In her Grade 1 picture, Lena’s red hair stood straight on end because the comb she used was full of static. Natalie said Lena looked like a frightened carrot. Sometimes, Natalie said things that weren’t nice, but her photos always looked great.

In Grade 2, Lena thought she would finally take a good photograph, but at the moment the flash went off, Lena sneezed. Natalie didn’t say a word when she saw the photo. She just laughed and laughed. Grade 3, Lena wanted to go on strike. She wanted to make her school a no-photo zone. She wanted to banish all cameras to the land of Nevermore, leaving her to live happily ever after. But she couldn’t. Lena had to have her picture taken. It was a school rule.

Lena waited in line. She watched Vicky get her picture taken. Her smile was perfect. FLASH!

She watched as Charlie tilted his head and grinned at the camera. His hair was perfect. FLASH!

Natalie was next. Natalie said, “Remember, Lena, when it’s your turn, don’t blink. Don’t squint. Oh, and don’t pout or scowl. And watch your ears!” “Watch my ears?” said Lena, as Natalie sat down on the photographer’s stool and smiled for the camera. Her dimples were perfect. FLASH!

It was Lena’s turn. She sat on the photographer’s stool. The lights were bright. Everyone looked at her. There were just too many don’ts running through her head.

How do I watch my ears? wondered Lena. It was impossible. Don’t blink? Don’t squint? Don’t pout? Don’t scowl? Don’t look cross-eyed? Don’t wear your hair too tight? Don’t get your bangs tangled? “That’s it!” she said. “I know what I am going to do.” “That’s nice, dear,” the photographer said. “Ready?”

“Very ready,” Lena said.

“One...two...”

On three, Lena blinked, pouted, squinted, crossed her eyes, shook her hair and wiggled her ears all at the same time. It was so ridiculous that Lena started to laugh. FLASH!

In a couple of weeks, when Lena got her school photos, her friend Natalie said, “Wow, you actually listened to me. Your picture is perfect! Look, you didn’t even blink!” n