SOMETHING I see very often on most sitting room walls in most homes is the family photo: Generally taken when the whole family trouped to the local studio in their Sunday best, stood in classic formation as the photographer adjusted costly equipment, peered into eyepiece said the standard ‘cheese’ or ‘smile’ and clicked.
He clicked one more for safety measure in case ‘chotu’ had blinked or housefly which normally haunts the studio had settled on daddy’s nose, making it wrinkle, which afterwards would mistakenly be explained as his distaste for life or worse still his wife!
And as the framed photo is later nailed onto wall visitors over the years, peer at the picture exclaim how regal father looks, how loving mother was and how ‘chweet’, pretty elder sister looked carrying little baby as brother stood protectively at her side.
Family photos say what they are meant to say: That framed family, were good, holy, pious, people and family love oozed out of every member in gallons onto the other. And in my vivid imagination, one day I meet Albert the Inventor, “I have invented a liquid solution!” he exclaims, “That will make family photographs come alive!” “You mean they will spring to life and walk round the room?” I ask astonished. “Yes!” he says excitedly, “yes!”
Albert the Inventor and I immediately informed friends and neighbors who took down family photos from walls where they had hung for decades, and brought them over to his house. We watched apprehensively as he smeared some solution on each picture.
“It will take five minutes to act,” he said and we waited breathlessly. The first reaction was from Albert’s own family pic, with his father, who looked like a benign Einstein, hand leisurely resting on wife’s shoulder as the rest of the family including little Albert smiled at camera. “You idiot!” screamed Albert’s pretty mother throwing away her husband’s arm, “I have frozen shoulder, and you thoughtlessly continue resting your arm on my shoulder?”
Yells and shouts, and even blows came from other family photos as saintly faces contorted with rage and suppressed feelings which had lain frozen in time exploded like volcanic outbursts. “It was only the camera that kept them together!” I whispered. Albert looked around the room, walked to his piano and suddenly from the old keys came the tune of ‘Abide with Me!”
We looked amazed as slowly the fighting among the family members ceased. It was like some miracle was taking place as family members walked back and stood in previous places. Husbands held wives, sisters their brothers, and Albert’s father had his arm again on Albert’s mother as love shone in family photos once again. “I know that every family fight, quarrel and problem, can be sorted out in today’s lockdown, if the family calls on God right now to abide with the family!” said Albert as he continued playing..!
