[Leica] Loss....

[kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)]

On Oct 5, 2008, at 8:02 PM, Adam Bridge wrote:

> I lost a dear friend today. His name was Jack Crow4ell. (The 4 is  
> silent.)
>
> He had a PhD in Physics from Johns Hopkins, his undergraduate work at
> Georgia Tech. He went to conservatory at Peabody. He sustained his
> passion for choral music, that informed his soul about the world, the
> world about his soul. H did with wonderfully complicated work in the
> bowels of operating systems. He knew DEC's RT-11 inside and out,
> almost as well as the folks at Digital who actually wrote the code. He
> was a gentleman. He was creative. He had a love for the creative, for
> language, for the world. He grew up in Mobile, Alabama and always was
> a creature of the South - the very best parts of the South.
>
> I didn't ever make his portrait. I was always so busy enjoying his
> company, the joy of his existence, the belief that he would be here
> forever, that I never picked up my camera and snapped an image.
>
> Do not do this.
>
> I so deeply regret that all the time we were making Halloween faces on
> a floor-full of huge orange Halloween balloons that I never snapped
> his photo. Never. He'd just be here FOREVER. I have the MEMORIES but I
> cannot share those. I cannot show you the dragon pumpkin he carved
> that enraptured my children so when they think of "Uncle Jack" that
> amazing pumpkin is always there in the first few sentences.
>
> Last year he had cancer and last weekend, while I was in Arizona, he
> got bronchitis. My other partner from a previous life, Bob, took him
> his meds (Jack lived alone) but when he didn't make his doctor's
> appointment the next day, and didn't answer the phone, they sent the
> police who found him.
>
> I feel bereft. How could I have left such a wonderful human being
> without an image that I made, that shares the bond between
> photographer and subject/friend?
>
> I do not know. But the emptiness inside me knows I should pass along
> this deeply hurtful lesson. Please, record those around you. Let your
> love and passion inform you. Do the portraits. Save them. Cherish
> them.
>
> Go forth and make good work that's personal and passionate of those
> you know and love.
>
> I have learned why and the consequences of not doing so.

I feel your pain and deep regrets Adam... please accept my sincere  
condolences for you and your friend..."life is what happens while you  
are doing something else" a cliche, like most it holds truth. You can  
always second guess life...but don't.... you clearly have learned  
something valuable from this.

People often, for many reasons, don't take photos at critical  
times...When I read your note I thought , oh my...I personally know a  
bit about all this...yes it's worth saying that my own project grew  
out of my doctoring for children, capturing photos of kids at a time  
of crisis, for their family, for others to remember...so my book...I  
never wanted to be famous....

I'm thinking about you at an especially rough time, I'm sincerely  
wishing you the best,

Steve


>
>
> Adam
>
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