I have no words

Well. Maybe a few. Hundred.

And it's a good thing because although a picture may be worth a thousand of them, simple communication appears to be a thing of the past.

What happened was, on Wednesday, February 13th, TG and I were on our way to prayer meeting when I noticed something interesting on the marquee of our public library.

It announced a local photography contest and provided a number to call for details.

Like I said we were driving past so I didn't catch the number, but I made a mental note to call the library the next day and find out about the photography contest.

This was the night before Valentine's Day when, after church, TG and I went to Kroger and looked at mushy cards and lovey-dovey balloons, but purchased only cold hard candy.

So on Cupid's big day, Thursday, February 14th, in between ambrosial servings of Dove chocolate, I called the library. I had to leave a message because real people do not answer the phone there.

In my message I said that I was calling to learn the particulars of the photography contest advertised on the marquee.

When by the next afternoon I had not heard back from a librarian, I decided to look on the library's website for information about the photography contest.

I had to dig but in the end I was able to ascertain that all entries had been due on or before Monday, February 11th.

Well shut my mouth and bless my heart. I'd missed the deadline.

So I forgot about the whole thing.

Until the morning of the following Tuesday, February 19th, when I received a call from a librarian.

She was very nice. First she apologized for not returning my call from the day before.

It had actually been five days since I'd called but let's not get all technical.

She went on to say that if I could get my photo submitted by that afternoon, they would be glad to accept it for consideration.

I said okay and thanked her because like I said she was exceedingly nice, but after we hung up I began to wish I had asked her more about the type of photographs they wanted and whatnot.

The description on the website was vague:

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Photography Contest

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

Combine your love of books with your photography skills and enter our photo contest. Prizes will be awarded for best color, best black and white, and best interpretation of the theme.

Submissions are due by February 11.

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Love of books: Check.

Photography skills: It's a matter of opinion but at least I have good cameras.

So I decided to set my table with dishes and put books on the plates like they are better than meat or drink. Which in some instances is true and in others, it depends what's on the menu.

If I had to pick a favorite book of all time it would be Jane Eyre, but I like the vintage cover on my copy of Gone With the Wind better, so I made it the focus of my table.

I took about fifty pictures and after dithering for approximately two hours, I chose one to print. I even gave it a name: Better 'n a Biscuit.

I put my eight by ten color photo into an envelope wth a card on which I wrote Better 'n a Biscuit, my name, address, cellphone number, email address, marital status, mother's maiden name, birthdate, blood type, Social Security Number, favorite color, favorite food, name(s) of pets, pet peeves, and the kind of camera I had used to take my picture.

At the library I was directed to the reference desk where the ladies were all -- again -- exceedingly nice. They ooohed and aaaahed over my picture, then hung it up alongside the others on a display wall. I began to feel like a kindergartner.

A local professional photographer would be called in to do the judging about a week later.

I went over to look at the other entries and one of the librarians was standing there. She was gazing at the pictures so I pointed to one and remarked that I couldn't tell what it was.

She said she thought it was ice crystals. It was a beautiful and evocative black and white; I actually liked it a lot. But I couldn't figure out what it had to do with love of books.

The librarian explained that the contest entries were to be a depiction of something found in a favorite book. She said when they'd asked the photographer of the ice crystal picture what book it was meant to represent, he'd answered: Oh. I guess just put Frosty the Snowman.

Oh, I said. How I wish I'd known that. Because if I had, I would not have submitted a picture of Gone With the Wind on a plate, with a fork beside it.

Instead I would have submitted this picture of one of the actual grave angels that figure prominently in Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel.

Which I think would have been a slam dunk. But I digress.

The librarian worried aloud that she felt many of the entrants had perhaps not understood the theme of the contest very well. I remarked casually that the instructions had been nebulous at best.

Then she gave me a little green flyer which I read when I got home. It said there would be an awards ceremony for the photography contest winners on Sunday, March 3rd, at three o'clock.

Three three thirteen, at three. I could remember that.

On the way to church last Sunday morning, when we drove by the library, I remembered that there was to be an awards ceremony for the photography contest that afternoon.

Only, I hadn't heard anything so I supposed I had not won a prize. It did not occur to me to attend the ceremony anyway.

The next afternoon, Monday, March 4th, my phone notified me of a voicemail. It was from a librarian, informing me that I was one of the winners in the photography contest.

When I called the library to confirm there had in fact been an awards ceremony on March 3rd (there  had), and to ask why I had not been contacted so that I'd know to attend, a librarian said, "That was an oversight but we hoped all the participants would come whether they won anything or not."

I said okay but why wouldn't you take a few minutes to call or email  the three winners just to tell them they'd won? So they could be all happy about it, and make plans to come in on Sunday?

You know, short and sweet: "Congratulations! You are one of the winners of our photography contest. We hope to see you at the awards ceremony on Sunday, March 3rd, at three."

I said, because I am flabbergasted that nobody called me. I live a four-minute drive from the library. When I didn't hear from you, I figured there was no reason to show up. In fact it never occurred to me to show up.

She answered: "We've made a note about calling the winners so maybe we can do that next year."

The upshot: They didn't have the time or inclination to call me the day before the awards ceremony, but they had both in abundance on the day after.

So anyway I missed my two point six seconds of local fame. I bet nobody will even ask for my photograph autograph when I go to the main desk to claim my prize: a gift certificate to Shutterfly.

Here you go: my winning entry.

Which division of the contest do you think I won? We know it can't be best black and white, so that leaves best color or best interpretation of the theme.

But don't ask me. They didn't say.

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Happy Wednesday

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Comments

[Mari]

It's a very cool picture and I'm glad you won, but I agree that a little more information would have been really nice. I love the angel picture too.
Hopefully next year they use a few of your tips!

[irene]

Congratulations.I've just taken a leave from my library duties (volunteer) clearly I am needed in your little library.

[Audrey]

Oh best color.

[Skunkfeathers]

LOL...sounds like your library needs to rethink their having contests, if they can't be clear and communicative about them. Congrats on winning!

[Gina]

I liked this post very much. I volunteered at a library once, and it was a great experience.

[Donna (Texas)]

Best interpretation? Geez Girl! They need to 'Splain things better!Hahaaaa
Love your shots though!!
hughugs

[Debbie]

Your photographs are always wonderful. However, I can't say anything positive about the people from the library. So rude and unorganized.