San Antonio Photo adventure: Rogelio

This photo deserves a story.  It was my favorite one taken during this day I spent in Downtown San Antonio.

I was hanging around with my best friend in Downtown San Antonio when we decided to head by the Alamo to finish up our photo adventure.

After scoping out tourists with my 55-200 mm lens, we decided to sit down near this Gazebo to wait for Stephanie’s parents to pick us up. A man in a blue, Mexican vest with a brown paper bag walked by and suddenly dropped some change he was carrying in his hand. The coin fell to the ground and rolled over somewhere in front of Stephanie and me. The man followed the coin in vain, but he could not find it. He looked impatient and distressed at the fact that his coin was now gone. Stephanie helped him find the coin and handed it to him. Anyone else would have not helped; anyone else would have left the coin on the ground and walked away, but this man needed the money.

He came to us and asked in Spanish, with a low voice and a submissive posture, for some change. I sensed he felt ashamed asking for money. Stephanie handed him some change; he slightly bowed, giving thanks.

After he left I kept telling Stephanie that I wished I had gotten his portrait. Finally, I got the courage to find this man again and ask him for a photo. So I walked up to him, handed him some change and asked for a portrait. He said, ”Si,” with his eyes lowered, again almost in shame. I took my first shot, which was blurry, so I asked for a retry and he allowed me another one. I asked his name. It was Rogelio, the same name of an uncle of mine who passed away in a terrible event that shook the family. (I didn’t know my Tio Rogelio well.)

I wished Rogelio a Happy New Year and good luck, hoping I could make his day the way he made mine. I left him some change, he left me this photo.