The first photo is a quick, slightly blurred shot of a startled Grissom glancing up from a handful of papers. He looks young, amused and slightly concerned; as if he can’t believe Sara has the audacity to snap his picture as he’s trying to find his boarding pass. Behind him, the wall of departures and arrivals shows various flights are on their way, and slightly off to the left, the familiar logo of British Airways hangs over a busy counter.
In the second one, Sara beams as she stands in the boarding area, holding a paper cup of tea in one hand. The shoulder strap for the carryon bag is making a deep dent in her shoulder but her smile is wide and amused, showing she’s willing to put up with the discomfort for the moment. She has on a white tee shirt with a college logo on it, and her blazer hides both the H and the D, so all that can be seen across her chest is the strange word ‘ARVAR’.
Sara again, this time in a shot that can only be described as ‘interesting.’ It’s of her body, long and lean, stretching up to shove the carryon bag in the overhead compartment. Her face isn’t visible, but a lovely expanse of tummy is, revealing a dimpled belly button and muscled abdomen since her jeans are definitely low-slung. From the angle, it’s clear that the photographer is shooting upwards, and with great speed, as if afraid his subject will catch him in the act, and possibly smack him.
A lovely head and shoulders shot of Grissom sound asleep. His head is lolling to the left, and the half-closed window allows just enough light to make the picture a nice study in contrasts. The curliness of his beard and hair are highlighted beautifully, and his glasses are halfway down his nose. Across his chest is a guide to Belgium, splayed open to a page on museums.
A quick sequence of shots out a plane window, blurry and with clouds, greatly rushed. There are indistinguishable land masses below, and in one shot, part of a slender finger near the edge of the photo. The implication is that someone was eager to record the plane passing over Ireland. The lighting is bright, and the window is clearly that of a different plane.
--oo—
A scowly Grissom hunched in his seat, trying to finish a crossword puzzle and ignore the photographer. The set of his mouth suggests he has probably missed the first round of coffee, and isn’t happy about it. The puzzle is from the New York Times.
A blurry shot of Sara, with her hand upturned in a quick gesture of extreme rudeness. The fact that she is grinning as she does it, and seems to be hoarding a steaming cup of coffee in the other hand implies a certain—smugness. Clearly someone else WAS awake in time for the coffee service.
An overly dark shot of the main concord of the Belgium airport. Signs are in Dutch, English and French. The other photo is a quick picture of the floor, as if the camera has slipped and in the act of catching it, the photo was snapped.
The front of a small, brick three-story building flanked by two other buildings, like a child between parents. It has four large white shuttered windows facing the camera, and a brick walkway leading up to brick steps and a bright green front door. A small ceramic plaque next to the door reads: Hôtel du Jardin du Paradis, Maurice LaMarche et Pascal Rothchilde, Directeurs. It looks welcoming in the apparent overcast of the day; the photo looks rather commemorative, as if to mark the moment of arrival.
The first shows a charming little room with double beds done in matching spreads of deep royal blue. There is an open suitcase on one bed, and sitting in the suitcase is . . . a stuffed animal. A light grey rabbit, to be precise, wearing sunglasses and a tiny white tee-shirt that reads “I (heart) Las Vegas”. The rabbit sits amid neatly folded shirts and slacks, looking a little odd, but somehow jaunty despite the long trip jammed between outfits. On the other bed is the guide to Brussels and a leather jacket, carelessly tossed as if the person dropping them has an urgent matter to attend to and will be back to retrieve them later.
The next photo is a somewhat furtive one of Grissom, who looks both chagrined and uncomfortable. He is standing in the doorway of the room, one arm gesturing towards the beds, his attention focused on someone just out of camera range. By his profile it’s clear that something seems to be wrong with either the room or the beds, and his attempts to convey that in unfamiliar language is not succeeding.
It seems to be an out-the-window shot of the view from the bedroom window, out onto the street below. From the cobblestones on the road, and the general genteel look of the brick and stone buildings opposite, it’s clear this is one of the less-traveled back streets of Brussels, a neighborhood well-established and comfortable. There are trees lining the street, and a sign indicating a park is in one corner of the shot. It must have rained earlier because the sidewalks and street are wet, and there is a misty feel to the picture. A black and white cat is peeking out from behind lace curtains in one of the windows of the building opposite.
Another shot of the stuffed rabbit. He’s sitting on the counter in a bathroom, apparently guarding a makeup bag of pink silk, although from what or whom is not clear. The flash reflected in the mirror has blocked out whoever has taken the photo. On the other side of the ceramic sink is a man’s toiletry case of tan leather, and near it, a slightly tarnished silver-backed handle-less brush.
An unconscious Sara is curled up under the covers of one of the beds, her hair spilling over the cream pillow as she sleeps. Only part of her face and one shoulder are visible; she’s wearing flannel pajamas--grey with blue stripes. Her long body is rounded into a protective ball, huddled up, and on the nightstand the glowing number travel clock shows that it is four twenty-seven, although the lighting makes it impossible to tell if it is day or night. There is a softness to the photo, a private sweetness in the capture of the moment.
This is a shot of both Sara and Grissom standing in front of what appears to be the painted wooden counter of the hotel. The picture is well-framed, and the two subjects look a little tense; clearly neither is completely comfortable with having their picture taken. They stand near each other, shoulders almost touching. Sara’s grin is bright, but strained while Grissom looks off over the photographer’s head. Both are dressed casually, and Grissom has a camera of his own around his neck. The guidebook is just peeking out of his jacket pocket. Sara’s pink sweatshirt is from the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas.
The picture appears to be taken as a down the street shot of an oncoming bus. The picture is slightly blurred, but a nicely framed view down the same street that seems to be outside the B & B.
These photos are quick, well-framed shots of various statues and fountains around Brussels. Most feature Sara, standing self-consciously.
The photo is not well-composed, suggesting that it was taken hastily. A slump-shouldered Sara is sitting at a small square table, frowning down at the plate in front of her; the curtained window to her left lets in almost too much light for her expression to be seen clearly, but she appears to be almost sulking. The rather anemic pile of greenery on her plate could be the reason.
Two shots of shop windows, the reflections kept to a glassy minimum. One is a patisserie, and shows arrays of tempting pastries; the other is a chocolatier’s window, displaying a fantastic castle-and-dragon scene that appears to be made out of spun sugar and marzipan, with shelves of truffles and other delights below.
Grissom at a genuine sidewalk café, with a demitasse and a carefully-folded newspaper on a tiny round table, and two pigeons and a sparrow cautiously romancing his feet. He is oblivious to the wildlife, and is frowningly absorbed in the paper, saved from looking like a local only by the guidebook also balanced on the table and the truly ancient UCLA sweatshirt.
A gleaming, banded silver ball fills most of the frame, reflecting in piecemeal a fountain and some green lawn. This is followed by some excellent shots of Brussels from a height.
Grissom standing on a broad walkway, with people passing by; he is looking up at something, with an expression very close to glee. What he is looking at is not visible, but the next three photos are of a massive wooden roller coaster, including one shot of a set of cars rushing past. The passengers are a blur.
Sara, with her hands over her eyes, sitting in a small blue car like those seen on roller coasters, except that it is single-seat. The wall behind her is also blue. Her grin is visible beneath her palms.
This photo is a different size than the others, probably from a different camera. It is a semi-professional shot of Grissom and Sara standing at a scrubbed, ancient-looking wooden bar, each holding a large stemmed goblet half-full of an amber liquid. They are looking both amused and self-conscious.
The stuffed rabbit, with its diminutive arms semi-wrapped around the stem of a now-empty goblet. The background is the hotel room.
A series of well-framed images of architectural details in the Art Nouveau style. While pretty, none of them are especially breathtaking or unusual, except for the marble twist over a sort of small, shallow cupola; the bunny is sitting in the cupola.
Sara standing on a sidewalk lined with small shops. She is eating something messy wrapped in paper--there is a small smear to the right of her mouth--and is wearing an expression of extreme bliss. In the next photo, she is offering the edible to the photographer, looking downright provocative.
Grissom, in jacket and cap, tilting his head up at a rainy sky, sans glasses. One corner of the picture is blurry, possibly from a raindrop on the lens.
Six pictures of a beetle. It’s crawling along the edge of a sidewalk. A section of Grissom’s boot can be seen near the bottom of the shots.
--oo—
The picture is of a slightly exasperated Sara, who appears to be urging the photographer towards the carousel in the background behind her. It’s a huge affair, full of glass mirrors and ornate, gilded horses, and there are several people on it already, grown-ups and children. There are tickets in her hand, a pair of them.
--oo—
Sara on a carousel horse. It’s midnight black, with a painted saddle of sky blue, and the horse is on the crest of its rise nearly four feet up. Sara is grinning broadly, teeth visible, sunglasses parked on top of her head as she sits sidesaddle. The bunny is in her lap.
---oo—
Grissom standing next to Sara’s carousel horse, his hand around the brass pole, his expression tolerantly amused; as if he can’t quite believe he’s been talked onto the ride. The blue sweater he’s wearing is almost a perfect match for the color of the saddle.
--oo—
A slightly blurry shot of the Manneken Pis. He is wearing bunny ears.
--oo—
A shot of the Vegas Bunny sitting on a well-used map spread on a café table. There are several red Xs on it, and penciled notes in the margins. Sara’s sunglasses are visible next to the bunny as is Grissom’s baseball cap.
--oo—
A shot of Grissom looking embarrassed and therefore utterly adorable. He is standing under a trellis of morning glories with bright red lipstick kisses on each cheek. On either side of him are two young women in full national costume, each with an arm linked through his. One is holding a large sign welcoming the 1,000th visitor to Les Jardins d’Annevoie in several languages.
--oo—
This photo is clearly a purchase from a souvenir vendor; it features Sara and Grissom posed together alongside a stone waterwheel in Les Jardins d’Annevoie. Sara is trailing her fingers in the water as it pours off the ancient carved wheel, looking lost in thought. Grissom is behind her, one arm lightly wrapped around her shoulders. She is looking at the water; he is looking at her, and the camera easily picks up the tenderness in his gaze.
--oo—
Sara is looking amused as a small girl gestures to the Vegas Bunny hanging out of her purse. Clearly the child has asked about it and Sara is replying. The child’s mother looks towards the photographer, her expression both slightly embarrassed and exasperated.
--oo—
An interesting shot of four sock-covered feet; two pairs side by side near the end of a bed. The smaller set are encased in green socks with little daisies on them, and are sort of sprawled out. The other, bigger pair of feet are in high quality black wool socks and crossed at the ankles. Beyond the feet and slightly out of focus is an open suitcase with a fancy gift bag from Natan’s department store, Avenue Louise. It’s just the right size for holding two pairs of socks.
--oo—
A shot similar to one early in the series, except that this time it is Grissom asleep in a tangle of blankets, and the room is not the familiar charm of the hotel but a larger, cooler space. The bed is wider. In a touch meant to be humorous but that ends up being wistful, someone has placed the bunny in the crook of his elbow.
--oo—
The last photo is much the same, except that Grissom’s eyes are open, and he is smiling sleepily at the photographer. One hand has emerged from the blanket and is lying, palm-up, in invitation.
End.
