A writer with a camera

I love being a freelance writer.  Besides the coolness of that job title, I get to do a lot of really awesome things, the most awesome of which is meeting interesting people and asking them lots of questions.  I love doing that.  Making stories out of the answers is pretty cool.

Sometimes I do more than ask questions.  I did two food-oriented profiles recently--on a cupcake bakery and a homestyle Italian restaurant--and I got to taste some of the food.

Yesterday I finished up a story—just in time to meet deadline—but I hadn’t yet found a picture, and my editor said she wanted at least one.

One of my sources said he might have some on his website, but they were too small for a print publication.  I tried calling his office to see if I could come down and get some photos, but his office manager wasn’t encouraging.  She actually kind of put me off the idea.

So I asked my editor for an extension to give me time to come up with some photos.   Wondered what I’d do.

An idea slowly came to me.  I had to go out to the drug store to pick up some milk anyway.  Maybe I could get a photo there. . . . 

Me (to pharmacist):  Hi.  Um, I have a strange request.  I’m a freelance writer for the Gazette and need a photo for a story I’m writing about colonoscopies for National Colon Cancer Awareness month, and I wondered if I could borrow a bottle of colonoscopy prep solution just for a picture.

Pharmacist:  (looks at the other pharmacist)  I suppose that would be OK.  You don’t need to take it out of the store, do you?

Other Pharmacist:  (with a grin) Do we have to be in the picture?

Me:  No—I’ll take it here.  I have this cart with supplies that someone might need to prepare for a colonoscopy. And you can be in the picture if you want to!

Pharmacist:  My last year’s physical was before I turned 50.  I think this year, my doctor’s going to tell me to get a colonoscopy.

Me:  Yes, he probably will.  I had one—it’s no big deal.