Photography and Text by Tony Ward, Copyright 2024
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A Clear Night in Paris
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It was a clear night in Paris, the kind that draws lovers out into the open air. The quarter moon hung brightly in the sky, bathing the city in a soft glow. Ross sat alone on a bench in a tiny park not far from the Eiffel Tower. Though the hour was late, he was wide awake, lost in thought.
He was considered by many to be a handsome man – tall, with dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard and a stylish dresser. A lawyer by profession, dark suits were accented by ties and KVaughn scarves for a more casual look. But, his rugged looks did little to ease the loneliness he felt. For weeks now, he had come to this spot, hoping to catch a glimpse of HER.
The woman who walked by the park every night on her way home from one fashionable event or another. The vision of this woman who often wore black had stolen his heart at first sight. He knew nothing about her, not even her name, yet he was utterly captivated and hoped he would soon see her again.
On one particular night, a photographer was photographing in the park on a fashion shoot. As if on cue, she appeared first in the distance, looking like a Parisian goddess in her dark sunglasses and sheer black dress. Ross straightened up, with his pulse quickening. As she drew nearer, he noticed she carried a half-empty glass of champagne in one perfectly manicured hand. His brows furrowed slightly, sensing something was off. Her usual confident stride seemed slower, more wavering as the photographer, Tony Ward snapped her passing him by.
