bwphotocontest - Call Me Peace Wolf

Is it crazy to be happy when your life is just so damn sad?

She saw my camera and came over to talk to me. I cringed a little inside because I knew what would come next. Begging for change, a cigarette, anything...

My name is Peace Wolf and I'm a Double-Gypsy.

Now I figured for sure she was crazy... but she started to ask about my camera. Her son was a photographer she said. Had been a photographer. He was dead now. His work had been featured in art shows and in print.

She didn't ask for anything, she only wanted to talk. She was lucid, calm and clean, with perhaps just a hint of madness in her eyes. She told me about her life as a homeless person, and about the death of her son from an overdose.

This contest is about Happiness, I know

We talked for a long while and I thought I'd better give her some money, but just then she said: "Don't you want to take my picture?" She walked a pace or two away, turned, and struck the pose you see here. I took a couple of shots and she waved, turned around and left. "I'll see you later" she called out over her shoulder.

Just this moment I've noticed some odd looking stuff at the top of the photo. We are both standing under the Wishing Tree in the square. People write little things they wish for on bits of paper and hang them from the tree... do you see them? I don't know what she wished for if anything. She was defiant, and happy.

Happiness is: Looking life full in the face, then spitting right in its eye!

This is my third entry for the #bwphotocontest by @daveks. The theme for this week is Happiness, and the guest judge is @countrygirl. Please click for a full-screen view. Thanks for taking a look!

Nikon D750, 50mm, 1/200 second, f/1.6, ISO 10,000