A week ago, photographer Mark Ylen and I went to the Albany Animal Hospital for a story about an injured stray puppy, Abbie, and the fund that paid for her care.
The technician who led us into the part of the clinic where injured animals are lodged must have found us to be a trustworthy pair — which we are, of course — because she disappeared almost immediately after letting Abbie out of her cage so Mark could photograph her and I could interview her (just kidding; it was merely an informal conversation).
After Mark got his photos and Abbie commenced wandering around, leaving puddles on the floor, I couldn’t resist going into the pup’s man-sized cage. I then swung the door shut and said to Mark, “take a picture of me and we’ll tell people I’ve been arrested and taken to the jail. I’ll try to look sufficiently hopeless.”
Mark, ever accommodating, squeezed off the following frame:
Later, I showed the pic to news editor Kim Jackson.
“What do you think, Chief?” I asked. “Do I look hopeless?”
“You look confused,” he replied.
“Well, hopelessness will do that to you.”
I don’t exactly make a point to end up in front of the camera when I go with a photographer to do a story, but that has happened a few other times over the years, and I admit I do like the souvenir pics I end up with. Here are a few samples, some of which have appeared before, some of which have not.
Mark took this one a few months ago when we stopped to eat at my favorite Sweet Home burger joint after taping an Oregon Week segment at City Hall.
I believe it was Jesse Skoubo who took this shot of city editor Karen Petersen and myself at Paws in the Park a couple years ago. My dog Jewel is with me, and Karen walked a shelter dog at the SafeHaven Humane Society fundraiser.
This was a stray I made friends with at the site of the 1965 murder of Holley-area resident Harvey Hamilton; Mark took this pic last November when we visited the location for a story that ran that month.
Btw, if you’re interested in the story, here is a link.
Mark shot this about a year ago at Cascadia State Park, where we'd gone for our series on one-day recreational getaways. I'm not exactly a daredevil, but I have always loved walking on fallen logs over streams.
And if you want to read that story, click here.
Jessica Coudare took this one about five years ago after coming to the ballpark for, I believe, a story on our pitcher extraordinaire, Shawn Stinson, who teaches at West Albany High and is an assistant coach there. Double to left-center, in case you were wondering. It was one of about three balls I hit to that side of the field all season; just a pull hitter, mainly.
