SnappedShots: Silas the Hostage

December 31, 2004: Silas the Hostage

An exile can always be called a crackpot. He does it, or at least in this case, he has done it, to himself. The exile of the other variety is the banished scoundrel who has, one presumes, brought it on himself.

Suppose I were two people, or at least of two minds. Suppose I had multiple personalities. Suppose the criminal me has captured, has caught and bound and taken hostage the social me. Let’s continue to suppose then that, rather than Silas the Exile, we have the kidnapper Silas, and the hostage Silas. Then what shall my ransom be?

Imagine this in newspaper fonts cut out and glued onto the screen:

I will release Silas under the following circumstance. You will give me the money for a Nikon D70. When I have received enough money, I will take a picture of Silas’s face in the light of day and then I will turn him over.

Yes, that’s all lovely to suppose. That way I turn my deadline over to you. I wait for the dollars to come in on Paypal. When I have enough — about $1500 Cdn + taxes —, I will get dressed, fix my ragged hair, go downtown, go into a store, buy the camera. And on some street in the light of day where I haven’t really allowed my hostage to travel, I will take my own picture, I will reveal myself, and this hostage-taking will end.

Of course my timing is bad. Like the death of Jerry Orbach or the engagement of our favorite Canadians, David and Jamie. If you had a dollar you didn’t want you should probably send it to the Tsunami relief.

But suppose you have two dollars you didn’t want.

Oh wait — I just read more — I see — D70 — oh yes… well — why don’t I just come up there and take your photo for you? we’ll take all the paypal money and go buy mojitos…

Posted by: bob at January 3, 2005 8:17 PM

What a great idea Kathryn — here’s my list of favourites — it was fun going back into the archives to re-look at all the pictures. I never miss a day, yet I’d forgotten some of them (except the fruit — that was sort of hard to forget).

July 10 — Homer Simpson

May 29 — pigeon

aug 30 —rapsody in blue

july 15 — mask

aug 16 dishes

aug 17 painting

may 25 — fruit with bright pink

aug 27 —wrenches

aug 21 — mushroom

and my # 1 favourite — July 14 — egg

There are some odd reasons for my liking some of them — but I love your ability to see beauty in every object.

Happy New Year

Kia

Posted by: kia at December 31, 2004 9:29 PM

kathryn,

I agree — except that it’s right now a completely distasteful proposition — that it’s a great idea. And I’ll do it too if it works out. And SnappedShots can still continue, just with a better camera and with a new kind of living, acting social Silas.

Thanks so much for the list. It really means a lot to me that somebody would pay enough attention to make a list of their favorites. Thank you. What, no dying fruit on your list? I jest. I do love the November 17th picture. But I’m not nearly objective about that one.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope this space doesn’t self destruct overnight. Y2K5 non-compliant?

Posted by: ss at December 31, 2004 4:26 PM

Perhaps later you might consider it. I understand though. I haven’t even put anything up on ebay because of the tsunami. It seems - just out of place - for lack of a more apt phrase.

Since lists, countdowns, favorites are all the rage today I will list my favorite photos from your (almost) year. 3) The work from August 20th-25th. 2) November 17th - where Murph looks like an angel in dog form. And my all time favorite #1 photo thus far is from October 11th. It isn’t so much the colors as it is the almost “human-like” appearance you captured in Murph’s paws.

Happy New Year.

Posted by: kathryn at December 31, 2004 2:58 PM

Yes, I should say that Silas the Kidnapper is maintaining, if not the letter, the principles of the Geneva Convention. I’m treated kindly enough. He ensures I have my medicine which I would die without. In fact, I think I might have a bit of the Stockholm Syndrome. As much as I want to be free, I’ve developed a terrible fondness for Silas 1.

Meanwhile, I have made Paypal a link. But you know what, kathryn? I just couldn’t. As with everything, I wrote this with some degree of jest and some degree of earnestness but, I just couldn’t, at least right now. Right now it’s horrible and selfish and small. But thank you.

Posted by: ss at December 31, 2004 12:15 PM

1) Is Silas 1 holding Silas 2 according to the Geneva Convention? ( http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm) 2) If one were so inclined, where would a paypal link be? 3) Thank you for your comment to my last comment. Our family member is able to leave the tsunami zone on the 2nd of Janauary. There will be much exhalation of breath and better sleeping.

Posted by: kathryn at December 31, 2004 11:56 AM