Bethlehem-Palestine-IsraelIMG_5441

Proprietor of a small food shop near the Nativity Church (from my journal): Abu Ala: yesterday on my beer mission I decided to drop by the other Peace Restaurant, the small one on Manger St where I recall visiting some yrs ago with its proprietor. I don’t believe he recognized me altho I did him, introduced myself as a long ago visitor, and ordered a falafel sandwich to go (later added a small tub of humus). He wanted me to sit awhile, altho I was eager to return to my work at Casa Nova Guest House . After a few minutes sitting at a front table, visible from the street, a woman ordered a few things. After she’d left he said to me, you bring me luck. Stay where you are. She’s my first customer of the day (1230 pm). As often happens he lashed me with many of the horrors of the occupation, and implored me to return to his restaurant, to bring my friends (after I’d announced I was here with 2 friends), and strongly suggested I hire his son as a tour guide. Both son and grandson were working in the tiny restaurant.

As I'm photographing refugees, I asked, are you a refugee? We’re all refugees, he replied, and then elaborated. Not in the usual sense, not displaced, I'm originally from an outlying section of Bethlehem where I still live. Inadvertently posing by resting his chin on one hand, I snapped into photographer mode and asked, mind if I photograph you? Not at all. Hold that position please; it’s perfect. And I angled the camera to pick up some of his empty lunchtime shop. My big portrait of the day.