The Photographer

The Photographer

Richard Maynard was an executive for a very large conglomerate.  He was second in command to the president/CEO.  

Richard had worked up from the mail room through the ranks of the company. He had a corner office with a spectacular view, a full-time secretary, plus two more part-timers if needed, a company car that was taken out once a month, washed and waxed, there were stock options and he golfed at least once a week. Of course, the green fees and cart and lunch were on the companies tab.

But, he wasn’t happy.

It all came to a head one morning when he sat in the parking lot for forty-five minutes with the engine running. He just stared off into space.  

He knew what he had to do.

He went upstairs and told Frank Narland, the CEO that he was done. He cleaned out the corner office with the beautiful view, hugged his secretary thanking her for years of faithful service and left.

When he got home, Marilyn, his wife of thirty-one years of marriage was waiting for him.

“What are you doing home so early?”

“I resigned my post.”

“You did what?”

“I resigned. I quit. I no longer work for Narland Industries.”

“But, how could you do that without talking to me?”

“I told you a long time ago that I was very unhappy and all you did was go on and on about the lifestyle we had and how we needed money.”

“Well, we have a very nice lifestyle.”

“It is time for a change.”

“I think this is stupid. You have made a horrible decision. March to work and get your old job back.”

“No.”

He brushed past her and went inside the spacious mansion that was home. They had a full-time gardener and chef. They lived in an area that was reserved for those that hit it big in the lottery.

She was right behind him.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me back there. I said-

“I know what you said. The answer is still no and always will be. I’m done.”

“What about the kids in college?”

“Let them stay. I am not standing in their way.”

“And what are you going to do now that you are not working?”

“I am going to be a wildlife photographer.”

“Oh, what utter nonsense.”

“To you it is nonsense, but to me it is a passion that burns so hard that it keeps me awake at night. It excites me.”

“I want a divorce.”

“If that is your wish. You want to throw twenty-eight years of marriage away then there is nothing I can do about it.”

She stormed off.

He started to rummage through everything because there was a lot of work to do. Obviously, there was no way to maintain the current living quarters.  He would have to sell the Porsche. There were a lot of things that were going on the auction block.

He would be okay for a few months because the stock options were being cashed in. Plus the sale of the mansion and all the other non-essential materialistic possessions would pad the bank account.  

Of course, a divorce was going to cost a fair amount of money.  He had half anticipated that.  

The days rolled by and he began to enjoy the new voyage in life that he had set a course on. It was going to be fun.

The divorce went through and it was done swiftly and virtually pain free. He had loved that woman at one point, but someone that didn’t share in his dreams could not be a proper partner.

Richard began is life as a wild life photographer. There was a good market for it.

The talk back in the company and in many circles was that he had gone off the deep end.  

He brushed all of this aside and moved on with his new career.  It was great to be out in the woods and out of a stuffy office no matter how spectacular the view.

The stock options had worked out in his favour and see him over the hump until he could make some money at the photographer game. Although, he had walked out on them, he had a lot of friends in the company.

One of his best friends Joe Mancini had a cabin in the woods. Richard stayed there for three weeks and took some interesting pictures. He was out twelve to fourteen hours a day walking through the woods and around the lake.

He managed to photograph a moose and a squirrel staring at each other. It went international and started to earn him a bit of a reputation. But, the money wasn’t pouring in. 

“I know this was going to be a tough gig. But, this is what I want to do with my life.”

He said this out loud to the trees.

He plugged away taking some interesting but not earth-shattering photos. At this point, he had to leave the cabin and did so. It was winter and he hunkered down only spending money wisely.

His wife had moved on.  She had found another guy.  

“I found myself a real man.”

“I am happy for you. I hope it works out and he treats you well.”

Life moved on and soon it was spring. He had been out in the bitter cold and had managed to take perhaps a dozen photos that would money in his pocket and food on the table.

Most of the money payout from the former executive job had gone to the lawyers and the alimony payments. There was no time to panic, but things were getting a little dicey.

Yet, Richard’s aggressiveness grew stronger. He could feel the power surging through him.  Frank had called a couple of times.

“How you doing?”

“I am doing great.”

“That’s good to hear. You realize that anytime you want to come back we will take you in with open arms.”

“I will think about it.”

It was late spring and he was in a funk. Sleep was hard to come by and one morning he went out earlier than usual. He stood on the edge of the lake.

“Well, it is now or never. If you don’t make it work then you were wrong. Everyone will laugh at you and tell you I told you so.”

He looked up and saw the eagle coming right at him. He managed to take several pictures. It was at just the right angle that there was a slight tilt to it.

He snapped many versions of this and knew he had something special.

The photo gained International recognition. And, in one instant, he was elevated in the world of photography to almost global status.

A few days later, he caught a fish jumping out of the pond and an osprey flying by but missing its target.  

It would take some time, but eventually Richard carved out a niche for himself.  

He stood at the edge of the lake. It was the three year anniversary of the big decision.  He was an international photographer and his wife was divorced again. The guy had cleaned her out.

When she had gotten married the alimony payments stopped.  The kids were over eighteen and his monetary support stopped there.

His gamble had paid off. He was now one of the top nature photographer’s in North America.