I quickly averted my gaze, but it was too late, he already saw the smile creeping onto my face. He started beckoning to me, as they are prone to do. I was shaking my head, "No, I don't want to throw a dart. No, not even a free one." But that wasn't what he was asking.
He was so excited because he thought I was some bigshot photographer with my fancy camera and big ol' bag. He was asking me if the pictures were going to be in the newspaper. He was so eager that I finally just turned around and smiled and asked if he would like me to take his picture.
So I did. I took a few. I asked if he had a name, and he said "Jimmy So-and-so, and proud of it. I'm not really a carnie you know, I'm just experiencing life." So he pulled out his name badge and asked me to take a picture of it so I wouldn't forget his name.
Jimmy fascinated me. I don't know his story, but he's just one of those people that grips you with curiousity. I was so bummed out that I didn't have any tracts to give him, so today I made prints of his photos and went back to the fair to give them to him. I also gave him some gospel messages on CD and a Chick track. It turns out that Jimmy is already a born again Christian. That's what he says anyway, and I kinda have a hunch that he really is. He said he'd pass the CDs along when he got done with them.
Pretty amazing the people that cross your path. I think running into Jimmy has potentially changed my life. I realized that people love to have their pictures taken, and I should use my camera as a tool to reach people. I have big ideas. Maybe more on that later.
I wish Jimmy all the best and I hope God will use his life. What an opportunity to reach people as a carnie!
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