To the Customers at 1-Hour Moto-Photo

Sometimes it was at the end of a graduation party; the kids pouring themselves through the front door still sticky and happy with beer. They haven’t been home yet. They dump 14 rolls of film onto the counter and say they would like them back in an hour, after breakfast at Denny’s. We have to explain the “1-hour” part of “1-Hour Moto Photo” doesn’t work with 14 rolls of film. We can have them by noon. One kid begins to demand his rights, but the others say ok, lead him out. The last kid pockets all the slips with the matching numbers. They don’t come back for three days. Only a handful of the pictures are in focus. Most will be starting college in the fall.

Grandparents and grandkids. Proms and homecomings. Birthday parties. Smile smile smile smile. Heads together. Big hugs. The candid shot--when the dog jumps up for the cake, when the two uncles are debate the which is the best “Godfather” movie, when the 4 year old discovers his mother’s make-up and paints the baby--is rare and when we find it, we put in the window of the photo envelope so it’s the first one they see. They’re more likely to buy a roll of film, come back next time, accept all the pictures without fussing.

I always dreaded the couple who comes in, her arm locked around his. They put down a roll of film while they continue to pet each other. I want to take them on a tour. “This is the film developer, where we process the negatives so we can print the pictures. And this is the printer. The person who runs this sees every picture, makes adjustments for lighting and color, studies each frame. And this long conveyor belt, facing the customer service area, that you see now is loaded with pictures from someone’s trip to Six Flags, is where your pictures will come out fully developed for all the employees and customers to see.” Because I know what these pictures are. We will see these, I want to say. We have eyes and we have to look at them. The come back later, not at all bashful. They never open them in the store, the way everyone else does. Most people can’t wait to see the pictures. But we watch them in the parking lot, sifting through one by one. We shake our heads--the whole roll was overexposed.