The blind photographer

I went with my friend Chandra to watch the races with the Singapore delegation for about two hours. Chandra told me, “My daughter Gloria is running the 200 metres. She has a six-year-old son.” He said she was the best.

Gloria came and sat down and talked to me. While she was talking, she was putting Vaseline over her whole body. I was laughing to myself, saying, “Why should someone need Vaseline? Is it a marathon?” And in India it is so warm!

Chandra was right. In the 200 metres she finished 40 metres ahead of the second finisher, who was from Nepal. The Indian runners were far behind her. The Singapore athletes badly defeated the Indians.

Chandra was supposed to run 200 metres and the 400-metre hurdles, and I was supposed to take his picture. While I was looking for him through the camera lens, he finished the race. Then he came back and everybody was congratulating him because he stood first.

I asked him, “Did you run?”

He said, “Yes, I ran. What were you doing?”

I said, “I was holding the camera, but I could not see you.”

Afterwards, they took our picture standing together.

— 31 March 1983