VICTIM OF MY OWN PASSION
Yelena Zaslavskaya, Holocaust survivor from Ukraine This ridiculous story happened to me in the big city of Dallas, Texas. As a multi-faceted city, it has many special attributes because it combines cultured society and cowboy customs. Tall, architecturally unique modern buildings sometimes adjoin low, old-fashioned ones. Streets are beautified with fountains and bronze sculptures, some depicting groups of cows and horses. To see them displayed on the streets of a big city like Dallas is a bit surprising. Recently, I became interested in photographing landscapes and unusual building and have found many places of interest in this city. One significant place is the Philharmonic Hall with its original and imposing architecture. Despite its massive size it appears light, possibly because of its round shape and many glassy surfaces. Inside, Hall is beautifully decorated as well. Of note are the lobby and music hall finishes—elegantly restrained and not overindulged. The small public garden serves as a buffer between the Philharmonic Hall and the noisy streets. One side of this garden is fenced by a low stone wall. Trickling water runs down the wall into a rather shallow ditch. On the neighboring streets, there are some museums located within the elegant old-fashioned buildings. Bronze sculpted figures on the sidewalks pose as passers-by … taking part in the everyday life of the street scene. The famous Dallas Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra is well known across America and Europe. Andrew Litton, the symphony’s emotional director, was taught by the brilliant musician Mstislav Rostropovich. While visiting Dallas, I had the pleasure attending some concerts directed by Litton. Once, in the month of October, my relatives invited me to a daytime concert there. The weather was cool, which is unusual in sunny Dallas. I took this opportunity to capture some pictures before the concert. Typically, as soon as I recognize an object of beauty, I start looking for the best perspective and distance to achieve the most impressive picture. On that occasion, I intended to take a picture of a building that had caught my eye. Walking along a ditch, I was looking through the camera lens to find the best angle. It was a defining creative moment, so I was not paying attention to my steps. Suddenly, I found myself in a moat full of cold water! It was so difficult to get out! At last, I was on the ground, shivering from the cold. I was like the ‘trembling figure’ in the famous Ivanov painting “The Appearance of Christ before the People.” The new camera that I was so proud of was drowning in the dull water and it was so difficult to fish it out! After this accidental bath I looked awful, felt numb and water was streaming from my clothes. In spite of these sad circumstances, I could not control my nervous laughter. I entered Philharmonic Hall with only one thought in mind: to dry out. I did not consider returning home immediately to change clothing, although in hindsight it might have been more reasonable path.
INSPIRATION FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS: A Collection of Stories, Recipes, Poems and Other Heartfelt Offerings from JSSA’s Holocaust Survivor Program 33
