Our elder daughter brought this crawfish from her school more than 2 years ago, and he (I believe it is "he" even though I do not even know if crawfishes have distinction of sex or not!) became part of our family. Kyoko, our elder one named him Sebastian, you know, after the crab character in "Little Mermaid". She did not understand the difference between crab and crawfish back then. We strictly ordered our daughters to take care of him, but as all kids do, they tend to forget to feed him every other day, do not clean up his "room" (of course a tiny tank, that is) for a week and everything, so it became my job to take care of him after a couple of weeks. Since then, the bond between him and me has been really tight, to say the least, as we are the only men in the house. We talk to each other a lot, when girls are not home, and I even treat him with occasional special dinner once in a while (you know, something other than that smelly fishbait of sort), I even take him out of the tank every week or so, and let him play outside for 5 minutes. I realized that I had never taken his photo before, and thought it was unfair, because I have shot my daughters constantly, and he is like my son now! (Even my daughters call him "a little brother" sometimes) So, I decided to take his photo, when I had to clean up his "room" today. Below is a conversation (of sort) I had with him then. Please take this seriously, and do not laugh. instead, I ask you to consider it as a "father and son" talk, because I really think I am going to cry when he dies…
Me: Ok, son, the weather is nice. Clean up time! And you know what? I am going to take a nice portrait of you today when we wait for your stinking room to dry up.
Sebastian: Dad, don't you know I have seen all my sisters stupid photos you have taken? I do not want my portrait to be done by you.
Me: Oh, do not be ridiculous, son. Father is always the best photographer to his children! And you know, I will not do one of those "girly" treatments for your portrait. Instead, I will make you look like…, what was the name of your favorite movie?
Seb: Oh! The Predator! Really? Dad? You can do that?
Me: Sure. The Predator, Darth Vader, whatever you want!
Seb: The Predator! You promise me you focus on my cool big fingers?
Me: I do not know about that, Seb. If I focused on your fingers, nobody will be able to see your face, because you can't stand straight up like me yet, and my lens has a very thin DOF. That makes it difficult for everyone to see your face and fingers in the same….
Seb: Oh, cut the nerdy talk, Dad! I gotta look cool! You just promise that?
Me: Ok, ok. I will do my best. I promise you that.
Seb: Your best is not good enough. You are a shabby photographer. Everyone on Flickr knows that!
Me: Seb, watch your mouth, or I will clean up your room everyday!
Seb: Sorry Dad. I can't stand the clean room. My bad.
Me: Alright, son. Now are you ready?
Seb: Dad, can we do it like a month later? When the weather is little warmer that this?
Me: No. Seb. No. We have to do it now. You know why? Because within a month, the weather will be warm enough and you will be totally horeny and start moving around like crazy! I won't be able to take your picture, will I?
Seb: Ok, Dad. Just promise me you will not make it B&W.
Me: Why is that?
Seb: I do not look good in B&W. I may not get fan letters from your buddies on Flickr then...
Setagaya, Tokyo
Note: Sebastian past away last month (Sep 2011), after very long, happy life for a crayfish. He was with us for more than 3 years, we figured! Right before he had past away, we got another crayfish, very little one, and named him Sebastian the Second. He is now the star of the family. I am going to upload his image sometime, maybe before he becomes inactive in the winter.
