the web cam pt. 4

I walked around to the front of the blocky hotel building, and there was the view, spread out before me. I was beaming. It was so much more tremendous than anything I could see on a screen. On the other side of the hotel was a lawn, then the road I would see buses on, then a rock wall, and then the still waters of the fjord. I crossed the road and stood on top of one of the rocks. Scanning the windows of the hotel, I found the camera. It was a tiny eye in the topmost window on the left of the building. It was kind of cozy to see it there.

But now there was a problem. I wasn't sure where to stand for my big premiere. I was planning to stand between the streetlights I knew so well, but there were several possible pairs of streetlights. I didn't want my big day in the wan sun to end up with me standing off to the wrong side.

I decided I needed a webcam cinematographer. So I went back around the hotel and inside. The place was silent as a winter barn. Even the front desk was unmanned. I poked my head into the restaurant area and a waiter-looking guy came out. He was also the front-desk guy, as it turned out. I explained what I was trying to do. After some chuckles, he loaded up the webpage and we both studied the picture carefully.

"I think this is the end of the driveway here."

"Yeah, that would make sense. No wait, is it this light or that light?"

It was hard to tell. Finally, he said, "OK, you go stand out next to this light and wait a few minutes and then come back inside." Apparently he didn't have much in the way of "official duties" that day, what with an empty hotel.

So I went back outside across the road and stood next to one of the lights and waited a few minutes, to make sure we got a page refresh in. It was cold. When I got back inside, another guy, dressed in full chef's regalia, had joined him behind the desk, and they were both watching me on the webcam. They both smiled and gave me thumbs up. Now there was just an hour and a half until showtime.

(To be continued...)