Seeking Stefan – A One Shot Story

According to my friend Stefan I have a doppelgänger. He goes by the name of Robert apparently. Although doppelgänger usually receive a bad press I’ve never really considered Robert to be particularly malign. He may have his impish little ways, like nudging me when I take a shot with a slow shutter speed or tripping over a tripod leg and displacing it, but those sort of things are just his idea of fun. Recently however his fun, though funny when remembered in retrospect, was certainly not fun at the time.

It all began so well. Stefan was paying a visit to the UK and proposed meeting up for a coffee and a chat. As both of us had exchanged comments here on 35mmc and recently over on RPF this seemed an excellent opportunity for us to get to know each other even better. Stefan suggested a place and time – Greenwich, 11 o’clock. I suggested a meeting point – the Cutty Sark. And Robert undertook to make a note of the date.

Came the day as noted by Robert, cold and damp, and Josie and I made our way to Greenwich. Having circumnavigated the Cutty Sark several times keeping a sharp lookout for a Hamburg registered chap with a Rolleiflex stowed amidships Robert started grumbling that he was getting giddy. So we hove to and then circumnavigated in the opposite direction. By this time in spite of the weather the place was starting to get busy. People watching as you do it was obvious that we weren’t the only ones looking for someone or something. To pass the time I tried for a few shots but was only successful with one before Robert got wind of what I was doing and started ushering people in front of me just as a was firing the shutter. I hope those others found who or what they were looking for. We didn’t, Stefan was not to be found. Robert, of course, took pleasure in pointing out that the arrangements were only suggestions and that we hadn’t actually confirmed them.

Robert’s prank became apparent at lunchtime the next day. By pure chance I noticed that Stefan had sent messages via RPF. He was running late but would be in Greenwich shortly. He was looking for a place to park. Cursing Robert for getting the date wrong I rushed to reply that we would be there as soon as possible. As I was typing he sent another with his phone number and I called him immediately to apologise on Robert’s behalf. Stefan seemed to find it funny. I just found it embarrassing. Lunch went back in the fridge and, setting something of a record for her, Josie was ready to go in only twenty minutes.

No need to seek Stefan that day. There he was complete with signature Rolleiflex. Conscious that his good lady Mareika would be joining him soon I was suggested a walk to take in some untouristy Greenwich on the way to our planned coffee. We got as far as the magnificent Victorian coal jetty when Stefan’s phone rang. It was Mareika to say she was also running late but was hoping to to be arriving at Greenwich Pier by Thames Clipper at 3 o’clock. We’d just time to retrace our steps to be there in time.

Once at the pier the sun came out at last as if to herald Mareika’s approach, the clipper arrived and…..and there was no sign of her. Somehow I had the suspicion that Robert was nearby and when she was not on the next clipper either I was sure of his presence. A somewhat breathless Mareika finally arrived at a quarter to four by which time the rest of us had adjourned nearby for an overdue coffee. Once she was suitably refreshed there was barely time for a brisk stroll through the precincts of the Naval Collage to see at least a bit of the park before Stefan’s parking timed out. Taking advantage of the fact that we were so busy chatting that I was not looking where I was going Robert led us through the less than picturesque staff car park before playing his final trick.

When showing visitors Greenwich I like to take them to the observation point at the top of Observatory Hill for the spectacular view over London. Robert made sure we had none of it. He’d arranged for both it and its associated steep path to be closed as part of ongoing renovations.

After seeing Mareika and Stefan back to their car and saying our auf Wiedersehens Robert whispered in my ear,
“That all went well, didn’t it?”
“If you say so, Robert. If you say so.”
And I suppose, for once, he was right.

EXA500 / Zeiss (DDR) 50mm f2.8 / Yellow filter / Kentmere 400 / ID.11

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