While walking around Berlin, we stopped at a bridge near Hauptbahnhof. I wanted to take some photos with my camera, even though my girlfriend thinks it's too much of a hassle compared to a phone.
While I was setting up, an old man walked up to us, looking curious. At first, he walked past, but then he came back. He asked if he could take a photo with us using his phone. We said yes, but used our phones to take the photo instead. He gave us his daughter's number to send the photos to her.
He told us he hadn’t seen his daughter in five years because of the pandemic. She lives in Germany with her husband and son. That day, he just wanted to walk around Berlin by himself.
He was really happy that even though we come from different parts of the world, we could be kind to each other. I asked if I could take his picture, and he said yes. After chatting for a bit, we said goodbye.
The simple meeting turned into something more. The photo of him became one of my favorites. Later, his family invited us for breakfast. We cooked and ate together, and had a great time. Mr. Chong, who writes books, told me he'd use the photo in his next one. Hearing some of his stories, I felt really proud.
