An accident.

It was a successful day of working at the Berkeley West Biocenter where they are trying to find bacteria that can be manipulated into growing on a large scale serving as bio fuel.
A tedious and monklike work to find the right bacteria: a process of simply trying any possibility.
This means that it can take a while but that probably with a little luck in the future we can produce fuel from living organism we can grow ourselves.

Making pictures is one thing but they are meaningless if detailed captions are not added.
To know the time and place.
About what subject the picture exactly is.
Who are the persons in it.

Yesterday over 500 pictures were made resulting in several hours adding captions later in the Travelodge hotelroom.
Exactly at the moment the job was done good friend Irina arrived.
Irina is Russian and a fabulous photographer.
But it seems that with her talent and her style of photography she is not in the right place at the right moment.
Maybe Irina should make a drastic move and this she is seriously contemplating.
Because she is such a good photographer having the knack to know what makes a good and convincing picture, it was an exquisite privilege to go with her through today’s results.
To find at least two images that justify a spread in the magazine story later.

Dinner was with friend Harry, originally from Kanton.
He is living in a fabulous house on a hill side overlooking the bay of San Francisco.
On one side a large window offers this spectacular view and on the other side of the room Harry has this huge acquarium in which tropical fish costing more than 2.000 $ a piece.
A hobby.
Unfortunately for those expensive fish, the party they were seeing around the dinner table were eating fish also.
With a home made oyster sauce the best tasted ever.

Later a cup of chamomile tea in one of those European like brasseries Berkeley is fortunately offering.
Full of young people with books and noteblocks in front of them and the unavoidable laptops.
A great atmosphere: peaceful and positive.

Returning to the hotel Irina was kissed goodbye and getting out of her fancy Mitsubishi Eclipse and walking to the room suddenly:

BANG

Looking to where the sound was coming from, nearby a car was spotted with a front side badly damaged.
By intuition the short walk was made to this car and to great astonishment and shock a heap was observed just behind it.
Checking this out it became clear this was a young woman who obviously had been hit by the car.
Meanwhile Irina, having seen the walk to the damaged car had turned around and was on the spot shortly as well.

It was a 15 year old girl who was knocked down by the car.
On the well illuminated and quiet University Avenue and on a pedestrian crossing.

Quickly the coat was taken off and made into a pillow to put under the head of the moaning girl.
She wanted to get up but as this could harm her even more every effort was made to keep her laying down.
A girl from a nearby restaurant called 911 while the driver of the hit car was standing by.
He was young and pale.

The girl was semi-conscious.
Obviously in pain.
Having lossed part of her memory.
Panicking and getting into a shock.
Every effort was made to calm her down and to comfort her.
Holding her.
Talking to her in a quiet voice with soothing words.

Eventually the police came.
Three police cars.
The Fire Brigade came as well with a huge truck.
And eventually an ambulance who took over the care of the girl.

A lot of civil services came to assist but then, you never know.
It was very impressing how police and paramedics were doing their work.
Calm and efficiently.

Another girl of the restaurant had actually seen the accident happen and made herself available as a witness.
She was interviewed by the police at length.
The young, pale boy of the battered, old Toyata Corrola was interviewed as well and was allowed later to continue his journey.

Because of the coat serving as a pillow, the moment to go to the hotel had to wait until the girl was well in the ambulance.

And for a second time there were warm and intense hugs with Irina.






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