The Photo that Conquered the World

Ramilyn posted under Flash Fiction QuinTale-03 on 2018-11-29



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“The entire world was swept away by their charm and fell in love with their quirky smiles. Who are they? Our field correspondent, Jane Murph, has more details of this...bizarre yet fascinating phenomenon. Jane?”

Facing the camera before me, I began addressing the TV viewers. “Thank you, Molly. Well, I surely have everything in store for everyone this evening. With me is the man of the hour, who lost his mobile phone in the Amazon jungle but found something incredible in return.

Mr. Simmer, the entire world is bewitched by these photographs! What exactly happened?”

“I was one of the photographers that the Wildlife Conservation Institute hired to search for a rare species of monkey, the saki monkeys... known as the flying monkeys and hadn’t been seen in 80 years. We did find them, as the world now knows. But these photographs in the exhibits are results of either sheer luck or blatant carelessness.

“Tell us more about it.”

“Deep in the jungle, cellphones don’t really work. But out of habit I carried mine, fully charged, and kept it in my backpack. When I returned to the base camp that night, my backpack was torn and my phone was gone. It took me two days to recover my phone.”

“And you were presented with these endless...amazing marmoset selfies?"

Mr. Simmer chuckled. “Wied’s black-tufted-ear marmosets are curious creatures. Much like us, really.”

I smiled. “Based on what's in front of us, no doubt about that!”

Mr. Simmer then proceeded to give the viewers a tour of the exhibit.

One of the photographs was a marmoset grinning, revealing a set of ivory teeth. “He’s probably the one who found the phone and set the camera on since he is in almost all the photos.”

“Clever monkey!”

He then went on to explain another picture. “This guy captured his own head. And the one behind him must be doing yoga at that time!” Mr. Simmer laughed.

“Oh, yes! Head on the branch...legs up on the trunk...he must be!” I laughed.

“Well, this picture is a personal favorite. As you can see, it seems like the entire family had gathered to have their family photo taken. It’s just perfect. Parents, older offspring, younger ones, infants too. Everyone tucked on a tree branch facing the phone...well, except this guy here who was more interested in having his left-side pictured.”

“He probably thought that’s his best angle!” I said, referring to the one standing behind all others; his right hand placed on the tree trunk and facing 30 degrees away from the camera. “What a pose!”

After the tour, I thanked Mr. Simmer and asked him to give a few last words.

“Well, the night I lost my phone the world found a treasure of a lifetime.”

During the Simmer’s Selfie Exhibit, the world watched at least seventeen incredible poses from a marmoset family. According to the poll of CBB network’s website, the family picture was declared the most captivating selfie ever taken by a four-legged creature.

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