To my friend Roberto Guzmán
It is always hard to see a friend pass away. It is even harder when it is one that you are not expecting.
How funny that I spent the entire night thinking about things I wanted to say about you and now that I am in front of the computer, words don’t come out. So I guess I will ramble on how we met, how I saw you, and what things you brought to my life.
I remember the day we met, it was my first day at Acento.com.do, and I think yours too, although, you had already worked with most of the people there in a previous enterprise. I remember your look, filled with curiosity and a little bit of judgement, only until you came to know that I was the son of Iván. Then your look changed, and you rapidly started joking around with me.
Soon enough we were working together, I was helping you with your photo captions, and you were giving me pointers on Photography. I remember your words correctly, “angles and shapes my friend, angles and shapes, look for that, and you’ll have a good picture”. Later on, you gave an even more relevant advice, you said: “always take a picture that it is saying something to you, it doesn’t matter how it looks, as long as it means something and shows something worth while”. Every time I look through a lens, I look for something with meaning. So that is my first “thank you”, to you.
We spent only a short time together at Acento.com.do, but it was enough to establish a good friendship. Every now and then we would get together and have a couple of beers and talk. The last couple of years we only talked on Social Media chat, we didn’t see each other a lot and we didn’t have those beer and dialogue afternoons or nights. Maybe we didn’t do it enough, but the times we did, we had a lot of fun.
The last time we worked together, I wasn’t expecting it, and it was as pleasant and fun as always. It was at Diario Libre, so not too long ago; you were covering another’s photographer vacation. So it was for a short time, but we got to do at least one job together. I remember well the day, and the job, I actually looked for the link just to remember that day. I was assigned a story report about the waste of water and the importance of it in the Dominican Republic and the world. With very little time, we went on a city ride, asking people about the waste of water, contamination and other things. You were recording and taking pictures. I recall that you told me, “we can do a cool ‘little video’ for it (the story) papá!”, and I said “do your magic”. That day we went for lunch together, we even had a beer, and then some dessert. Later on we continued with our work and like always I finished my part before you. You were very good at videos, it would take you some time to find those “angles” and “shots”, and even more to edit, but it was worth it.
You were also a great photographer and such a great person, with so many qualities. It is hard to assimilate your departure. I sometimes don’t understand why the good ones have to go, and you were one of the good ones. What hurts the most is that we didn’t get to say goodbye. Your last words to me were over a picture of me and my newborn son: “Ay que dindo!”, you wrote. I could see your face and your tone when I read it, with a big smile behind it for sure, I still do.
I just hope you can read this wherever you are, and that these words stay with me, so they remind me of your kindness, your happiness, humbleness and eternal smile. I will miss you “carepapa”, I will miss our talks, the beers, and the laughs. Whenever I go back to the Island, I will make sure to have a couple of Presidente’s in your name. Rest in peace, watch over us, love you and I hope to see you again.
