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December | 2014 | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/12

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. December 28, 2014. For the past couple of weeks, I have been working at a little boutique in a local mall. Carmen is the manager. But she is so much more than that label. She is kind and gentle. Hazel-eyed. Petite. Smiling and cautious. Talkative. Adventurous and anxious. She’s quite the paradox, and utterly lovely. Carmen has gently placed pieces of her puzzle in my hands, and I have tried to put that puzzle together. ...

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #7: Grace | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/face-7-grace

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. November 16, 2014. The beautiful lady that works at our house. She loves colourful earrings and eye shadow. Her hair is intricately braided. Her smile absolutely brightens my day. Her smile would brighten anyone’s day. She bounces when she walks and sways when she hums. She is rhythmic joy. I walked into the kitchen sad. She wrapped her words and her arms around me. You look so beautiful! She lit up like a Christmas tree.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #10: Gisela | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/face-10-gisela

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. December 10, 2014. A lovely German lady who lives in my estate. Small and strong. Determined. Soft white hair resting lightly on her forehead. Green eyes which sparkle with youth. Blue eyeliner. A gold broach. She smiles with love, with trust. But I cannot think of that nowI cannot hold onto it. If I do, I won’t be able to speak. I put my arm around her shoulder. I feel like you gave me Christmas! People are the real flowers.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

November | 2014 | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/11

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. November 30, 2014. A security guard at the estate where I live. Jan loves jazz. He wears a shiny black cap on sunny days. He always rubs his hands together and nods when he greets people. He is tall and lean. Gangly with a caramel complexion. Serious eyes peer at me from their wrinkled cases. But he very rarely smiles. We greet each other every day. He rubs his hands and nods. I can hear his strong accent. Have a nice day.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #2: Hayati | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/face-2-hayati/comment-page-1

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. October 11, 2014. I was chatting to my friends about something or other and suddenly burst into song (as is my habit). Hayati was walking past our table, stopped and said: Ah! I want to hear! I can still hear his delicious accent. Ver the years, I have been lucky to do what I love to do. It’s because I made a decision. Life is too f* king short to not love people, to not connect with people. Look beneath the surface. 6 thou...

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #9: Jan | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/face-9-jan

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. November 30, 2014. A security guard at the estate where I live. Jan loves jazz. He wears a shiny black cap on sunny days. He always rubs his hands together and nods when he greets people. He is tall and lean. Gangly with a caramel complexion. Serious eyes peer at me from their wrinkled cases. But he very rarely smiles. We greet each other every day. He rubs his hands and nods. I can hear his strong accent. Have a nice day.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #8: Elsemarie | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/face-8-elsemarie

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. November 24, 2014. A woman in my psychology class. She is a free spirit. She is brown eyes and colourful scarves. A tinkling laugh and curiosity. A student. A mother. A friend. Should I invite her to join me? Will she want to join me? What if she came here to just relax by herself? I should ask. Should I ask? What if she feels pressured? We’re in the same psychology class, aren’t we? Yes we –. Ah, I thought I recognised you!

kirstendey.wordpress.com

October | 2014 | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/10

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. October 26, 2014. One of the security guards of the estate where I live. Tall and smiling. A round belly pushing at the buttons of his faded white shirt. Gleaming teeth contrasting with a smooth, coffee-coloured face. Warm eyes sparkling behind thick round glasses. I sat there as the boom opened and closed in front me, staring and smiling at him. He said: Ah, but this music is good! His eyes closed. He smiled and swayed.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

Face #6: Kevin | 52Faces

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/face-6-kevin

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. November 9, 2014. A guy in my English class. Kind eyes framed by hipster spectacles. Button-up shirts and hair gel. A broad smile. Small build. Big personality. An even bigger heart. We had been in the same classes for about two and a half years before we met at a mutual friend’s 21. But it is not my place to share his story. I would like to share something he told me the other day. Kevin is that story. Face #7: Grace →.

kirstendey.wordpress.com

52Faces | 52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. | Page 2

https://kirstendey.wordpress.com/page/2

52 weeks in a year. 52 South African portraits. 52 chances to take a second look. October 19, 2014. A student who came running into my office once. I saw her again on Friday morning. Petite and powerful. Concerned, restless brown eyes with fairy eyelashes. Olive skin. A forehead all crinkled up with anxiety. Dark hair which is mahogany in the sunlight. Nervous. Vulnerable. Determined. She knew all of her work already. She left my office with a heavy backpack and an even heavier heart. October 11, 2014.