In the summer of 1980, a 19-year-old traveler embarked on a globe-trotting adventure, funding his journey with a series of odd jobs. Among them was a position crewing on a sailing yacht that took him from Amsterdam to Monaco, which provided him enough income and sustenance. He then found himself in Corfu, where he worked as a caddy for affluent Greeks and contributed to the production of the James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.” This whirlwind of activities not only buoyed his finances but also allowed him to realize one of his dream destinations: the pyramids of Giza in Cairo.
While in Cairo, the young traveler frequented Shepheard’s Hotel, known for its famous bar teeming with journalists and correspondents. The bar was a vivid representation of a writer’s bar straight out of film noir—dusty, smoky, filled with the aroma of gin tonics, and an air thick with discussions of global events. Seeking relief from the oppressive afternoon heat, he spent leisurely afternoons there, immersed in books and eavesdropping on conversations of war and peace among seasoned correspondents.
His life took an unexpected turn when a correspondent from NBC Cairo, after sizing him up, offered an opportunity to operate a professional 16mm camera. Though he had limited experience, the equipment’s allure, reminiscent of “gold bars,” excited him. The correspondent’s urgency mixed with his own nervousness as he was quickly escorted to the NBC office, where the thrill of an impending assignment overwhelmed him. He could hardly focus as the correspondent briefed him on the logistics of their upcoming coverage in Johannesburg.
Early the next morning, he received the camera gear and set off to the airport as the city stirred to life. Upon reaching Johannesburg, he found himself ensconced in the Carlton Hotel bar, awaiting an assignment alongside a motley crew of journalists. After several days of waiting and bonding over gin and card games, they finally received a call for a story that propelled them into the heart of racial tensions in Transvaal. The urgency of the assignment heightened as they ventured into remote areas to cover a clash between two black families, leading to an adrenaline-fueled flurry of shooting amidst chaotic scenes.
As tensions escalated, he raced to capture the unfolding story, managing the challenges of operating the camera under duress while dodging flying debris. After the confrontation fizzled out—originating from a squabble about a stolen chicken—he found himself reflecting on the bizarre circumstance he had just captured. The adrenaline rush during the encounter was eventually replaced by exhaustion, prompting a moment of introspection about the nature of the assignment and his place within it.
Upon returning to Johannesburg and witnessing the footage he shot interspersed with a correspondent’s report about racial unrest, he felt a surge of disbelief and implicity at the editorial choices made. The framing artfully misled viewers to perceive a direct connection between the families’ quarrel and larger societal issues, omitting the chicken dispute altogether, which starkly underscored the sensationalism often embedded in media narratives. The experience left a lasting impression on him, sharpening his awareness of the complex interplay between reality and representation in journalism.