Some of us wrote from the feminist perspective - 'How dare he?’ ‘I'd smack his face.’ ‘He's manhandling her.' Others said 'No, he's holding her carefully.’ ‘If she didn't like it, she'd be pushing him away.' Others saw it from the sailor's viewpoint - he was celebrating LIFE, having survived the war.
Being immersed in the analysis of family history photos, I think I was the only one in our group who picked up on the word 'Bond' on the hoarding, and the woman's attire, as the guide for my little story. Just for fun, here’s my take on the image:
That bond of joie-de-vivre in the crowd … she shared it too. She had no objection to a sexy sailor demonstrating it on her. Tired of war she was. Yesterday she’d been nursing a guy like this, wondering when it would all end. Today she felt free. She’d be smiling too, like all those around her, if her mouth hadn’t been claimed by this stranger. She hoped he wouldn’t stay a stranger … his kiss stirred feelings that she’d like to feel again. Soon.
We were told afterwards that the couple appeared to have been unconnected before the moment of 'The Kiss'. As the photo gained fame, efforts were made to identify its subjects, and many individuals came forward, claiming to have been its unforgettable stars. However, kissing random strangers was popular that day and giving names to the 'faceless' sailor and the 'faceless' woman in white proved impossible.
Thank you Elvina Payet, of MRWG, for giving us this great writing exercise.
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