After I snapped this photo, I noticed that a white van had parked about 40 yards behind my car in the West Virginia National Cemetery. I paid no more attention to it until I drove around to another location and the van followed me.

I approached the van and noticed the driver had a uniform on. He was from the nearby penitentiary. He rolled down his window and said, “We don’t get many people up here at this time of day.” I replied, “That surprises me.”

“Why?,” he asked. I motioned toward the Eastern horizon and said, “Are you not seeing the same view I’m seeing?” He wasn’t amused and asked what I was doing here. Since he had been watching me for about 15 minutes, I thought it was a strange question. “I’m taking photos, what did you think I was doing?”

He never explained what he thought I was doing, but he continued to watch me for another 20 minutes or so. I hope he enjoyed the view as much as I did. [ location ]

Jeff Turner

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