The BIG PICTURE - A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic

“All my tests are good, but I can really relate to being tired. I’ve got to schedule my job around an afternoon nap, but my energy’s building.”

“That’s great.”

“Gunnar’s really understanding.”

“You work for Gunnar?” Freyja swung her legs out to the bed and stood up.

“Yeah. I guess it was right after you left.”

The room was tilting. Freyja tried to steady herself and knocked a glass off the night table.

“Are you okay, Free?”

“What do you do for Gunnar?” She stepped towards him.

“Mostly I’m a go-for. Drop stuff off, pick stuff up.” He stepped back into the doorway.

“What kind of stuff, BB?”

“Just stuff. What’s wrong with you?”

“Does Poppa know?”

“In case you haven’t notice, Poppa has his own problems.”

“You have to quit.”

“Quit? Why? And do what?”

“He’s evil, BB. You can’t associate with him.”

“Evil? Gunnar saved your ass.”

“That doesn’t matter, he’s killed many others.”

“You can’t tell me what to do. I’m not your baby brother. I’m a man.” BB headed for the stairs. “Take a pill or something.”

Freyja sat down and put her face in her hands. What’s the use? Like most people, her family lived a ‘zoomed in’ version of life, sharper details, but shallower depth of field. They thought Gunnar was their salvation, and she was an ungrateful bitch. They couldn’t, or didn’t want to see the ‘zoomed out’ version, the big picture, that he was using the money from his criminal activities, from unimaginable suffering, to manipulate them, to buy control of them. All they could see were the benefits, and why not? Without Gunnar’s money, life would be harder for the entire family.

This is how it starts. This is how it spreads. What she and Miguel confronted in Mexico was what it could become.