In Memory of Susan Denise Atkins-Whitehouse
Knowing
"I don't even know what I'm here for"
Spoken by Susan
in an NBC News film clip while walking
towards us escorted by guards to the court house.
The California sun glistens on Susan's hair.
Susan chatted with a female guard as they walked.
Susan's friendliness is obvious.
As they walk toward us,
Susan is looking at the guard as they speak.
We can hear Susan's voice,
but it's muffled, so we cannot distinguish
the words she is saying.
We can also hear the guard's voice
as she responds to Susan,
but it's also muffled.
It's obvious Susan and the guard
are simply having a pleasant conversation,
even though we cannot distinguish their words.
We wish we knew what they were talking about.
It could have been something as light as the weather;
we still wish we knew.
A reporter abruptly interrupts Susan
as she is talking with the guard.
The question posed to Susan by the
ill-mannered reporter was,
"Susan, what are you planning to do today?"
Susan responded,
"Whatever is asked of me I would imagine-
I don't even know what I'm here for"
These words were the last Susan spoke before
ascending the steps to the courthouse.
As Susan ascends the steps,
her back is to us,
Susan's long flowing hair
is lighted by the California sunshine.
The female guard escorting Susan
is behind Susan as they ascend the steps,
and the guard's left hand holds Susan's right arm
as they climb the steps.
"I don't even know what I'm here for"
Spoken by Susan
in an NBC News film clip while walking
towards us escorted by guards to the court house.
The California sun glistens on Susan's hair.
Susan chatted with a female guard as they walked.
Susan's friendliness is obvious.
As they walk toward us,
Susan is looking at the guard as they speak.
We can hear Susan's voice,
but it's muffled, so we cannot distinguish
the words she is saying.
We can also hear the guard's voice
as she responds to Susan,
but it's also muffled.
It's obvious Susan and the guard
are simply having a pleasant conversation,
even though we cannot distinguish their words.
We wish we knew what they were talking about.
It could have been something as light as the weather;
we still wish we knew.
A reporter abruptly interrupts Susan
as she is talking with the guard.
The question posed to Susan by the
ill-mannered reporter was,
"Susan, what are you planning to do today?"
Susan responded,
"Whatever is asked of me I would imagine-
I don't even know what I'm here for"
These words were the last Susan spoke before
ascending the steps to the courthouse.
As Susan ascends the steps,
her back is to us,
Susan's long flowing hair
is lighted by the California sunshine.
The female guard escorting Susan
is behind Susan as they ascend the steps,
and the guard's left hand holds Susan's right arm
as they climb the steps.
We know what Susan meant
on the surface by her statement.
Immediately after Susan makes her statement,
while quite close to the camera,
Susan quickly glances into the camera at us,
and smiles.
Just as quickly, Susan looks away.
That split second is striking,
we capture it in freeze-frame.
The manner in which Susan quickly glances at us
and smiles in our freeze-frame is intriguing.
I'ts almost as if Susan has awareness,
whether subconsciously or not,
of what her future years hold for her
in the work she will do.
It's almost as if Susan has 'knowing' -
it's almost as if -
We realize that's not likely,
though we are not certain;
we also realize it's possible.
In her statement,
Susan was regarding her physical location at the time,
but in later years,
the response to her statement grew to be
something quite different, didn't it.
Those whose lives are touched by Susan in later years
know what Susan was here for,
and Susan discovered what was asked of her.
Years ago,
Susan made a profound statement.
Years later,
Susan was presented with
the proper response to her statement.
Looking back from present day,
it's almost as if Susan was suggesting
we look to the future from that point in time,
to brighter days ahead;
it's almost as if -
We realize that's not likely,
we realize it's possible.
Susan made a profound statement.
Years later,
Susan was presented with
the proper response to her statement.
Looking back from present day,
it's almost as if Susan was suggesting
we look to the future from that point in time,
to brighter days ahead;
it's almost as if -
We realize that's not likely,
we realize it's possible.
Susan was a luminary;
Susan will continue to be...
Susan will continue to be...
