The onion field
Allium Cepa is its scientific name. It is edible,available the world over and used in an array of dishes.The humble onion.
The onion field is a book by Joseph Wambaugh, a sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department,published in 1974.It is about the kidnapping of two plainclothes LAPD officers,Campbell and Hettinger, by a pair of criminals,pulled over for a routine traffic violation. The two officers were forced into the car,driven to an onion field,where Campbell was fatally shot. Hettinger was able to escape, but later became scorned by his fellow officers, fired from the force, and eventually a police training video was made using his experience as example of what not to do when stopping and approaching a vehicle. Hettinger suffered severe emotional trauma as a result and people who knew him said he was never the same afterwards. He was forced to resign from the LAPD after committing some acts of petty shoplifting and developing a drinking problem. Later in life, Hettinger was appointed to serve as a county supervisor; he died of a liver disease in 1994.Later, the book was made into a movie in 1979.
The children and I stumbled across an onion field, just a little away from from our home.The excitement on their faces was palpable.
“Mama, look.There are onions growing here” said my son
“Wow.Do they really grow under the ground?” asked my daughter.
“Its so cool Mama,let me click a picture” said my son, the budding photographer with the discerning eye.
This is what he clicked.
He was pleased. I was too.
City living sometimes makes you forget that an onion field can be more than a movie.You can actually walk through one,and enjoy the uncomplicated joys of re- discovering simple pleasures.
Sometimes, as W.H Davies said, you forget how important it is to stand and stare.And look at the world through the eyes of a child.
Here are more pictures clicked by Atul, aged 9.
The onion field is a book by Joseph Wambaugh, a sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department,published in 1974.It is about the kidnapping of two plainclothes LAPD officers,Campbell and Hettinger, by a pair of criminals,pulled over for a routine traffic violation. The two officers were forced into the car,driven to an onion field,where Campbell was fatally shot. Hettinger was able to escape, but later became scorned by his fellow officers, fired from the force, and eventually a police training video was made using his experience as example of what not to do when stopping and approaching a vehicle. Hettinger suffered severe emotional trauma as a result and people who knew him said he was never the same afterwards. He was forced to resign from the LAPD after committing some acts of petty shoplifting and developing a drinking problem. Later in life, Hettinger was appointed to serve as a county supervisor; he died of a liver disease in 1994.Later, the book was made into a movie in 1979.
The children and I stumbled across an onion field, just a little away from from our home.The excitement on their faces was palpable.
“Mama, look.There are onions growing here” said my son
“Wow.Do they really grow under the ground?” asked my daughter.
“Its so cool Mama,let me click a picture” said my son, the budding photographer with the discerning eye.
This is what he clicked.
He was pleased. I was too.
City living sometimes makes you forget that an onion field can be more than a movie.You can actually walk through one,and enjoy the uncomplicated joys of re- discovering simple pleasures.
Sometimes, as W.H Davies said, you forget how important it is to stand and stare.And look at the world through the eyes of a child.
Here are more pictures clicked by Atul, aged 9.
atul sure is a budding photographer!!the pics r beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteAtul certainly has your artistic eye. Very talented. When I was growing up all of our vegetables came from our garden. I miss that. I used to love the onions the best because they were so easy to grow and so much fun to pull up and see how big they were but I didn't like eating them. To this day I still don't like onions or peppers or tomatoes that haven't been made into ketchup or sauce.
ReplyDeleteI miss gardening.
I haven't seen that movie - it seems very sad. The biggest trauma for Hettinger was after he escaped and not being kidnapped. It's a shame such insensitivity ruined his life and this kind of thing always makes me angry. If he did something wrong then perhaps they should have looked at their training perhaps rather than ridiculing him!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I may not have seen the movie but I have seen your sons photographs which are fantastic for someone so young! He really has a natural eye for composition - it must come from his mother! :0)
I love onion :) hehe
ReplyDeleteThose in the bottom are onions too? You'll laugh but we use some plants like that (or similar) in our summer parties for our popular saints - because they smell so bad and people use them to rub it on each other's faces. lol
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh...
ReplyDeleteDropped by and read everything I'd been missing out on. They've banned blogspot at work so now I'm dependant on my room-mates laptop!
You have a very nice profile picture, and profile. Came here via Paul's TO&TFTBG site. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteWow, who would have thought artistic genes could flow so smoothly!
ReplyDeleteI think your photographs are just wonderful Atul!
ReplyDeleteI think Onions and Garlic are both beautiful and very symbolic plants. So gracful to look at, so pungent,many layered,adding bite but also sweetness.They are antiseptic,can be used in dishes from almost any country..keep stored for a long time,they make you smile,then they make you cry...the mighty Onion!
Your son is very talented Photog.Thanks for the info about the movie.I am hearing that forthe first time.
ReplyDeletegood day :)
nice post n pics :-)
ReplyDeleteOh dear, sorry to hear that the loss of your father has already occurred. Hopefully your children are old enough to have formed a sense of who he was, directly from the source.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good mother for stopped to wander in the onion field. Tour children might remember that day, and your part in allowing it to unfold, forever. And good forever’s are a very good thing.
Oh dear, sorry to hear that the loss of your father has already occurred. Hopefully your children are old enough to have formed a sense of who he was, directly from the source.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good mother for stopped to wander in the onion field. Your children might remember that day, and your part in allowing it to unfold, forever. And good forever’s are a very good thing.
Atul have clicked great pictures!
ReplyDelete:)
Who knew onions could be so beautiful? I'm familiar with that author but hadn't read that book. It sounds fascinating. I can't help but feel so sad for Hettinger.
ReplyDelete