HN PHOTOS: On the “Sonny” side of the street…

HYANNIS – [HN NOTES] – Meet “Sonny.”

It was almost “spring-like” in the East End this morning – February 11, 2022 – and I wasn’t quite sure what prompted me to get out with my camera and aimlessly stand around on the sunny side of the street. But the warm rays penetrated my bones and it felt good, so I hung around there on the sidewalk for a spell.

The sunny warmth made things peaceful and relaxing, and it simply doesn’t get much better than that in my world. And I remember thinking I wouldn’t refuse a cold canister of beer had one been available right about then… (but I digress…)

A thin man approached out of the east and this would be the very first time I had ever met “Sonny.” He was curious about me taking a photo of a cop car fending traffic away from a low hanging wire, about block away. I told him I had nothing better to do and mentioned I was a photojournalist…

…and he responded by talking about Afghanistan.

Sonny (his nickname, basically an anglophonic “close enough” pronunciation of the similar sounding name he received at birth) told me he had fought against the Russians as a young soldier when they invaded his country in late 1979. Born in Afghanistan, Sonny was just 16-years-old at the time of the Soviet–Afghan War and mentioned that his family was killed, which caused him to pause, as if fighting back tears. We had just met and he must have felt comfortable speaking with me because he told me some very interesting things about his journey in life thus far. Like being able to come live in the United States under the Reagan administration. The special permission was because of his service fighting against the Soviets. He recalled coming to the U.S. in the early 80s and living in Hyannis since 1986. Sonny says he’s well into his 50s and he expressed his love for Ronald Reagan because he’s safe now.

Sonny says he currently works at the 7-Eleven on North Street and he was open to the idea of doing a more in-depth, on camera interview sometime. (So, we shall see…)

It’s amazing, the people one meets while warming their bones on an East End sidewalk…

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Van Morrison… [CLICK IT/CRANK IT!]