Laid Bare: Essays and Observations Judson, Tom (books successful people read .TXT) đ
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âDear Mrs. Giles, Our friend Mr. Clark has come through once again. He has secured me a position on a Federal arts project. I will be working with a crew of fellow artists painting murals in a new Library in Ohio. While I am afraid I cannot pay you the rent I owe you, I hope you will accept this picture in lieu of payment. Thank you for all your kindness. Sincerely, Clive Simmons. P.S Please forgive my taking the liberty of finishing the job.â
The only word that came to her mind was âmiffedâ. She was miffed at the audacity of this man. She wondered what Mr. Simmons expected her to pay her bills with. And, what could he possibly mean by âfinishing the jobâ?
Circling around to the front of the easel, she saw a small, narrow canvas, on which was painted five white Cala Lillies. They were beautiful. Even more beautiful than the real ones her sister had brought her. But, it was the background of the painting that caused Marion to stare. The lilies were not positioned in a vase, nor were they arranged against any recognizable background. They were simply floating above color. Three colors, in fact. The background faded from blue to rose to black, but it was impossible to tell where one color ended and the next began.
So, this was what Clive had been trying to explain to her. It was so clear, once she saw the results.
Marion took the canvas from the easel and left the garage, closing the door behind her, for the first time not thinking about what had happened inside. She held the painting carefully in front of her and looked at it as she walked back towards the house. She raised her eyes as she neared the kitchen door and let out a small gasp. The arm holding the painting slowly fell to her side and she raised her other hand and cupped it over her open mouth. Looking straight ahead she saw that the patch of brown next to the kitchen door was gone, covered over by a fresh coat of green.
Forest green, she would have to say.
____________________
Clive Simmons was never heard from again. But, Marionâs younger sister was my grandmother and the painting of five Cala Lilies he left behind that cold Thanksgiving morning hangs on the wall in front of meâjust to the left of the windowâas I sit writing these words.
PANHANDLE MANHANDLE
Mrs. Dahlia Strunk, hostess, Brass Buckle Family Restaurant:
âWell, course I remember him cominâ in here. On account it was Motherâs Day, which, as you know, is our busiest day of the year. Folksâd be makinâ their reservations startinâ right after Presidentâs Day sometimes. Honestly, I wisht one of these years the families would decide to cook for the mothers âstead of taking âem out. It just seems to me thatâŠ. What? Oh, all right. It was a Sundayâgoes without sayingâand, well, we was packed. Hot, too. This part of Oklahoma heats up pretty early, yâknow? That reservation book was full-up weeks before. Which really ainât surprising, because we are the best restaurant in the Panhandle. I had just seated the Preebo family (Lord, you should see that oldest galâmust tip the scales at 200 pounds if sheâs an ounce) and Charlene hereâCharlene, you spit that gum out pronto! âfore I stick it behind your ear. And answer that damn phone--comes up and says can I seat a single. A single, I tell her! I say, girl that peroxide musta gone to your brain, I canât seat no single on Motherâs Day, just look at this place. Well, Charlene looks at me with those big cow eyes of hers and I can tell she feels sorry for this fella, being by hisself on Motherâs Day. So, I squeezed him in over there on 9Aâthat deuce over there by the beverage station. He didnât stay long, but I heard he left a nice tip. No, I canât really recall anything else in particular. Whatâs that Charlene? Oh, thatâs right! No, Iâll tell it! Get thisâhe just ate a bunch of vegetables. Was one of them vegetarians, I suppose. Now, I ask you; what the hell is the point in that? I always say, âIf God didnât want us to eat no animals, he wouldnât-a made âem out of meat!â He was real friendly-like on his way out. Gave me a compliment on my hairdo, can you imagine? Said he had a long drive in front of him. Whatâs that? No, sir, I never would-a guessed that boy would get hisself involved with the law. Oh, and mister, âHostessâ up there at the top needs a capital H on it.â
Mr. Burt Hendricks and Mr. Morris âStewyâ Jankowski, retired:
âI donât mind telling you me and Burt are kind of proud of ourselves for how that all turned out. Ainât we, Burt?â
âYou ainât lyinâ, mister.â
âWell, Burt and me come down to the Wal-Mart on account of it was Motherâs Day and I was picking up somethinâ special for the Missus.â
âHow much did that leaf-blower set you back, Stewy?â
âThat thing was on sale pretty nice. You shoulda seen Ednaâs face when I came in after the V.F.W. and told her what I had just set in the garage for her.â
âShe liked it, did she?â
âWho wouldnât? So, thereâs Burt and me in the parking lot out in front of the Wal-Mart and Burt says to me, âWould you look at that, Stewy? That there looks like an old Ford Falcon.ââ
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