Lucinda stood in the gallery and sipped her wine as she gazed
at the veduta. The landscape was
Applause erupted as the artist raised his glass in a toast
to critic Phillip Glazer. Pronounced fee-leep glass-a-er. The schmuck probably
wasn’t even French. Lucinda had a premonition that all the artist’s efforts to
impress the great critic were all a fallacy.
In her mind’s eye she could picture the review in which
uppity Fee-leep would eviscerate the young artisan. At the very least sever an
artery.
With a sigh, she moved into the exhibits. Lucinda couldn’t
help a quiet laugh as she passed a couple. The gentleman was trying to impress
his lady friend, badly. He stood back from the painting with a distant
expression. Then proclaimed that the artist was ocular. Oh yes, the young man
had a vision alright. A vision of getting that petite blonde between the
sheets.
Next was a classic view of the medieval hero Robin Hood. The
outlaw stood in disguise lined up with the other archers. Arrow knocked ready
to fly true and win the legendary contest. With a grin, she entertained the
notion of being able to step into the painting and blow in his ear as he let
fly. Let’s see him make that shot.
An odd coupling by the same artist the next painting held a
limo in the Nevada
The next piece was a collage of calendars. It was quite
impressive how he managed to encapsulate so much history into the piece. There
was a calendar from the year JFK was assassinated the date circled in red.
Little pictures of historical events speckling many of the dates.
Lucinda actually liked the Florida
Hanging next was a peep inside a brothel. Ladies enticed men
with their unmentionables and pretty smiles. They hoped to make a few dollars
that night. Some danced, others drank, a few couples locked in romantic
endeavors but all laughing and gay. All but one. At the corner window seat a woman
with long golden locks stared at the moon. Her sapphire eyes held a longing,
perhaps of dreams lost.
Lucinda sighed as someone behind her made loud comments. She
had lost patience with the crowd growing in number and noise. The wine no
longer able to quench her thirst she poured it into the potted tree. Lucinda
glanced around as she slipped the flute with its gallery charm that dangled
from the stem into her purse. On her way out, she over heard Fee-leep tell
another patron an artist should have stuck to flipping burgers.
The valet brought her car and Lucinda tipped him before she
drove away. On the way home, she listened to Mozart drift through the speakers.
Once inside her apartment the illusion was shattered.
She toed off her shoes then walked to the wall by her dining
table. Lucinda pulled the flute from her purse and set the glass on a shelf
turning the charm to dangle from the front.
She stepped back and looked at her collection. There was a
glass from almost every gallery in New
York California Beverly Hills
Once a month she would dress to the nines walking among the
beautiful people. Experiencing the world in their eyes for a couple of hours,
tasting fine wines, foods she would never be able to afford. Walking to her
bedroom Lucinda took off her dress she’d saved for six months to buy it. There
were three fine gowns in her closet just for her little trips.
As she slipped on the less glamorous cotton pajamas with
coffee and kittens imprinted, Lucinda thought about the gallery and all she had
seen tonight. She rested her head on, her pillow Lucinda made note to check the
listings for next month so she could plan her next gallant night.
