she had to be an artisan                               

                   an artist wouldnt suffice wouldnt cut it  it couldnt commend her agility her fluidity  her deftness

the scarlet cardinal she depicted was stylised slightly elongated  it gave the impression of flightof diving  a hesitation or thought was there  then it was followed by a sensual blur  a notion of speed 

no small chore given it was a static image

                                 a repose

only a true artisan could accomplish what she did with her momentary flourish

he had seen her go in

                 actually she bumped into him as he was coming out

then he was actually pleased with himself 

                                 he hadnt been rude he still conducted himself despite the many years later in the same courtesy manner he did while he kept house with his wife and daughters and always deferring to their needs not harboring the passive--aggressive sentiment other men he spoke with did regarding a womans toiletry  

he  gentlemanly  laid the toilet seat down again after urinating

a simple act though seemingly a far reach these days 

                                          he had entered Mens Rooms only to find toilet seats liberally sprinkled and carelessly unflushed  unflushed even when someone had defecated

All men are pigs he told his daughters

But youre a man

I am he said I am a pig though not as as piggish some   As if they were born in a barn

Gramma says that

She does  And she also said she didnt raise slobs to be suffered by women

the artisan probably didnt realise her art

some fifteen twenty minutes after she vacated the restrooma unisex bathroom stupid he entered it again to do his clean-up chores as the store closed for the night 

lifting the toilet seat a U-shaped seat that only encouraged slobs directing them to urinate without lifting it  to his right the scarlet cardinal peered at himsurprised him  it was splashed on the ivory-coloured plastic with menses 

he wasnt upset

she wasnt deliberate or vile

then he hoped maybe she was

her cardinal rivaled a Pollock throwing

though she literally threw hers blind

he was so impressed he let it remain he didnt wash it away

AHA

    he wanted it to be an affront to the slobs who would use it later  if they werent slobs he expected they would approach management to have washed off as it offended their sense of cleanliness 

menstrual bloodfor whatever reason disgusted some men

it struck him as very natural

it would be a long timeif ever he forgot that fabulous scarlet cardinal

he was grateful he saw it

1919,  Friday,  18  8. 17

1410,  Monday,  21 8. 17