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
