Paintings on the Wall

A vignette

He came into the short hallway from the kitchen, passing the small living room in a hurry to get to the bathroom. Against the wall, leaning in all of its brilliance, like it had been for at least three weeks now, was the painting of the young girl. Each time he comes around this corner, he notices it and remembers that something needs to be done. But this time, like a couple of other times recently, he decides to say something about it . . . again.

“That painting really needs to be hung up before something bad happens to it,” he says, as he makes his way into the bathroom.

She answers from the nearby vicinity of the couch where her concentration is taken in a trance-like way by her new smartphone. “I don’t like to have so many paintings on the wall.” She is speaking loudly, not out of anger, but so he can hear her. “It makes it look cluttered in here. You know that, I don’t know why you persist with it.”

He was finishing up in the bathroom and before he flushed he volleyed back, “Okay. You make a good point with the clutter, but something is going to fall on it, or someone will accidentally push the rocking chair back too far and the painting will have a nasty hole in it. I love that painting. I think it’s your best work.” He listened for a half-second. Nothing. He flushed.

Waiting for him to return from the hallway, still with her attention on her new phone, she sighed. Then, in a moment, when she knew he was close enough to hear, she says, “I’m glad you like it, but for now, it is fine against the wall where it is.”

“Hmm,” he utters in defeat. “Well I can see we are at an impasse here, but I’m willing to work with you.” He walks slowly over to the couch where his beautiful wife is tucked into the corner cushions, covered with a plush blanket, faithful black-and-white bird-dog, Carol, nestled beside her.

“You want the painting to remain on the floor, leaning dangerously against the wall; and I want the painting to be placed carefully on a hanger middle ways up on the wall where its beauty can be viewed by all and it will remain safe.” He stares down at her with intent while her interest and attention are still with the new phone.

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