Piet Mondrian moved to Paris and threw away his perfectly good art career for some sort of poseur Cubist avant-garde bullshit Abstract movement which is a travesty if you've seen his former work and a walk back into memory lane if you've seen the latter. When I say 'our time' I mean the early nineteen hundreds, of course but just about every second Canadian public library or community college I have ever seen had some version of the red, blue and yellow squares on it and he became famous but miserable because he left behind the love of his life in the netherlands and so of course-
Bridget. He's pinching the bridge of his nose again. Headache, probably. Can't be me.
You asked what was on my mind!
Seriously? That was on your mind?
Yes, I saw a museum tote bag on the pen shop site when I was looking for quink.
Oh, does this mean you're going to place that order I asked you to place before Christmas, finally?
Probably.
Is that a yes or a no?
Depends.
He looks weary and wary at the same time. I swear, he and Trey (Cole) are the only two men on earth who can pull that off, which mean it's not them it's me.
On?
If they have the quink.
Oh, I'll bite. What is quink?
A very not waterproof ink that's great for painting, as you can go in with bleach and make these crazy sepia drawings on top of the ink layer. It's so cool-
So buy some and get me my order, please.
Yessir.
Without being belligerent about it, especially since I know you'll tack on four hundred dollars worth of things to it.
He is a raging minimalist. I mean, I am too except for art supplies and handbags and even the handbags have waned from the time I wanted to fill the top shelf in my closet, carrying a different one every day and now, because I gave them all away and there are five remaining.
Art supplies take up one rolling cart and....the stables. It's a little out of control but save for the pastels that were handmedowns, I use everything. So adding a bottle of quink to the mix isn't going to mean I have to rearrange or anything, it just means I am adventurous.
No, I think I have my list down to fifty dollars.
Well then add to it. You never buy anything.
I don't have to. You do.
I mean we send you out for a treat and you come home with things for us.
You need things-
Bridget, you're missing the point.
No, I'm not. I'm pointing out that I have what I need.
He turns to me abruptly. You do?
The meaning has suddenly changed.
Yes.
He smiles. Go place the order then. Add what you want.
Will you draw with me tomorrow?
Maybe. If you like.