Barara Streisand

The word for this week’s Illustration Friday is “Legendary.”

I think we can all agree that Barbara Streisand is, if nothing else, “legendary.”

Eh wot old chap?  Here is a sketch I did of her recently.  To be more precise a caricature.

Her nose of course is also legendary.

I failed to do something for this weeks “Fail” for Illo. Fri. so I decided to submit for your perusal this Head Drawing/graphite I did. It is after Michelangelo’s ‘David’. Hope you enjoy.

The Illustration Friday theme this week is “Fail.”

It was a few weeks after the wedding and Gloria and Paul were established in their new apartment. John had not heard from Gloria about the dinner she had invited him to which was going to include Alice. He was actually looking forward to it. His life was pretty boring especially since he didn’t work anymore and his friends were all still married and moving in different circles.

One day when he was fixing a spartan lunch of cottage cheese and fruit with a cup of tea, the phone rang. He didn’t get many phone calls and he got a little excited thinking it was Gloria.

“This is John,” he said.
“Hi John, this is Alice.”
“Oh hi Alice, how are you?”
“I am fine. I was just wondering when we were going to lunch? Remember?”
“Why uh yes…..did we set a definite time?”
“Well no but I thought time is getting away from us so maybe we better set a time and day. What do you think?”
“Why that would be great,” he said. “Do you have a place in mind?”
“I thought Geno’s would be nice. I love Italian food. How about you?”
“Yes I like it too,” he said.

So after getting the directions to Geno’s, John hung up and did a little dance around the room. He was excited.

Wednesday came around fast and he was on his way to Geno’s to meet Alice. John had dressed in his good slacks and a bright yellow tennis shirt. He did look pretty spiffy if he did say so. He even started humming a tune as he neared the restaurant. It was only a lunch date but Alice was an attractive woman and she seemed to like him.

Geno’s proved to be an ideal meeting place for Alice and John’s first date. It was informal with red and white checkered table cloths and a bottle of wine on each table. John saw Alice at one of the tables waiting and rushed over thinking he was late.

“No, you are not late,” she said.
“I guess you must be early then, he gushed.
“I had a few other errands to run so I ended up here early. No problem tho,” she said

John ordered the best red wine they had to impress Alice. Then they both had spagetti and both thought the sauce was delicious. They also decided to get salads and garlic bread.

They chatted about mundane things since they really didn’t know each other that well. The evening was pleasant and when they arrived at Alice’s house, she invited John in for coffee.

The decor was elegant and her love of art was apparent in the many seascapes and still life paintings adorning the walls. As they sipped coffee to which Alice added a little brandy, the conversation turned to Gloria’s father. John had wondered about him and Alice seemed anxious for him to know that she was divorced and not on very friendly terms with her ex-husband.

“How long have you been divorced? he asked?
“It’s been about five years now,” she stated.
“Has it been very difficult for you?”
“Well for the first few years it was extremely difficult. Chuck was not an easy man to live with and he made it as hard on me when we separated as he could. He refused to pay any alimony or split the proceeds of the house after it was sold. I had to take him to court to get anything out of him,” she said. She seemed to be recalling the scenes from the past.

“You seem to be doing very well now,” John said.
“Yes I am but it took a few years to get a job and find my own place and all,” she said
I was in therapy for a long time.”

John was getting a little uncomfortable with the conversation and tried to change the subject.
“An attractive woman like you must have many men friends,” he said
“Not as many as you may think.”
“Really, no one in particular then?”
“No,” she said sadly. “Besides, I am getting older now and a woman’s chances of finding someone dimishes with age.”
“You are not that old.” John said
“I am fifty five now,” Gloria stated.
“You certainly don’t look you age Alice. I never would have guessed.”
“Thanks John, you are too nice.”

John was thinking that Alice was more his age than Gloria was and he was liking her more and more as he got to know her. When he was leaving he asked if he could see her again. Maybe a movie or dinner again?

Alice quickly agreed and gave him an impulsive kiss. John was a little startled but not so much that he didn’t respond. He kissed her back lingeringly. After a long goodby, he finally left with plans to get together soon.

On the drive home John’s thoughts were filled with Alice and how soon he would see her again. He decided to drive around for awhile untill his head cleared from the brandy and the heady kisses. He looked down at the speedometer for a second. When he looked up again there were headlights in his eyes and a car was coming directly at him. The crash was very loud and John was thrown clear and as he lay on the pavement bleeding, he knew he was never going to be able to keep that date with Alice.
- Finis -

For Laundromat Part 1 please check here.

For Laundromat Part 2 please check here.

For Laundromat Part 3 please check here.

THEY TALKED FOR A LONG TIME. JOHN ABOUT HIS WIFE AND THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS. GLORIA LISTENED ATTENTIVELY AND SYMPATHETICALLY. WHEN HE WAS LEAVING GLORIA GAVE HIM A PECK ON THE CHEEK. JOHN REACHED HOME FEELING VERY GOOD INDEED. MEETING GLORIA HAD BRIGHTENED HIS LIFE AND HE HOPED THEY WOULD BE FRIENDS. OR MORE. SHE WAS YOUNG, IN HER MID THIRTIES HE GUESSED BUT HEY, WHO SAID AN OLDER MAN AND A YOUNG WOMAN COULDN’T BE FRIENDS OR EVEN LOVERS?

JOHN WAS AN EARLY RISER AND USUALLY WALKED TWO MILES FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THEN BRAKFASTED AT MARTHA’S BREAKFAST HOUSE.

UPON ARRIVING THERE THIS MORNING HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE GLORIA IN A BOOTH AND WAVED. SHE CALLED HIM OVER AND ASKED HIM TO JOIN HER.

“WHAT LOOKS GOOD?” HE ASKED. JOHN WAS RAVENOUS AFTER HIS WALK.
“WELL, I’M HAVING HOT CAKES.” GLORIA SAID.

THE WAITRESS POURED COFFEE FOR THEM AND ASKED IF JOHN WAS READY TO ORDER.
“I’LL HAVE HAM AND EGGS, SCRAMBLED WITH HASH BROWNED POTATOES AND TOAST WHITE.” JOHN BOOMED.
“YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN HOT CAKES GLORIA, YOUR STILL A GROWING GIRL.”
GLORIA GIGGLED LIKE A YOUNG GIRL AND SAID, “I’M REALLY NOT THAT HUNGRY BUT I NOTICE YOU HAVE A HEARTY APPETITE.”

HE LIKED HER LAUGH. IT MADE HIM FEEL WARM AND COZY. HE WAS ENJOYING HAVING SOMEONE TO EAT BREAKFAST WITH AFTER MONTHS OF BEING ALONE.

AS THE WEEKS WENT BY JOHN HELPED GLORIA FIX LEAKY FAUCETS, SQUEAKY DOORS AND OTHER ODDS AND ENDS. THEY MET FOR BREAKFAST FREQUENTLY. HE LOOKED FORWARD TO THEIR TIMES TOGETHER.

ON ONE OF THEIR BREAKFAST MEETINGS GLORIA SEEMED MORE ANIMATED THAN USUAL. SHE SAID “JOHN I HAVE THE BEST NEWS, WAIT TILL YOU HEAR.”
“OUT WITH IT WOMAN, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO BURST IF YOU DON’T TELL ME SOON.”
“WELL, I DIDN’T TELL YOU BUT I MET SOMEONE A FEW MONTHS AGO, HIS NAME IS PAUL. WE’VE BEEN DATING PRETTY REGULARLY AND HE ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM LAST NIGHT.”

JOHN PUT HIS COFFEE DOWN SLOWLY.
“WHY THAT’S WONDERFUL GLORIA. FROM THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE, I’D SAY THAT YOU SAID YES.”
“I CERTAINLY DID. HE IS A WONDERFUL GUY JOHN. I AM SURE YOU WILL LIKE HIM. I WANT YOU TWO TO MEET.”
I’D LIKE THAT TOO.” JOHN TRIED TO SOUND ENTHUSIASTIC.

JOHN’S APPETITE HAD STRANGELY DIMINISHED AND AFTER GLORIA LEFT, HE SAT THERE SIPPING HIS COFFEE GAZING INTO SPACE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

(To be continued.)

For Laundromat Part 1 please check here.

May the road rise up to meet you
And may the wind always be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the raindrops fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the small of His/Her hand

Why my dear, I just lost 50 pounds on the Zone diet.

This is my submission to Illustration Friday, the theme this week is “Heavy.”

The dryers were humming busily when John walked into the laundromat. It was easy to see that he wasn’t accustomed to using a laundromat. He would come in, load the clothes, then look around as if in doing so something would be made clear to him. Most of the people there could care less whether he knew how to operate the machines, but after a few trips he became proficient in the operation and considered himself a regular.

It was on one of these trips, as he was gaining confidence in himself, that John had a strange thing happen. He always liked children and there were certainly enough of them running around. A little blond girl about three years old came up to him and smiled and started a conversation.

“Hi, I’m Sandy.” she said.
“Hello Sandy, my name is John. What do you do for a living?”
Sandy just giggled and proceeded to tell him her age, her mother’s name and anything else he wanted to know.

John was beginning to enjoy himself when a blond woman rushed up and grabbed Sandy, gave him a dirty look and wisked the child away. Her admonishment to the child could be heard throughout the laundromat: “I told you not to talk to strangers, especially old men.”

John was startled and a little sad. After that he wasn’t as friendly to children, unless of course he knew their parents.

John was a tall man in his early sixties. His hair was mostly gray, but he had a thick and lustrous head of it. He had green eyes that sparkled when he was happy which wasn’t very often now that Janet was gone. He had a slim build, belying his hearty appetite. But that had diminished lately. Since Janet died several months ago he was in a transition period and he never was a very good cook. So mostly he ate TV dinners or an occasional dinner out by himself. But that was no fun.

He and Janet planned to vacation in the mountains this year. Renting a cabin and fishing was his idea of heaven. But Janet’s illness had come on suddenly and her death six months ago was a blow from which he was still trying to recover. Now his life was drastically different.

He sold the house and moved into a small one bedroom apartment with a lot of other old people. Most of them were very nosy and the old ladies were constantly bringing him hot dishes they had prepared. But he was not in a mood to be social so he usually cut short the visits and the women got insulted and now they didn’t bother him.

He thought of himself as a strong man but lately he began to doubt that strength. He had not planned to be alone and it was strange to him. The apartment though small, loomed before him like some unknown expanse. The days seemed endless. And cleaning was a chore.

One day at the laundromat, as he was loading his clothes, a young woman was struggling with a large basket of clothes and as she tried to put it on one of the washers, it fell. The girl looked rather embarrassed as she bent to retrieve the clothes.

John went to her aid and after they were all picked up and deposited in the washer, she sat down with him. He offered her a cigarette and after accepting she thanked him profusely for his help.

“I’m new in the area,” she said.
“Is that so?” John was never much of a conversationalist and couldn’t think of what to say next. She was so young and pretty, he was wondering why she even bothered talking to him.
“Can you tell me which market has the lowest prices? I am new in town and kind of down on my luck right now.”
“Joes Market on Main Street had the best buys in town and good quality. I can show you where it is,” he said.
“Oh thanks, that’s very kind of you, but I wouldn’t want to put you out,” she replied.
“No problem,” he said.
“By the way what is your name? Mine is John.”
“Hi John, I am Gloria, pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise, Gloria is a pretty name. It suits you.”
“Why thanks,” she blushed.
After they finished their laundry and since Gloria had no car, John drove her to Joe’s market. He helped her to her apartment with the groceries.

“Come in and have a drink or a cup of coffee, it is the least I can do to thank you. Unless of course you wife is waiting for you.”
“No, I am a widower and I’d love a drink.”

Putting her groceries away, Gloria opened a bottle of wine and settled down on the couch next to John. By the time they had finished two glasses each, dusk had descended. Gloria didn’t make a move to put any of the lamps on. John was feeling warm and mellow. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time.

a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/19420948@N08/2282290558/” title=”Sedona by merlingraycat, on Flickr”>

Here’s a picture to enjoy from one of my trips to Sedona, AZ.

a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/19420948@N08/2267593762/” title=”Frog in pond by merlingraycat, on Flickr”>

Thought I’d share this with ya all. It is the subject of my next painting. It was in National Geographic.