I Beg Your Pardon

I never promised you a rose garden-
Along with the sunshine-
There’s got to be a little rain sometime.

WHY this popped in my head, I really don’t know.
I felt it important to share with you though.
The song is a classic, its message hollow-
I’ll stop rhyming now, lest you think I’m loco.

(Dr. Seuss has nothin’ on me.)

Today is my friend Jacqueline’s birthday. I’m actually lucky enough to have two Jackies I call “friend”…this is my friend THE ARTIST. She’s extremely talented and she’s obsessed with the group KISS. She drives a motorcycle and I don’t think I’ve ever heard her swear. She’s a unique blend of old-fashioned-meets-biker-chick...that's our Jackie.

She’s gorgeous, too. I can say that, even though I’m a girl. Victoria's Secret models have nothin' on her.

Anyway, I haven’t seen Jackie since her art show last August. The show was called “Zooming in on Nature”….and my favorite piece was entitled “Stuck”. Interesting that I can remember this fact but I cannot remember where I last saw the remote. (For anyone who cares, it’s still MIA. I’m offering a cool Jackson…Andrew, not Michael…for information leading to the successful discovery of said missing clicker.)

Lucky for me, I have a piece of Jackie’s work made ‘specially for moi. It definitely pays to be in cahoots with an artist whilst working on a big project. If you’re really lucky, you get paid in really good ART.

The other thing I remember about Jackie was one day in late October, when a parent and I were working outside in the courtyard at the school where Jackie taught. We were building a greenhouse (my partner-in-crime, Bill, is a contractor with the patience of a saint) and we were both covered in dust and assorted muck from the effort of assembling a structure that came with instructions in every language but English…I’m not kidding here.) Jackie walked outside to say hello to us and she was dressed for Halloween…in full Elvira-attire. Long, black, slinky (floor length) dress, deep blood-red lipstick…and with her already long, shiny auburn hair she was a knockout. I heard the sharp intake of breath from Bill when he saw her…I also knew he’d never say out loud what he was thinking, so I spoke up. “Wow! You look HOT,” I said. Then she smiled…and...she had vampire teeth! Typical Jackie…she’s full of surprises.

So kudos to surviving yet another year of students, lessons and the fumes of assorted acrylic paints, Jackie!

Whenever I see a really scary smile, I’ll always think of you…and you know I’m smiling back.