Frankie and Margie

It is 98F/36.6C and too hot for Margie to go out for a walk, so I brought iced coffee, a piece of baklava to share, some watercolor pencils, and a drawing pad. As we had our coffee, Margie reviewed her early family history as usual, but when we started drawing, she entered a whole new world. 

She fell silent, started drawing with concentration and flourish. Occasionally she would mutter to herself,

“That neck’s not right,” “I guess he has a beard,” “I want more color.”

An hour slid by peacefully, during all of which she was absorbed in the task. At the end of that time, she lifted the portrait proudly to show me. I asked her to sign it, and I asked who is this?

“His name is Frankie. He’s my new boyfriend. He likes gardening, which is why he has a sunburn. But he’s younger than me.”

I laughed and she went right on,

“He has to be younger so he can keep up with me. And you see I’ve left something to the imagination. I find that’s always important with a man. You want something left to the imagination.”