The John Mayer concert was beyond amazing. His music is just so inspiring and the way he plays that guitar, well…let’s just say that Jessica must be pretty happy in bed. And speaking of happy things, Hadassah and I were pretty happy to discover that margarita’s were only three dollars! Oh, it was the best of times! And even though I was buzzing more than a bee, it was right then and there that I decided to do something creative and artistic and share that creative and artistic thing with the world.
That’s when I remembered the Art Fair mural project. A couple months back, a local downtown art program asked me if I would be willing to paint a giant three-story high mural in their stairwell. They liked the little doodles I drew on the chalkboard at my work and figured it was just the thing they needed. I had put off the project for a while, since I wasn’t sure what I wanted to paint. I mean, three stories worth of art? It had to be something that would inspire anyone who walked in the building and it had to have meaning that would last longer than a minute. And it was all thanks to John Mayer.
The day after the concert I stopped at an art supply store and picked up a blank drawing pad and a box of colored pencils. When I got home, I put the pencil to the pad, and the ideas just flowed out of me. Bright, colorful things just started to appear and before I knew it, I had several pages filled with stuff. I couldn’t wait to show my ideas to the director. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.
When I went to Art Fair to talk with the director, Ann, I ran into Greg, the guy who “discovered” me. Turns out he had just been fired. Apparently, Greg, who had been a volunteer had decided to ask that he paid for his services during the summer. Just a little gratuity. After all, summer months meant longer hours, which meant more opportunities for some extra cash. So it only made sense that he ask. Who knew the answer would lead to a harsh firing? Did those selfish Art Fair people not know how to recognize a good thing when they had it? I mean, if it weren’t for Greg, I wouldn’t be there painting the mural and neither would half the teachers that were volunteering their time to help teach classes. I felt bad for the guy, but I didn’t want all my ideas to go to waste. So I stuck with my meeting, but throughout it I had this really wretched feeling in my stomach. Damn conscience.
After the meeting, Ann invited me to an all-expense paid dinner later that night. It would be a chance for everyone at Art Fair to get to know each other and to have an opportunity to give recognition to those who deserved it. It was a super nice gesture, and for a mere mortal minute, I thought that maybe the people at Art Fair weren’t all that bad.
That night, I went I went to the all-expense paid dinner. At Taco Bell. I know. But it was all they could afford, and so I just stuck with a Chalupa. After everyone was seated in the plastic cream-colored booths, I couldn’t help but think of Greg and the recognition he deserved. Sure, he didn’t create Art Fair, but he made it what it was. It just wasn’t right to be there at the all-expense paid dinner without him there. So I resigned. I went right up to Ann and told her I was leaving and I wasn’t coming back. I was so nervous the entire time, because I knew my resignation would let down a lot of people, especially those unimaginative, non-creative people who were waiting to be inspired. But it had to be done.
A girl who was sitting two turquoise, spinning chairs over, overheard me resign and stood up to announce her resignation. Apparently, volunteering at Art Fair didn’t count as an after-school club, which meant she couldn’t put it on her college application. So she left. And so did two others.
Sunday afternoon, Greg called me to tell me that Art Fair had officially been shut down. Apparently, some of the guests at the all-expense paid dinner were benefactors of the art program and a city official was there too. When a lot of people walked away from their 99-cent tacos and burritos, the benefactors and the city official were not happy and decided something was not right with the way things were being handled at Art Fair. So the city official decided to shut it down…at least for the time being. You know, just to figure things out. Who knew doing the right thing would be such a terrible thing? This was all my fault. Actually, if you think about it…John Mayer really is the one to blame. Him and his inspiring music.
That’s when I remembered the Art Fair mural project. A couple months back, a local downtown art program asked me if I would be willing to paint a giant three-story high mural in their stairwell. They liked the little doodles I drew on the chalkboard at my work and figured it was just the thing they needed. I had put off the project for a while, since I wasn’t sure what I wanted to paint. I mean, three stories worth of art? It had to be something that would inspire anyone who walked in the building and it had to have meaning that would last longer than a minute. And it was all thanks to John Mayer.
The day after the concert I stopped at an art supply store and picked up a blank drawing pad and a box of colored pencils. When I got home, I put the pencil to the pad, and the ideas just flowed out of me. Bright, colorful things just started to appear and before I knew it, I had several pages filled with stuff. I couldn’t wait to show my ideas to the director. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.
When I went to Art Fair to talk with the director, Ann, I ran into Greg, the guy who “discovered” me. Turns out he had just been fired. Apparently, Greg, who had been a volunteer had decided to ask that he paid for his services during the summer. Just a little gratuity. After all, summer months meant longer hours, which meant more opportunities for some extra cash. So it only made sense that he ask. Who knew the answer would lead to a harsh firing? Did those selfish Art Fair people not know how to recognize a good thing when they had it? I mean, if it weren’t for Greg, I wouldn’t be there painting the mural and neither would half the teachers that were volunteering their time to help teach classes. I felt bad for the guy, but I didn’t want all my ideas to go to waste. So I stuck with my meeting, but throughout it I had this really wretched feeling in my stomach. Damn conscience.
After the meeting, Ann invited me to an all-expense paid dinner later that night. It would be a chance for everyone at Art Fair to get to know each other and to have an opportunity to give recognition to those who deserved it. It was a super nice gesture, and for a mere mortal minute, I thought that maybe the people at Art Fair weren’t all that bad.
That night, I went I went to the all-expense paid dinner. At Taco Bell. I know. But it was all they could afford, and so I just stuck with a Chalupa. After everyone was seated in the plastic cream-colored booths, I couldn’t help but think of Greg and the recognition he deserved. Sure, he didn’t create Art Fair, but he made it what it was. It just wasn’t right to be there at the all-expense paid dinner without him there. So I resigned. I went right up to Ann and told her I was leaving and I wasn’t coming back. I was so nervous the entire time, because I knew my resignation would let down a lot of people, especially those unimaginative, non-creative people who were waiting to be inspired. But it had to be done.
A girl who was sitting two turquoise, spinning chairs over, overheard me resign and stood up to announce her resignation. Apparently, volunteering at Art Fair didn’t count as an after-school club, which meant she couldn’t put it on her college application. So she left. And so did two others.
Sunday afternoon, Greg called me to tell me that Art Fair had officially been shut down. Apparently, some of the guests at the all-expense paid dinner were benefactors of the art program and a city official was there too. When a lot of people walked away from their 99-cent tacos and burritos, the benefactors and the city official were not happy and decided something was not right with the way things were being handled at Art Fair. So the city official decided to shut it down…at least for the time being. You know, just to figure things out. Who knew doing the right thing would be such a terrible thing? This was all my fault. Actually, if you think about it…John Mayer really is the one to blame. Him and his inspiring music.
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