Saturday, July 05, 2003
MEETING THE FAMILY, Sex and Lies continued...
On that first night I neglected to tell him I was married. In my head I was no longer married but tell that to the judge. The next day I took Erika to work with me. The Gallery was between exhibitions, so the entire space was empty before the next bunch of artists came in to hang their work. I let Erika (who had recently turned 10) bring her new puppy, a black Peekapoo named Walter. I'd recently bought her this dog (she picked him out) as a kind of offering. I knew that soon her life would be shaken, that I would be responsible for that and I was trying to provide her with things that would help her deal with the emotional upheaval I knew was to come.
Renee and I were working on the plans for an up coming grant deadline. Erika was running around the gallery space like a little maniac with Walter yapping merrily along at her heels. She seemed ecstatic. So much space and no one yelling to be quiet. It soothed me to see her in this moment of abandon.
Suddenly, I hear the voice that makes me melt. I look up to see Robin sauntering in. He just "dropped by" to say hello. My jaw drops, he sees the chaos of my kid and her dog running around the gallery. The child did not look anything like Renee, so who was left. The awkwardness of this moment still pains me. Erika senses something is amiss and runs over to hug me. Robin laughs, "so who is this?" I introduce them. "Robin is mommies new friend."
On that first night I neglected to tell him I was married. In my head I was no longer married but tell that to the judge. The next day I took Erika to work with me. The Gallery was between exhibitions, so the entire space was empty before the next bunch of artists came in to hang their work. I let Erika (who had recently turned 10) bring her new puppy, a black Peekapoo named Walter. I'd recently bought her this dog (she picked him out) as a kind of offering. I knew that soon her life would be shaken, that I would be responsible for that and I was trying to provide her with things that would help her deal with the emotional upheaval I knew was to come.
Renee and I were working on the plans for an up coming grant deadline. Erika was running around the gallery space like a little maniac with Walter yapping merrily along at her heels. She seemed ecstatic. So much space and no one yelling to be quiet. It soothed me to see her in this moment of abandon.
Suddenly, I hear the voice that makes me melt. I look up to see Robin sauntering in. He just "dropped by" to say hello. My jaw drops, he sees the chaos of my kid and her dog running around the gallery. The child did not look anything like Renee, so who was left. The awkwardness of this moment still pains me. Erika senses something is amiss and runs over to hug me. Robin laughs, "so who is this?" I introduce them. "Robin is mommies new friend."
