This brings to mind three things.
~The young couple who once had me frame
a simple table knife. She had worked a job to
put him through law school and it was their
only knife throughout those lean years. They
were just past that time, and cherished the
knife and the way those times had brought
them close as a couple.
~The time the U of W Hospital sent me a bill
for ten cents. I taped a dime to the bill and mailed
it back with a stamp that cost far more, but later
I wished I had sent them nine cents. Would they
have billed me for the remaining penny?
~Today, when one of our wealthy ladies admired
some handbeaded ornaments that our bead lady did.
They're lovely, and I said that her work graced the
Christmas cover of Bead&Button magazine one recent
year. 'I LOVE them! But they're so expensive.' I told her
that ten (!) dollars for one was not expensive at all, as
our lady had strung every bead by hand. She said that
if the artist would give a discount, she might buy them.
What's so odd about this is the difference between
it and her usual behavior. I've had her bring in
the first painting she did in a beginning painting
class and tell me, 'As long as it's under a thousand
dollars, don't bother to call me'. She framed that
16x20 for $492.00 and didn't bat an eye. And we
once framed a certificate sent to her by a political
party as thanks for a donation. This certificate, I later
learned, was only given to people who gave tens of
thousands of dollars. I like her just fine, but the
contrast between her buying attitudes is striking.
Rick
! L.
