something about Mary

OK. So I have no image to post. Last weekend I did a show in the north Chicago suburbs. I did ok selling 4 paintings with possible future sales. Old town was better but potential is there. This post is about my neighbor exhibitor at the fountain square show. I challenge you folks to follow this dialogue in this age of reality tv and quick fixes.

Day one: Friday evening I setup my double booth with propanels. Setup was after 7pm so no paintings were hung and I barely got everything anchored down. Met my side by side neighbors but not Mary. Storms were imminent.

3am saturday awaken by a serious thunderstorm. Pray my booth is in one piece.

Get to my booth Saturday morning and everything is in one piece thankfully. For the first time I witness Mary rolling in with her "booth".

Mary is old school! She comes in wheeling a cart with 3 panels meshed together with chicken wire. She carefully arranges them so the wind won't blow them over. Her dress is quite short, her age is quite long although it varies greatly from rear view to front! She puts up her signage. A somewhat replica of a palette that is almost believable but not quite. Mary has a spray bottle that I find a bit odd. Turns out she unscrews the top and takes a sip when needed and sprays her legs when the heat gets to be too much. I begin to realize Mary has been at this for a long time. At this point I realize sales are secondary. I'm witnessing history here!

Day 2
The radar shows big weather coming around show opening. I get there early.. open booth... see storm coming....close booth.... anchor myself in booth...storm comes.... Storm drain clogs in my booth.... I'm stranded standing on my cooler in my booth. 10" of rain in booth. Mary had enough sense to wait till later to show up. Of course she has no tent so why come early? I ask myself " how'd she pass the booth shot?"

Day 2 after the storm
So Mary puts out an award ribbon on one of her 3 panels. Turns out the ribbon is a year old. Her dress is even shorter on this day and her age increases at the same rate that her dress decreases. Mary seemed to jump at a client a day late and a dollar short. I guessed she had a ton of experience but I could be wrong. I never met Mary so I choose my impression to remember Mary