Fateful Friends or the Enrichment of Splatter Art

According to the plaque on the wall, the squiggles of colorful triangles and squares in front of me was a representation of the artist’s late period.  As I stared at the painting in silence, all I could think was that my daughter, a kindergartener with questionable taste in art, could have created this masterpiece in her sleep.  Even the signature looked like the artist had dipped his finger in paint and swiped it across the bottom of the canvas.

I couldn’t believe I was even here.  I should have gone to see a movie.  There was a new action adventure starring my favorite actor in theaters.  

I should have taken the day to fix my back porch, a job my wife had been begging me to finish for months.  

Heck, I could even have taken a road trip to the lake with my lucky pole and enjoyed catching the big one in the peace of the outdoors.

Instead, I went to the art museum with my coworkers, asking for a ticket - even though admission was free - just to prove to the department head that I went.

The daily horoscope duties had ordered all Sagittariuses to seek out art.  Something about needing enrichment in our lives.  I didn’t believe in such mumbo jumbo.

Unfortunately, my boss did.

She gave all Sagittariuses in the office the day off to find enrichment.  And to prove we did as she commanded, she ordered us to turn in any receipts or tickets, under cover of saying she would cover the costs.

I wish I could say this was the only time the department head had ordered us to do something like this, but it would be a lie.

She was convinced that the horoscope held the answer to how to live our lives and she insisted we follow the daily horoscope duties she posted at the office building entrance - typed in Comic Sans, font size 22 - to the letter.  She subscribed to no less than three daily horoscopes and constantly asked us to do the strangest things, such as take the stairs up thirteen floors to our desks when the elevator was working perfectly fine - to avoid any unlucky happenstances, she said.

Only the Sagittariuses had to do this, mind you.  The Capricorns were the lucky ones that day, though she did tell them to take the elevator to the top floor before coming back down.  Apparently, twenty was their lucky number.

I always wondered what the directors and executives felt about the way she ran the department, but seeing as she was still with the company and the practice had continued, I’d say they didn’t care much as long as the company was still standing strong.

Staring at the child-like splattering of shapes and colors, I considered writing a formal complaint.  If I gathered everyone together today and asked them to sign a petition, putting an end to the astrological nonsense, surely they would all agree.  After all, we would have to work twice as hard tomorrow to catch up to everyone else.

With the thought of an ever-growing inbox waiting for my return bouncing in my head, I approached the person closest to me, a woman who had worked in the department for years and worked harder than anyone else in the office.  

She was staring hard at a wood carving from two centuries ago.  When I tapped her on the shoulder, I could see tears gathering in her eyes.

“Are you all right,” I asked.

She swiped at the tears and smiled up at me.  “It’s nothing.”

“You’re sure?  Seems like more than nothing if you’re crying.”

She sniffed and more tears fell.  “Yeah.  I just got emotional for a moment, is all.  I haven’t been back here since college.  I majored in art, you know.”

I hadn’t known.

“I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until now.  Most of my days are spent working then going home to children who need to be fed and a house in need of cleaning.  I hardly have time to take a shower, let alone an hour or two to paint.”  She laughed and wiped her eyes again.  “Isn’t it wonderful of Angel to allow us this time?  We all should take more time for ourselves, don’t you think?”

“She only did it because of those dumb horoscopes of hers,” I grumbled.

Her laugh filled with true amusement.  “You should have seen the Capricorns’ duties for the day.  They had to do everyone’s work, including their own.  Something about keeping all of their balls in the air.”

Even I laughed at that.

And standing there in the middle of the museum, I relaxed.

Sure, I could have seen that movie.  I could have worked on my honey-do list or caught that fish and bragged to my buddies the next time we were together.  But if I hadn’t come here I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to this woman I had worked with for years and never really knew.

Suddenly it no longer mattered that I would have to work twice as hard tomorrow - or maybe not, if the Capricorns could keep those balls floating.

I pointed to the squiggly triangles and squares and asked her what she thought.  I was impressed with her take on the artist’s style, though I disagreed with her that the painting was one of the artist’s best.

We wandered the museum for the better part of the afternoon, pointing out our favorites.  We debated over the meaning behind one’s artist slapping a painted hand over the curve of a clay pot.  We snuck into one of the special exhibitions without paying the fee.  

In the course of one afternoon of freedom, we became friends.  I invited her over for dinner one night and she said I should visit with her family soon.  Then, as the day ended, we parted for our own homes and responsibilities.

The next morning, after I read the daily horoscope duties, I winked back at her and headed to the stairwell.  She followed right behind, grinning.