Two Good Friends up to Good
I came into possession of a small stool, a purchase at a yard sale. Make that a farm yard sale. It came out of a barn, and I imagine it being used for milking the cow and/or repairing the tractor, or both, and/or more. It was in bad shape. A bare wooden seat attached by fours rusted screws to a rusted metal base. But I saw beyond the problems and envisioned a nice utility stool for any number of uses. So I picked it up for $1.50 and took it home. 
It did not sit a day before I took it apart and lightly sanded and painted the base. I found rubber feet at Home Depot for a couple bucks to prevent scratches or snags. And then I stopped. The wooden seat was left bare, unfinished, sitting in my garage. Good enough and ready for those time to time utility functions. Until one day, it disappeared. 
I did not notice it missing for what I later learned had been a couple weeks. Then when I finally did , I didn't give it much thought. Sharon must have appropriated it for use at the church or upstairs in a closet, or whatever. It didn't matter. It would find its way back to the garage eventually. And then it returned. Sharon, had appropriated it. Only after coming up with the idea of having the seat painted to look like a guitar. Yet another of her unique gift ideas. Now, if I had said paint a guitar on a round piece of wood, what does your mind envision? Now ask that same question to friend #2 in this story, Alan... I pause as I write this. A long pause filled with moments of the many memories of a very special artist and friend who uses his endless palette of talent to bring color and light to other peoples lives. I have witnessed his creations of costumes to entertain children of all ages, stage props that look so real that you have to get close to assure yourself that they really are painted card board, signs with personal messages, the yearly personalized birthday card, the yearly Christmas card, etc, etc, etc, and on and on. So many things. Each, a unique expression of love demonstrated through his artistic talent. The stool is another example. A "Martin" guitar, personalized just for me. In the right light and from the right distance, I can almost hear it playing. What a gift. I keep it close by. One of a kind. Both the stool and its creator. A friend.
It did not sit a day before I took it apart and lightly sanded and painted the base. I found rubber feet at Home Depot for a couple bucks to prevent scratches or snags. And then I stopped. The wooden seat was left bare, unfinished, sitting in my garage. Good enough and ready for those time to time utility functions. Until one day, it disappeared. 
I did not notice it missing for what I later learned had been a couple weeks. Then when I finally did , I didn't give it much thought. Sharon must have appropriated it for use at the church or upstairs in a closet, or whatever. It didn't matter. It would find its way back to the garage eventually. And then it returned. Sharon, had appropriated it. Only after coming up with the idea of having the seat painted to look like a guitar. Yet another of her unique gift ideas. Now, if I had said paint a guitar on a round piece of wood, what does your mind envision? Now ask that same question to friend #2 in this story, Alan... I pause as I write this. A long pause filled with moments of the many memories of a very special artist and friend who uses his endless palette of talent to bring color and light to other peoples lives. I have witnessed his creations of costumes to entertain children of all ages, stage props that look so real that you have to get close to assure yourself that they really are painted card board, signs with personal messages, the yearly personalized birthday card, the yearly Christmas card, etc, etc, etc, and on and on. So many things. Each, a unique expression of love demonstrated through his artistic talent. The stool is another example. A "Martin" guitar, personalized just for me. In the right light and from the right distance, I can almost hear it playing. What a gift. I keep it close by. One of a kind. Both the stool and its creator. A friend.
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