The Road Down a New and Old Path

I came upon Ms. Muse walking on the bike path. It was a well known spot for agate hunting. She was carefully examining one she had just picked up.

“Well hello Ms. Muse,” I called to her, screeching my bike to a full stop. As I jumped off she plopped the stone into a coffee can she had brought. “I’ve been looking for you.” I stated. She looked up and smiled. “What I am doing next with the tulips?” I asked.

She sat down on a dead log and patted the spot next to her. Because we were in a sandy area, instead of putting the kickstand down on my bike, I moved it off the bike path and laid it down in the grass. The back wheel was still turning as I sat down beside her.

I anxiously said, “I have three sugar tulips and three leaves finished. Now what?” I asked her.

“We are going to create a tribute to Mapplethorpe,” she said while rummaging through her stones in the coffee can.

“What?” I exclaimed rolling my eyes. I was so disappointed. Every hack photographer has created a flower still life similar to Mapplethorpe’s, just as every aspiring painter has painted a piece in honor of Georgia O’Keefe’s flowers, I thought.

“It’s been done.” I stated matter-of-factly in the best uninterested voice I could muster.

With a twinkle in her eye her voice barely above a whisper she said, "Not the way we are going to do it." She cupped her hand around my ear and began sharing her secret.