How about something as nothing to do with anything?
The Whole Picture
At the start of my stay in Atlanta this week, I had two errands to run before driving 30 minutes north to the art studio: try a new coffee drink and look for this book titled, Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis.
I have to see it, like food in a cookbook. What’s it supposed to look like? How big is it? How many pages are there? How much does the book cost? Do I really need it or do I want it to fill what’s lacking?
For the past 12 years I have been zooming in on the Adobe digital version of this book on my Pixel phone, but I wanted the hard copy, the tactile version, the whole picture.
I looked high and low like a maze in the art section under Loomis. The bookstore employee told me it was located in the drawing section as she left to fetch it for me. I shook my head in frustration.
There’s a fine line between art history and the application of art concepts, but if it were my bookstore, I would throw them together in the same section because to me, they’re one in the same with minor details.
Half Price
She offered me half off the regular price because it had been damaged. She pointed out how the inner hinge was loose. New or damaged, full price or half price, the Loomis book reads the same.
A bookstore and a coffee shop. What a great combo. It’s like a movie and a bucket of popcorn, a baseball game and a can of soda.
I found a comfortable nook in the bookstore and began looking over the table of contents. I took the lid off my cappuccino to let it cool down a bit, as not to scorch my throat and tongue. I was shocked to find only half a cup of contents with foamy white stuff on the inside of the cup. Should I shut up and drink it or show it to the guy who made it? I thought so. I’ll be right back.
A Full Cup
I stood at the coffee counter with the large cup in hand. “Do you like working here?” I asked him inquisitively.
“I’ve been working here 17 years. It’s my coffee shop now. I’m the manager.” he replied.
“Great, you’re the guy I want to talk to. Tell me something, is my coffee cup half full or half empty?” I asked him as I removed the lid to expose the contents.
“It’s a cappuccino. Cappuccino is made with steamed milk and it leaves a layer of foam.” he said.
I batted my eyelids. I needed a new perspective on this guy. “You ripped me off.” I said
He swiftly took my cappuccino and threw it in the trash. I was startled. “I ann make you a caffé latte instead.” he said.
“Okay, but if there’s froth on it, scrape it off, I want a full cup.”
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Addendum: A week later, I was reviewing my checking account transactions and discovered that thr drink was not charged, as if it never happened.
§tacyReneè§weeney 