Elmer Stud

People come into our lives in interesting ways. It’s fun to follow the thread of one’s own and another’s path, noticing where they first crossed and why, and then watching the progressive weavings and twinings form a lovely, delicate design in the tapestry of life.

I met Dustin, Stefanie’s brother, when she was still a high school student in Long Beach. As I got to know him, I heard snippets about her. I saw photographs. The camera captured her fun, free spirit, and I knew I’d like to know her.

Then I did. She enrolled at SPU, and when we visited Grace last year, we met her. We went out for bubble tea. We laughed. We ate Moroccan cous-cous and sea bass at an African restaurant. We laughed some more. We connected.

I knew Dustin was an artist. He painted three miniatures of individual autumn leaves, framed them, and gave them to us for Christmas one year. They hang in my dining room, and I love them. So, when Stefanie announced she was going to paint us a picture, I felt like a kid right before her friends show up for her birthday party. I didn’t know what we’d be getting, but my imagination danced with anticipation.

During our recent trip to Seattle, we visited Stefanie in her dorm room. (Traci was also there. I would describe her worm walk, but that’s a very different story.) After chatting a bit, Stefanie opened her cabinet and produced the painting.

I smiled. I smiled more. I almost laughed. I LOVED IT!

Imagine a horse. He’s curious about you — maybe he smells your hair tonic and decides to make a closer inspection. So he leans toward you, his snout so close you could kiss him. That’s the perspective on this painting. Huge, grinning horse’s snout in the foreground diminishing to the rest of his face and then eventually his shoulders and front legs.

His hair is golden. The background is bright turquoise blue, and his forelock is pink.

Yep. Pink.

I think I like that pink tuft of hair as much as anything. I named him Elmer. Stefanie signed it with an “S” in the bottom right corner. So I decided that should be his initial, too. Elmer Stud.

Elmer is grinning in a wry sort of way, and he has a look in his eye that says, “You wish you knew what I’m thinking. But you don’t. And I’m not telling. Just try not to love me anyway.”

You try. But you can’t. He makes you happy every time you walk by.

Elmer Stud stands sentinel on a table in the den. He watches the world go by, secure in his cocky self confidence. As much as I’d like to give him what for, I’m afraid he’s right. The tapestry has been woven. The threads have intertwined. Friendships have been formed that — no matter how separated by time and distance — remain because they’re woven from the fabric of immortal souls.

Thanks, Stefanie. You can count on Elmer to keep you ever close, until the threads cross again.

♥ EZ