Page 108 of Perfect Mess

“Or jousting,” I added.

“Anything’s possible,” Janet said. “That’s what’s so fun about role playing. You can do whatever you want. So you think you can make it?”

Gary beat me to it. “It’s a date.”

Jack and Janet followed us back to Gary’s tent. Along the way, we passed a man selling homemade salsas and hot sauces and a woman in an aloha shirt making tropical fruit smoothies served out of hollowed out coconuts. As we turned down the path that branched toward the artist’s section, I spotted a man selling pet supplies, so we stopped. I browsed through the hand knitted dog sweaters, bedazzled collars, and chew toys made of caribou antlers.

“Hey Mary, look.” Gary held up a cat sized pink bandana spotted with stars and embroidered with the letters PURR-FECT. “It’s perfect.”

“No,” I corrected him. “Puuuuuurrrrfect.” After completing the purchase, I told Gary, “She’s going to hate it.”

“When you put it on her, you should get portraits done. Use them for your Christmas cards or something.”

“That would be perfect,” I agreed.

“No,” Gary corrected. “Puuuuuurrrrfect.”

* * *

When we got backto the tent, Gary asked Michelle and Joan if any customers came by while we were gone. Michelle looked at Gary as if he had sprouted a second head. I passed them their funnel cakes, which were now piles of soggy fried dough soaked through with melted ice cream.

Janet floated amongst the racks that displayed Gary’s work, her mouth agape in amazement. “Wow, look at all the paintings! You did all this?”

Gary nodded.

“These are fantastic!”

Jack remained outside Gary’s tent, his attention focused on the paintings of rainbow sliding unicorns instead. The tent that also contained the rainbow sliding unicorn artist, who was currently bent over in a short leather skirt, packaging up another sale. The mermaid tattoo on her inner thigh was on full display.

When Jack noticed me noticing him, he quickly shifted his attention back to Gary’s work. “Yeah Lare, super cool.” He made an effort to browse through a few of the paintings. “Lots of trees. And flowers.”

Janet said. “Jack, you should buy one.”

Jack wrinkled his nose. “You want me to buy a painting?”

“You don’t have to do that,” Gary said.

Janet shook her head. “No, he wants to, right Jack?”

Jack made his best attempt at a smile. “Right. Sure. I think they’re great.”

“Which one do you want?” Janet’s face was aglow.

“I don’t know, you pick,” said Jack.

“Which one speaks to you?” Janet asked.

The look on Jack’s face clarified that none of the paintings spoke to him. Except maybe the rainbow sliding unicorn paintings, because I noticed his eyes kept drifting that way.

“Jack, you really don’t have to buy anything.” Turning to Janet, Gary said, “Take whichever one you want, Janet. It’s on me.”

Janet waved him off. “Don’t be ridiculous. Jack can afford it.” Taking Jack’s hand and pulling him deeper into the tent, Janet asked, “Which one do you think?”

Jack looked like Janet was making him choose which of his limbs to sever with a rusted hacksaw. “Fine.” Jack pointed to the first painting he saw, the one directly in front of him. “How about that one?”

It was Last Flight.

“Yes! I love it!” Janet clapped her hands with glee. “Especially the little blue bird. He’s soooo cute!”

---