Left at the Alter

Marla was a gem. She was the first of my mentees to join the team as a mentor and instructor. She was a bit older than most of the other mentees and laser focused. We became closer as she became my accountability partner. Not everyone could boss up and order their boss around. I appreciated her like a sister because my art was everything to me and she not only got that, but she helped push and inspire me. 

I selected her to pilot this project with me. Her imagination was infinite, a true artist in her own right. It took three hour long brainstorming sessions before we had a written account of what I wanted to achieve. Marla took this and came back to me with five different drawings. We presented the drawings in class and we spoke about pros and cons for each and what feelings they pulled out of us. We experimented with different mediums for the prototype in both the class I was teaching and the new one she began to teach. In one month’s, time we had a solid plan to begin creating the piece.  She was my co-worker, friend, and logical choice when I was invited to a conference in Myrtle Beach to discuss the idea for the sculpture.  

The conference was amazing! It was always a good time being around large groups of  creatives. A lot of young artists were still in high school and were brought by supportive parents. It was magical. I even met quite a few people who followed my blog online, meeting people who know and have appreciation for my work will always be riveting. Before the conference was over, we had already been invited to come back and speak on the panel next year. We set up a meeting to ensure that next year we were on the receiving end of funds and not the giving. This made it something concrete.  This was Marla’s first conference, but I knew it wouldn’t be her last.

The trip was nice, but the ride home was basic, and I spent a lot of time in silence, allowing time for reflection. I sat back in my seat and just as I was getting comfortable a notification came across my iPhone screen telling me someone was sending me something via airdrop. I didn’t know how far an airdrop could travel. Marla was out of the running as our driver, so I began to look at other cars nearby to see if any of them looked like the type to air-drop random files to women in traffic. I don’t know what had me in such a curious mood, but against my better judgement, I accepted the download.

 I broke the silence when I literally laughed out loud. 

Marla was caught off guard and asked me what was going on. 

 “Girl I’m over here about to fall asleep! You better share something with me or turn on this damn radio!” she said.

“It’s nothing I just received something from some thirsty dude in traffic.” Marla took a second and glanced at my screen. 

“Wait a min.” She said, her southern drawl making is sound more like ‘waymin’. She checked the road again before glancing back at my screen. 

“Oh, he is a cutie, who is that? Someone from the conference? I damn sure didn’t see him.”

It was a few photos of a nice built, well-dressed man in a suit laughing in front of a brick building. He had a trusting smile and looked like a fun person to hang around. 

“So listen, he also sent a message stating that he has to meet the sophisticated and sexy passenger in the black Jeep.” I made a face, poking my lips out and turned my head side to side like I was modeling before we both broke out into laughter.

Marla almost swerved off of the road when the huge 18-wheeler next to us honked their horn. When I looked over the driver glanced my way and waved before returning his eyes to the road. A minute later he honked again and held up his phone. I made a gesture signaling him to pull the horn again like I was a kid. We enjoyed a few more laughs, successfully waking the both of us up. When we had had our fun Marla got out of the fast lane, dropped behind the truck for a minute or two and then took her chance at switching lanes. I shrugged at the truck the last time he could see me like I didn’t have a choice in what was happening. When we were no longer by the truck we laughed at the foolery once more.

It was my idea for the caffeine boost. We pulled into a rest stop so that I could reap the benefits of Starbuck’s coffee. Marla did not drink coffee but didn’t mind stopping. It was time for a restroom break anyway, despite being three hours outside of Atlanta. With this traffic anything could happen, and I wasn’t trying to be stuck behind an accident with a full bladder and no caffeine. I ordered a tall white mocha with a couple of shots of espresso and extra vanilla. I pulled out my card to pay at the end of the counter and a guy hands the woman his card over mine.