Page 124 of Rhymes with Metaphor
Chapter 30: Exhibition
Shortly after the FlatMary session, over a long, boozy lunch, one of the faculty from the MFA program asked Reg if he wanted to contribute poems for a mixed-media exhibit of local artists’ work, suggesting he collaborate with a photographer.Which led to Reg confessing that he’d already done a photo shoot for “Elements,” which led, after more drinks, to Reg showing the faculty member one of the photos from his night with Joel, tastefully cropped to protect the innocent.
“This is what we’re looking for,” said the faculty member.“Are you happy to display your work at the gallery?”
“I’d need to clear it with my model first,” said Reg.
“Do that, and send me the complete set with your poem.”
Joel was more than happy for Reg to display the photographs of his body at the exhibit.
“But perhaps we’ll leave out this last one,” said Reg.
“That was the best part,” said Joel.
“Joel, that’s your...I admire your commitment to the artform, but one has to draw the line somewhere.”
“Are you bothered because you don’t want other people to see me naked?”said Joel.“Because I’m yours?”
“I don’t want you to look back on this part of your life and regret how much of yourself you revealed to the world.Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.”
“I won’t regret it.”
But in the event, Reg went through the photos and blurred out the critical areas, despite Joel’s protests that it wasn’t necessary as his face wasn’t visible.
Reg submitted the photos along with “Elements,” and they were accepted two days later.The day after that, Reg got a call from one of his former MFA classmates, who was also attending the mixed-media exhibition, as a local sculptor had created some work inspired by her poetry.She was expected to recite two of her poems that had inspired the sculptures at the opening, but owing to her debilitating stage fright, she wanted Joel to read the poems for her, as she had “fallen in love” with Joel’s voice at the Old Mill event.As Joel was attending the event already, he was happy to do it, but Reg proceeded to hardball the poet over Joel’s appearance fee.She didn’t put up any resistance, as she was terrified of public speaking, and quickly settled on a price.
“Athousand dollars?”said Joel after Reg told him.“For one evening’s work?”
“You’re worth much more than that, of course.I told her I was giving her a discount.”
“You fleeced her, Reg.”
“She’s living off a trust fund.It’s a trivial amount of money for her.And she could have asked any number of other people who would have done it for less.But she wanted you, so I made her pay.”
The opening was on a Saturday, on what would normally have been one of Joel’s days off.
“How formal is it?”said Joel as he was deciding what to wear.
“Ish,” said Reg.
“Shoes?”said Joel.
“Yes, Joel, you will need to wear shoes.”
