Page 43 of Glass & Groundwork
Finding the box that had all of my protective gear, I set it on the counter top. As I began pulling things out, I started explaining everything. One, as a way to remind myself after not having done it in a while, and two, any moment could be a teachable moment, especially when it came to safety for working around the fire.
“After doing this for a while, you’ll learn what is comfortable for you to work in and what allows for the dexterity you want, but until you’re confident and your movements are automatic, it’s better to take extra precaution.”
I gathered as much hair as I could and tied it back. Pulling out the Nomex hood, which looked a lot like a balaclava, covering my hair, face, and neck to protect from any sparks or shards. When I had been doing glasswork more consistently, I’d managed without the head covering, hating the way it smooshed my hair, but I was going to start carefully, especially with eyes watching me. Next, I put a leather apron on, covering my shirt and jeans, and adding an extra layer to protect all the valuable bits. When I pulled out theKevlarsleeves and gloves, I stared at my hand.
The ring on my finger would heat up with the proximity to the torch’s flame which could be dangerous and also risks warping the ring. I’d never had any hesitation before when it came toremoving jewelry, but this wasn’t just any ring I had in my collection. This one meant something. It may have come about as part of a ruse, but I’d worn it around the clock for the ten days since Gio first placed it there. I was finding it harder to take off. Safety first, I reminded myself.
Sliding the ring off my finger, I turned to Gio and held it out to him. “Will you keep this safe for me?”
His expression was so warm and full of affection that it made me melt under it. “Of course, beautiful.”
I sighed softly at hearing the word he called me and how easily he said it, and offered him a smile, before handing him my ring. Gio took it and shoved it deep into his pocket, patting it to ensure it was tucked safely away. My hand looked naked now. Funny, how quickly I’d gotten used to seeing it there.
Returning my attention to the table, I pre-set the kiln and started the torch, before putting the Kevlar gloves on. They made it difficult to do really fine details, and I didn’t usually wear them, but I was familiarizing myself with a new setup and not willing to take any chances.
“Glasses are important.” I held up the specialized pair to show Yahir. “These will filter the intense yellow flares, allowing you to see your work more clearly, and they’ll block the infrared light which can cause long-term damage.”
Yahir nodded with fascination. Now that I was covered, I asked him to bring me the rods and tools I brought. Sitting on a stool in front of the torch, the flame burned bright, and I slid the glasses into place. It was shooting up at an angle toward the wall. My heart raced at the sight of it. It was such a thrill. The danger level was high. All it took was one slip, one wrong move, and it could cause a severe burn. If that wasn’t risky enough, I was about to stick thin glass rods directly into the flame and work them with paddles, tongs, and picks, getting the shapes I wanted.
I could feel Gio’s presence behind me, though he remained quiet, allowing me to concentrate. Yahir was close, too, and I realized I was going to need to buy more eyewear. “It’s going to be hard to watch because of how bright the flame is, so try not to look directly at it. I’ll show you what I’m doing as I pull it out of the fire. One of the most important things is learning that your hands have different jobs and need different tools. Keep your right-hand stuff on the right and your left-hand stuff on the left. You never want to cross in front or reach over the flame. Here we go.”God, it felt so damn good to do this again. It took me a minute to get a feel for it and I had a few pieces of glass that didn’t bond where I wanted them, but soon, the muscle memory came back and I was working the yellow and black together; pulling, poking, shaping. After a little while, I added the clear glass, and it took shape exactly how I wanted it. When it was done, I turned the torch off and held the creation carefully with the tongs, while pushing the hood back.
“No fucking way! That’s so badass!” Yahir exclaimed.
Gio stared at it, and I could see a look of awe mixed with pride, and something else. “You made a bee.”
“In honor of Queen Beeatrix the First.”
Gio snorted but he met my gaze and whispered, “Incredible.”
“I’m going to put her in the kiln and maybe make a few more things, because I’ve been itching for so long to do this and it feels fucking amazing.”
Gio kissed the top of my head. “Have fun and be safe. I think I’ll head inside for a bit.”
“Can I stay?” Yahir asked.
“Sure, but maybe grab some sunglasses, at least, to help protect your eyes.”
“Okay!” He excitedly hopped up and ran toward the house.
Gio chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that eager before.”
“Who knows? Maybe he’ll decide to take up glasswork, too. One of my goals was always to have a place where I could share my love for glass and pass it on to others.”
“You’re amazing, Jasper. Truly.” He gave my shoulder a squeeze and left me alone. While waiting for Yahir, I began collecting different color rods, planning out other items I could make with what I brought. Lampwork was fine detail work, but you could knock out a few pieces in a short amount of time, whereas glassblowing took a lot more time and dedication for each piece.
After Yahir came back, I took the time to introduce him to all of the tools and explained what they did. He sat and listened, completely enraptured. It was probably the longest he'd been silent, not interrupting to crack a joke. I'd felt the same way the first time I saw this done. Watching someone manipulate glass was a life-altering moment for me. I could see that same look in Yahir's eyes and I was thrilled to be able to share this with him.
With the torch back on, I worked as slowly as the glass allowed, talking through each step and movement. Yahir would ask a question every so often, but mostly he just observed until I had finished several pieces and turned the torch off again. With those items in the kiln, I began to clean up, asking Yahir for tools by name to see what he remembered.
“So, what do you think?” I asked as I put away all the accessories I'd been wearing. I ran a hand through my sweat-soaked hair, trying to peel it away from my scalp.
“I think I want to learn more. Would that, maybe, be okay?” The hesitant way he asked tugged at my heart, like he thought I would reject him. I knew that feeling all too well. How could a parent not look at their kid and want to give them the world?
“Absolutely. Just promise me you won't try to do it on your own. You're not there yet and it's quite dangerous.”
“I won't, I swear.”
I had a sense that Yahir craved something to belong to, hell, I'd had a lot of that myself growing up, and I was finally in a position to offer him something. I'd never really had anything to offer before… besides money. I held out my hand to him and said, “Welcome to Kiss My Glass.”
