Long After Midnight

"Long After Midnight," acrylic, ink, and paper on canvas, 16" x 20", $150 (or make an offer)

The Greek letters on the left side of the painting spell HERMAPHRODITUS. The piece incorporates the final page of text from the short story "Long After Midnight" by Ray Bradbury:

tomorrow night with somebody else. That gripes my gut."

"I wouldn't mind," said Carlson, "beating the hell out of him."

Latting moved the sheet some more. He said nothing. In the next minute there was a rustling sound of the sheet, moved now here, now there. Latting's face was pale.

"Hey," he murmured, at last. "Hey."

Instinctively, Moreno slowed the ambulance.

"Yeah, kid?"

"I just found out something," said Latting. "I had this feeling all along, she's wearing too much makeup, and the hair, and -- "

"So?"

"Well, for God's sake," said Latting, his lips hardly moving, one hand up to feel his own face to see what its expression was. "You want to know something funny?"

"Make us laugh," said Carlson.

The ambulance slowed even more as Latting said, "It's not a woman. I mean, it's not a girl. I mean, well, it's not a female. Understand?"

The ambulance slowed to a crawl.

The wind blew in off the vague morning sea through the window as the two up front turned and stared into the back of the ambulance at the shape there on the cot.

"Somebody tell me," said Latting, so quietly they almost could not hear the words. "Do we stop feeling bad now? Or do we feel worse?"

Nobody answered.

A wave, and then another, and then another, moved in and fell upon the mindless shore.

(c. 1946 by Ray Bradbury)
This piece kind of means a lot to me.

Having gone out and bought some stands and umbrellas and sheets and other things I do not understand in the slightest -- but all of which were on sale, giggety -- Grey and I are much happier with the quality of these new photos. Thank you to the person who made the suggestion.