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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Death and Yellow = Odd, True


John Updike died today. If my dad were still here I'd be on the phone with him holding a two person funeral in Updike's honor but since I can't do that I decided to post a pretty picture I took of a tree instead. There's something about that vibrant shade of yellow that makes me feel better and I'm reminded that, coincidentally, the first social event I slithered to right after my dad died was an art opening and that night I bought a painting titled Road Trip from my frielative Mark Norris and wrote this about that painting:

"The strangest things can act as a balm in moments. Like that yellow in Mark's painting. After the memorial, when I was convinced that I'd never be able to make small talk again, I woke up a bit when I walked into the gallery and saw that shade of yellow. I think it might have even shouted at me. For a long while, I just stared. I pointed it out to several people, almost ignoring the rest of the piece. What was it about that color that soothed me so? I think it reminded me of insomnia or headache-bright sunshine or windshield glare on a road trip---things that were acutely undead."

And then you know the most amazing thing? I just picked up Updike's The Same Door and randomly flipped to a page and you know what page I landed on? The story titled Who Made Yellow Roses Yellow?

Score one point for the Dead People Send Messages To Grief Stricken Readers Team.

Love,
Mrs. Oh I Hope It's So

2 comments:

Farmer mark said...

Unused to such complimentary portrayals of my work I hardly know what to say. We can only hope that John has gone cowboyin' in the high country where the rippling waters fall.
yrs, MN

Cupcake Murphy said...

That painting was meant to be with me. Thank you for painting it. Our house wouldn't be the same with it and Big Rock Candy Mountain. The three old guys in it feel like family.