For Howard Finster and Nicholas - It Could Be Worse

RA Miller Polar Bear circa 1995. "It Could Be Worse," Decatur, GA. 2010

I had dreams last night. Vivid dreams. About Georgia folk artist, Howard Finster. Howard was in his garden and had on those toy angel wings and Howard kept repeating to me, "it could be worse, it could be worse." And I knew why, of course, as I had just been speaking about Howard to a new friend last night. Well I should say I knew at least why Howard was in my dream.  I didn't really know why he kept saying what he was saying.

Until this afternoon. Until I got to thinking about Howard again while cutting the grass. Because then my friend Nicholas flooded my thoughts. And I knew why, of course, as I had just been catching up with Nicholas on the phone this week. Nicholas, who also performed our wedding twelve years ago and who also so kindly got me and Sandi tickets to see one of our favorite singer/songwriters tonight, Beth Orton,  had a bit of a nasty accident recently and was telling me about it. It was one of those accidents with a piece of yard maintenance equipment - completely avoidable - unless you are in a hurry and barefoot and unlucky and I'm sure it happens all the time and he's alright and all but his big toe is gone and he is in excruciating pain. And all the words of comfort anyone can say to him can't take away his misfortune but he so amazingly was in great spirits and at the end of the phone call kept repeating the same thing Howard Finster had been saying to me in my dream, "it could be worse."

And then, again while cutting the grass, I strode past a picture I had wanted to take. A picture of the work of another Georgia folk artist, RA Miller. It's a sculpture that we've had so long hanging on a tree in our various yards that it's coming apart a bit. So I finally took the picture and as I was looking at it while lightroom finished the download, I started thinking about fixing the RA Miller or not, leaving it as it is. And then I so wisely put two and two together and heard my friend Nicholas and Howard and anyway here's the picture - it's called: "It Could Be Worse."