THE
GALLERY
BY: STEVE MINOTTI
WHAT CAN I SAY THAT I HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID? THIS IS EVERY HOPE, DREAM, LOVE,
FEAR, SMILE AND TEAR, I'VE KEPT LOCKED AWAY IN A VAULT HIDDEN FROM MY OWN
VULNERABILITIES. THE PERSON THAT HOLDS THE KEY IS A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG
WOMAN,  A CREATIVE ARTIST. SHE FILLS MY EYES WITH THE MOST VIVID COLOR AND
PUMPS MUSIC EXPLODING THROUGH MY HEART. THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYONE
THATS EVER TOUCHED THE BOTTOM OF MY SOUL LIKE THAT. LOVE LIKE THIS  ONLY
HAPPENS ONCE IN A LIFETIME. SHE IS THE ONE THAT UNLOCKED THE DOOR TO "THE
GALLERY"MY HEART THAT IS. IF I HADN'T MET HER THIS CD WOULD NOT EXIST. SHE'S
BUXOM WITH A SWEET SMILE, AND CHOCOLATE BROWN EYES THAT THE CORNERS
POINT DOWN ALMOST IN A SAD WAY WHEN SHE SMILES. SHE CAN MAKE ME LAUGH
AND MAKE ME CRY AT THE SAME TIME. SHE'S ATTRACTIVE TO THE EYE IN EVERY
WAY, BUT THATS NOT WHAT DREW ME TO HER. I KNOW YOU MIGHT THINK THIS IS
WEIRD BUT IT'S HER HANDS THAT BLOW ME AWAY THE MOST. THEY'RE THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT HER. IT'S WHERE EVERY ARTIST REVEALS THEIR PASSION,
MOLDED OUT OF A PIECE OF CLAY, PAINTED ON A CANVAS OR A THOUGHT WRITTEN
DOWN ON A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER. LEFT UP TO OUR IMAGINATIONS AND
INTERPRETATIONS TO SEE THE ARTISTS VISION. THEY ARE MOMENTS IN TIME AND
EACH MAKE THEIR OWN STATEMENT THAT MIRROR THE IMAGE OF TRUE LIFE
EXPERIENCE. IT APPEALS TO OUR CONSCIOUS SO WE DON'T FORGET THE SIMPLE
THINGS THAT WE CAN OVERLOOK IN OUR EVERY DAY ROUTINES. SO TO ALL THE
STRUGGLING ARTIST'S OUT THERE, THAT SELFLESSLY LAY IT ALL ON THE TABLE, THIS
IS A TRIBUTE FROM ME TO YOU. FOR NOT BEING AFRAID TO DISPLAY YOURSELVES
THROUGH YOUR CREATIVITY AND YOUR ABILITY TO CAPTURE THE WORLD THAT'S
AROUND YOU, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST.
A DAY LATE
AND A DOLLAR
SHORT!!
BY: STEVE MINOTTI
        "NORM YOU CRAZY BASTARD I MISS YOU BROTHER"

A FEW DAYS BEFORE HE LEFT US, I SAT DOWN AT THE BAR WITH HIM AND SIPPED ON
A CORONA WITH A TWIST OF COARSE, THERE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE A TWIST. HE SAID
TO ME " I REALLY ENVY YOU DUDE. YOU HAVE IT ALL YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH
MONEY A NICE HOUSE EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD WANT! I'LL NEVER HAVE
ANYTHING LIKE THAT I CAN'T SEEM TO GET MY SHIT TOGETHER BECAUSE I CAN'T
STOP DRINKING. THERE'S JUST NO HOPE FOR ME." SEE TO ME, THAT'S A REAL
MAN.....SOMEONE WHO'S NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT THERE SHORTCOMING. THAT'S WHEN
I REALIZED WHY I LIKED NORMAN SO MUCH. YOU SEE SOMETIMES PEOPLE'S
PERCEPTIONS OF WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON IS SO FAR OFF BASE. WE ONLY SEE
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE..... NOT THE REALITY. I JUST LEFT MY OWN PRIVATE LITTLE
"HELL" MYSELF. IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE IT, I'D SAY IT'S LIKE HAVING A WARM
BEAUTIFUL WOMAN LAYING BESIDE YOU IN YOUR BED BUT NEVER REALLY FEELING
HER WARMTH OR BEING ON A STAGE WITH A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE CHANTING
YOUR NAME AND STILL FEELING ALONE. I SAID TO HIM,"I'M NOT THAT PERSON YOU
THINK I AM. BELIEVE ME, I HAVE MY DEMONS TOO. I GAMBLED ALMOST EVERYTHING
I HAD AWAY, UP TO AND INCLUDING MY SELF RESPECT AND DIGNITY. NOW THERE'S
SOMETHING TO ENVY." WE BOTH LAUGHED AND I THINK IT MADE HIM FEEL BETTER.
THERE'S A REAL COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE IN THIS WORLD.
"THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER LOOKING FROM THE OTHER SIDE" I'VE KNOWN
HOPELESSNESS LIKE THAT AND I CAN ALWAYS SEE IT IN SOMEONE'S EYES, HE PUT
DOWN HIS EMPTY BEER BOTTLE AND STOOD UP TO LEAVE. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS
IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. ' HIT THE WALL'  THE NEW  'JOKER' CD IS BEING RELEASED
THIS WEEK AND I WANT YOU TO HAVE A COPY. HE SAID "O.K., LATER" AND THEIR HE
WENT OUT THE DOOR IN THE TYPICAL NORMAN FASHION. THAT WOULD BE THE LAST
TIME I'D EVER SEE HIM. TIME IS SO CRITICAL WHEN SOMEONE FRAGILE AND FEELING
ALONE. I SAW THE SIGNS. THEY WERE ALL THERE BUT I DIDN'T ACT ON MY INSTINCT
QUICK ENOUGH AND THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE.
NOTHING HUMBLES ME MORE THAN A HUMAN BEING IN TOTAL DESPERATION.
NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE THAT LONELY. SOMETIMES WE STUMBLE THROUGH LIFE
THINKING WHAT WE DO GOES UNNOTICED, BUT THAT'S A DAY IN MY LIFE I'LL NEVER
FORGET AND I'LL HELP CARRY ON THAT HOPE FOR YOU, NORMAN.
STEVE'S
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