Goodbye FAO Schwarz, and I Hear Voices

Many, many, many decades ago before the internet, we used to get these thick beautiful paper catalogs. When I was a child, the FAO Schwarz catalog always came around Thanksgiving and I would dogear the pages and put gold stars next to everything I wanted. My fantasy was fullfilled the moment I stepped into the store.

I always wanted this giraffe. I don't think it would have fit in our tiny apartment. I found a little niche in a display area where I could tuck myself in out of the way of the never ending steam of shoppers and site seers. I could have spent many days sketching here. For me, it was all about childhood memories. Goodby FAO. I will miss you.

Several weeks ago, I had 40 minutes to kill before meeting some clients at CPS. I had my sketchbook and went across the street to sketch the horses. I spent the first 15 minutes talking to the carriages drivers. As the clock was ticking away, I did two quick sketches. This was my third one.  


I had ten minutes left and I wasn't thrilled with the results. It was then that I felt a gentle nudge in my back with a flex nib pen. It was then that I started to hear voices... well , one voice actually. It was Melanie Reim saying "tell a story". It was right in front of me the whole time. The empty Verizon phone booth that went the way of the dinosaur, the horse which may be gone from the city, and the chaos of the city streets behind the horse. Thank you Melanie. I think I got it!