MICHAEL

After David finished talking to me, he told me he was going to look at the pieces on display and for me to stay out of trouble. He talked to me like I’m a child. Couldn’t he see I was only telling the truth about Justin’s past? Justin is the one who went on about the rest of the stuff, but I don’t see anybody pulling Justin aside.

I walked over to Brian. He was standing next to a painting and talking to Alan. I guess Alan has some business to talk to Brian about, but he can talk to Brian later.

“Brian, I guess you got roped into supporting Boy Wonder tonight. I can’t believe we have to spend an evening looking at the stuff they put on these walls. I mean look at that painting, I don’t see why anybody would buy a painting when you can’t tell what it is. Justin should paint stuff so people know what it is,” I tell Brian.

“Excuse me Alan, I’ll send Sydney over so you can buy this one,” Brian walks away without saying anything to me.

I follow Brian and wait till Sydney walks away before I speak again. I see Justin talking to some guy and then he walks away with him to the other side of the gallery.

“Brian, you better watch Justin, he seems to be talking up the guy he’s with,” I tell Brian.

“Michael, did you even look to see who it is before you opened your mouth?” Brian asks me.

I look and see it’s his mother’s boyfriend Tucker. How was I to know Jen was still a cougar?

“I’m just saying, Justin is still young, I mean we were still partying at his age. We grew out of doing childish things, but Justin hasn’t really matured that much.” I tell Brian.

“I think you're right. We should compare the life you lead to my childish partner's life. Right now, my partner is selling out in this show. His paintings are averaging thirty thousand a pop. He put twenty pieces in the gallery tonight, so after fees and taxes he is going to pull in close to half a million dollars, just for tonight. As for you, you are barely covering the costs to keep your store open; unless David is footing the bill, like Ben did. You spend all your time trying to out-do Justin, who’s IQ is off the charts, and you barely made it through high school. If Justin wanted to, he could buy the half of Liberty Avenue and not sweat it. You can’t even pay one month’s rent on an apartment. Would you like me to go on? I mean, Justin has been self-sufficient since he was seventeen. You're almost forty and you still have to find someone to support you. It’s been what, two weeks since you left your husband, and you’ve practically moved in with David. Find someone else to listen to your skewed logic,” Brian tells me.

“At least I picked an adult to have a relationship with,” I tell him.

“Too bad your partners didn’t,” Brian tells me as he walks away.

MEL

Linds was standing across from her painting, listening to people comment on it. We all tried to tell her tonight how good it was. So far everyone has said positive things. Justin was walking the woman who came in with David over to view it.

“Linds, I want to introduce you to Lisa Calver. Lisa, this is Lindsay Peterson. Lisa was telling me she wanted a whimsical painting. I thought of the one you have on display. Lisa, take a look at this one and tell me if this is more what you were looking for. Lisa has said that none of the others we looked at had the style she was looking for,” Justin tells Linds.

“I just bought one of Justin’s for my house here, but I was telling him that I wanted a painting that could match the style of our house in the country. I think your right Justin, this one would definitely look good. I guess I need to talk to Sydney again. Thanks again Justin. And Lindsay, I look forward to seeing more of your work,” Lisa says as she walks over to Sydney.

“Did you even price it, Linds?” I ask her. “Linds, look at me. Congratulations Babe, you sold your first work."

Poor Linds, she is standing there in shock. She told me she appreciated that Justin wanted to do this for her, but didn’t expect much from it. Justin told me Linds would be a grandmother before she displayed her work if it was left up to her. Justin took it out of Linds’s hands.

“I told Sydney to price it at $5000. It’s high, but most of the work on the walls is higher in price. Lisa won't think twice about the price,” Justin tells us.

Linds came out of her stupor and said that if Justin hadn’t suggested it, Lisa wouldn’t have bought it. Justin tells Linds that he showed Lisa six other works by the other artists in the New Artist section first, and Lisa chose Linds’s painting. He tells Linds to have faith in her art. She tells Justin they need to get a drink.

I was standing there taking a last look at my wife’s art before it would be in a country house somewhere, when David comes over and stands next to me.

“Good evening Mel, It’s been a long time,” David says.

“It has. How have you been?” I ask him.

“I’ve been good. I moved back in the area a couple of months ago. I started a practice here again. I heard that you had a daughter with Michael. How is she doing?” David asks.

“JR is great. Linds and I have moved back too. We’re staying with Brian and Justin till the house we just bought is remodeled. I was surprised to learn that you and Michael got together,” I tell him.

“We ran into each other recently and Michael needed a place to live. I offered to let him stay with me and we’ve decided that we could try a relationship again. So far it’s been working. I know Michael would like JR to visit us. I was wondering if you could put your and Michael’s issues aside and let JR visit,” David asks me.

“The only issue we seem to be having is Michael threatening to sue for custody. I don’t have a problem with Michael taking JR for a visit, but Michael has never called to make any arrangements,” I tell David.

“I’ll speak to Michael about it. I told him it would be wrong to demand custody. We’ll call to get a good time to pick JR up. I think Michael is trying to work on a divorce from his husband right now, otherwise he would have called to arrange something,” David tells me.

“Ben probably already filed the paperwork, I know because he needed some advice on Canadian law. The only thing they have joint in their names was the adoption for Hunter. If Michael doesn’t contest anything, it should be painless for them. Tell Michael to look for it in his mail in the next couple of days. Ben was going to file for the divorce immediately, so Michael should receive something soon,” I tell him.

David said good bye. I walked over to Linds and Brian. Justin is with another buyer apparently.

MICHAEL

I went to find the reporter, I was going to ask that he not print anything about David and me in his article.

“Excuse me, aren’t you the reporter who was interviewing Justin earlier?” I ask him.

“You're the guy who commented on Justin’s dancing days, right?” He asks me.

“Yeah, I wanted to ask you not to write about my partner and me in your article. David isn’t thrilled with anybody knowing that he entered the contest. It was only because a friend of mine dared him too. I told him he was too old to strip in front of the guys in the club. Justin only entered because Brian was ignoring him that night,” I tell him.

“Who won the contest?” He asked me.

“Justin did,” I tell him.

He thanked me for my time. He is really easy to talk to, he listened and didn’t interrupt once. I find David, he says that we need to go home. He was really quiet in the car. I figured he was tired.

“Michael, who is Hunter?” He asks me.

“Who told you about Hunter?” I wasn’t going to mention him to David.

“I was talking to Mel about allowing you to have JR over. I mentioned that you’ve been trying to work out a divorce. She said that the only thing that had yours and Ben’s name on it jointly was the adoption papers. Who is Hunter?” David asks again.

“He was a hustler that Ben and I adopted together. We got him off the streets and gave him a home. Ben wanted to adopt him, I agreed. Hunter is in college at Penn State,” I tell him.

DAVID

I wanted to know why Michael never mentioned his other child. I talk about Hank a lot, and Hank calls here all the time. Now that I think about it, Michael doesn’t talk to anyone outside of my friends. Deb isn’t even calling and she used to call three to four times a day.

“Michael, I know I said I wanted you to not associate with Brian for now, but I didn’t mean your children or even your mother. Don’t alienate your family,” I tell him.

“JR is only four and get’s distracted on the phone, that is why I haven’t called her. I’ll call and make plans for JR to visit. Hunter is siding with Ben and doesn’t want to talk to me. I’m giving him space for now,” Michael tells me.

I tell him to call his son and explain that sometimes people want different things but it didn’t change his feelings for his son. Michael told me that he told Hunter that if he wants a relationship Hunter will have to come to him. I told him as a parent we have to extend an olive branch to our children and instead of saying something thoughtless he needs to take time to make sure what he is saying is appropriate to the situation. Michael drifts through life and needs someone to tell him how handle a situation. I decided that I could get the divorce papers and handle it for Michael, he will probably ask me to anyway.

Hopefully he won’t blurt out things without thinking anymore.

THE PITTSBURGH GAZETTE

Last night at the Bloom Gallery, Pittsburgh was given the gift of seeing several new pieces by Artist Justin Taylor. Justin grew up in Pittsburgh, attended PIFA and later moved to New York.

At the age of twenty he already had a write up in Art Forum for his art that was displayed at the Bloom Gallery at that time. Justin has overcome many obstacles in order to achieve the success he now experiences. He was bashed at his prom and was unable to gain full mobility of his right hand. The art that was displayed tells the viewer he worked hard and overcame his disability and creates masterpieces. Justin told me that if it wasn’t for his partner Brian Kinney and friend Lindsay Peterson having faith in him and pushing him to succeed, he isn’t sure he would have lived his dream of being an artist. It would be our loss to not be able to view his work.

I asked the artist if his earlier life influenced his work. Michael Novotny interrupted and explained Justin Taylor’s earlier endeavors as a dancer. Justin graciously told us about dancing in a contest called The King of Babylon, where he danced to attract the attention of his now partner Brian Kinney. Justin said that he always works hard at all his endeavors.

Michael informed me that although his partner Dr. David Cameron joined the competition, he didn’t win because all the other contestants were younger. A younger Justin Taylor was named the winner in the contest. Justin is multi-talented and always working to add to his resume.

It was also mentioned that Michael Novotny’s father, Devina Devore, played a benefit at the same club and Justin was in Angel Wings to help with the charity “Angels Over Pittsburgh.” I called Ms. Devore for comment on the benefit and he told me it was a worthy cause and he was able to meet his son for the first time. He said he will never forget asking his grown son to unzip his gown.  

If you are looking to see amazing art, go to the Bloom Gallery before the end of the show. I was impressed with the work and the artist.

After reading the small article in the Arts and Leisure section, Brian and Justin looked at each other and laughed. Brian called the newspaper and asked for a hundred copies to be delivered to Liberty Diner and one to a Dr. Cameron’s office.