I don’t know why I should be surprised. Even when I’m uber-organized and have adequate time to complete a task, I rarely get done before the exact moment the clock runs out. It is the day before ELEMENTAL opens and, sure enough, we begin installing in the daylight but finish in the darkness.
I’ve consulted Paz and Dave about the intricacies of hanging art and I am as prepared as I can be.
I’ve made templates for every piece and have laid the walls out to scale, so there is no question about the spacing or the order or the height. I’ve brought along three sizes and kinds of screws (thickness and depth) and anchors and hooks for the brick wall.
We’re futzing with the cheapie laser level, some of the screws aren’t working as planned; their heads are stripped before they’re sunk deeply enough. The hardware store has closed a half-hour ago and Jacob needs to take off.
I start to sweat and whip out the mantra: Keep going, keep going, keep going. Lulu keeps her wits about her, we make adjustments, and press on. By 9pm we are done. The gloves are off, the tools tucked away, and the tables and chairs returned to their places. I sit down for the first time to admire our handiwork.
I am caught off guard by the deep satisfaction I feel in this moment. The others head home and I sit alone for another hour or so before I turn off the lights and lock up.
