Here Comes The Judge
	My partner, Margo and I on a number of occasions were hired, and it was an honor, to judge quite a few art shows here in the Tampa Bay Area. Having this honor bestowed on us is something we both looked forward to every year. On one particular event as we were leaving for the exhibit grounds my friend Sharon happened to show up at my house. "Where are you two off to?" We told her where we were going and proudly said "and they're paying us $125.00 each!" Sharon said "Can I come with you." She was dressed the part of an art critic or an artist anyway. She always was. Wearing some earthy, wrap-around, ponchoy sort of thing with long fringe and little seeds and blades of grass woven into it that I think she had brought back from the Amazon she hopped in the car and away we went. The three of us arrived at the very large outdoor exhibition. As Margo and I made our way through all the sections and categories of very fine art displayed Sharon stayed right with us. She also didn't hesitate to declare her opinion. She never did. Sometimes it was in agreement with Margo's and mine and sometimes it wasn't. She was having a great time. She said "This really makes you feel in charge doesn't it?" I would kind of pull my head in when she'd announce things like "Hanging's too good for this painting!" At the end of the afternoon when the judging was over Margo and I went to the committee headquarters to get our pay. Would you believe that when they paid us that they also paid Sharon as well?! They thought she was also a judge. I guess they thought that they hadn't gotten the word that there would be three judges. Sharon didn't hesitate to take the money, smiling as she tucked it into her bra. We went to the Colonade on Bayshore and had a wonderful meal and the next day she bought a big straw hat that looked like a flying saucer with a big pink paper rose on it. Lash Out Loud