Random Encounter

I have a little routine for my weekends, which for me is usually Sunday and Monday nights.  After getting home Sunday morning, I try to stay up all day, doing basically nothing and having no plan except to go to bed at a time when I can sleep most of the night.  That way, I'm up early on Monday, and I can tackle the weekend's big projects, like the yard work, and hopefully get something done in the studio.  This weekend's task was to finally do the spring cleaning in the studio, which involves dragging everything out onto the patio and mopping the floor, and spraying for bugs.  And the weather was perfect, which helped a lot.
  Tuesdays are spent doing housework and running errands. I got my hair cut.  I went to the grocery store...

...and that's where it happened.

After picking up the last item (frozen peas,) I ran into Kelly Killough, another artist who does a lot of the same shows that I do.  We talked about the Edmond show, and about how sales were for us and our neighbors.  My next booth neighbor this year was Shirley Gibbons, who was doing the show for the 32nd time, and she had the best sales she's ever had.  Across the street, James Coplin won 1st prize and was also selling a lot, and my other next booth neighbor was selling his copper wall hangings hand over fist. Kelly said his neighbors had also done really well, and he himself had done pretty decently.  I, on the other hand, did not do well at all.  This was my 25th year at the Edmond show, and this year's sales were the worst ever.  I told Kelly that that is what made the cancellation of Kathy's Paseo show more painful.

Oh, but no!  The show hasn't been cancelled, Kelly tells me.  Seems that, though the family feud still goes on, the legal part has been settled, permits are acquired, and booths are filling.  And Kelly had the phone number for the man in charge.

I'm stunned by this news, and I don't know quite what to do with it.  I'm pleased that the show is back on, but it's in two weeks.  I'm already prepared to go, inventory-wise, but can I get the time off from work? And do I really want to put out the money and effort? I need a second and third opinion.
    After I had gotten home and put the groceries away, I texted the man spouse for his opinion.  He had recently made a very hurtful comment about my art (he called it a hobby -- which is not wrong, exactly, but it just galls me to think he could be right,) but he still has a stake in how I spend my time and money.  Plus he knows me better than anybody, so I don't have to over-explain how I fell about this.  When he was able to call back, he was supportive, and he understood what I meant when I said that what I was feeling in that moment was pissed off.  He said that even if I don't get in the show, I at least deserve an explanation about why no one contacted me.
    The next input I needed was from the boss man.  I texted Garris, saying that something had happened and I needed his opinion. He called back quickly, and when I told him what was up, he was so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic.  He said that if it was at all possible, I should "absolutely" do the show.  (He used the word 'absolutely' a lot in that phone call.  He's only been to see my work one time, but he talks like he's my biggest fan.) He also assured me that it wouldn't be a problem for me to take the time off, since we have the staff right now to cover my shifts, and the hotel won't be busy that weekend anyway.
   Well, that was what I needed.

I called Mr Clark.  He answered the phone immediately, and was pleased that I had managed to get in touch with him.  I complained about not being contacted.  He explained the painful journey he and his family had been on, and how he had gained charge of the show.  The reason he hadn't gotten in touch with me was that the other faction in the family feud had the mailing list, and all he had was a map with artists names penciled in, but only six phone numbers.  He managed to Google a lot of them. Also, it's only been eight days since he got the go ahead from the powers that be.
  He told me about some changes made to the show, like reserved parking for artists and a place for the artists to retreat to when they needed a break.  He asked about my needs, which got me a (hopefully) better spot.  I think I'm going to like this guy.

So, in a matter of less than two hours, I went from having no plans to having big plans.  All because of a random encounter at grocery store.  Now I just need some people who like my work enough to take it home with them.