the painting

by chris.

He didn't know if he'd be able to accurately determine exactly where he
would land, so the canvas he purchased measured twenty feet on all sides.
This, he thought, would allow him a large enough margin of error to land
completely on some part of the canvas even if he were to jump a little
too far out or should the wind blow him a little off course. He nailed
all four corners down with metal spikes, hammering them firmly into the
concrete below.

He checked off the list in his mind: buy canvas, nail canvas down, etc.
Only one item remained on the list, which he crossed out by going to the
payphone on the corner and calling Henry and giving him the instructions.
With the list complete he balled it up in his mind and dropped it in the
stairwell as he made his way up. He got to the fifth floor and then to
the rooftop and looked down over the side of the building. The enormous
piece of canvas still looked massive from up there but he knew he still
had to concentrate and get as close to the center as possible.

He shuffled to the left and right on the ledge until he was confident
with his position and then leaped into the air, arms spread out and back.
The rest of his body arched in a "u" with his belly pointed to the center
of the canvas.

Henry came with three other friends, just as he had been instructed. They
picked him up off the canvas, sure not to touch the canvas or the fresh
paint, and laid his body next to his masterpiece.

Henry smiled. "Definitely his best work yet," he said.

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