Artist in the kitchen

Hank, the genius who masquer- ades as a tile setter, finished our kitchen backsplash today. He grouts it all tomorrow.

A few minutes before I got to the house, I'd stopped by the post office to get the official notice of my hearing to appeal the historic commission's order to tear our our front windows. I was not in a good mood. But then I looked at Hank's work. I couldn't help getting tears in my eyes.

Around the corner later, at Bobby's bar, I ran into Vie and Mike from Flamingo's Cafe, and had to show them in the camera viewfinder the place I''d finally cook for them after all these months. They loved it.

No matter what happens to other parts of the house, there are things about it that will be beautiful forever.