Watching my relatives work in our family Poplar Level Road Grocery Store inspired me to follow in their footsteps.
My five year old ambition was to grow strong enough and tall enough to stand at the checkout counter and sack groceries like my Brother Paul and to deliver those bags to waiting customers in a panel truck like my Father drove.
The sale of the family Grocery Store diminished my sacking ideas of self worth but in growing up years I retained the truck driving lofty thoughts. As an artist I found myself stacking paintings for art shows in a family sedan and moving up the line to a Station Wagon followed by a Volkswagen Campmobile and when more exhibition gear was needed, am extended Cab Ford Van.
Loading those various vehicles after a weekend show s an art itself and I was fortunate in having my Mother and my Sister appear at show closing to help in that serious undertaking.
A word to the wise: Do not permit your sisters, nieces and daughters to linger at grocery check out counters. And for good measure, block their view of large trucks or they may grow up to be artists and you will end up loading their canvases and setups to a never ending list of shows and festivals.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you!