1514 Grandview Drive Suite # 9 • Champaign, Illinois 61820 • mrartist2@gmail.com
Short Story
Art Fair Survival Guide
Brian J. Sullivan
Semis, silhouetted against the pre-dawn sky, are lined-up one after another along the side of the on-ramp. In the distant horizon, the sun's first light has begun to illuminate the wispy clouds in a brilliant orange halo.
I was traveling eastward down some ubiquitous highway, each side exhibiting uniform rows of corn. It was late September; their stalks had begun to change to a light brown color. I was enjoying the early morning solitude and the hypnotic sound of my tires upon the pavement except for the occasional "click" as my tires went over a seam in the pavement. My headlights cut through the low hanging mist. I was on my way to the next art fair. My thoughts wandered as I mentally tried to go over all the items I packed to see if I had forgotten anything. As more grey hairs appear with each passing year, I find the space between my thoughts widens and soon I forget what I was doing. So to help ease the mental agony of forgetfulness, I have created yet another check-list of items I need to go through before I leave for each fair. It is very similar to the check-list every airplane pilot is required to go through before take-off (pre-flight check-list). What follows is my list.
Home
-Cancel paper
-Hold mail
-Pre-pay all bills
-Water plants
-Cut lawn
-Turn down heat (turn up A/C)
-Leave some lights on
-Check and lock all doors and windows
-Tell neighbors itinerary and give them emergency contact numbers
Suitcase (I re-pack and re-stock it with laundered clothes and sundries as soon as I arrive back home from the last fair. It is always packed and ready to go on a moments notice.)
-PDA/extra batteries
-Shaving kit
-Dress clothes/casual
-Swimsuit/aqua socks
-Workout clothes/gym stuff
-Granola/snack food/fruit
-Sweatshirt/sweater
Backpack
-Extra truck keys
-Small first aid kit
-All medicine/RX/aspirin
-Extra cash $$$/check book
-Camera/film/extra batteries/charger/tri-pod
-Extra pair of prescription glasses
-Sunglasses
-Hat
-Sunscreen
-Cell phone/charger
-Insect repellant
-Sketch book
-Light coat/warm-up pants
-Art slides/portfolio
-Fanny pack
-Reading material
-Toilet paper
-Waterless hand sanitizer
-Swiss army knife
-Small water bottle
Vehicle
-Check tire pressure
-Check oil and miscellaneous fluids
-Gas truck up
-Wash windshields inside and out
-Check headlights, taillights and blinkers
-Radar detector and electronic compass
-Small cooler/ice pack
-Foul weather bag/rain suit
-Sleeping bag
-Tool box
-Cordless drill/batteries/charger
-Roller blades
-GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)
Art Fair Folder
-All fair info
-Maps and driving directions
-Hotel confirmations
-Emergency contact numbers
Art Display Items
-Credit card machine
-Receipt book
-Guest book
-Inventory sheet/price labels
-Post cards/business cards
-Baby wipes/anti-static rag
-Feather duster
-Calculator
-Tent/canopy
-All tent poles
-Tent weights
-Display panels
-Flip bin
-Directors chair
-Umbrella/stand
-Lights/electrical cords
-Electric fan
-Fire extinguisher
-Gallon water jug
-Blue tarps (several)
-Grey tool box (nyties/duct tape/curtain hooks)
-Dolly/hand truck
-Roll of carpet/rubber mats
-All art work
-Plastic/paper bags
Now, if I could only find my pen, I could check mark my list. Let me know what I have forgotten so I can add it to my list.