Do You Feel Lucky?

(and feel free to comment! My older posts are certainly no less relevant to the burning concerns of the day.)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Beauty is Eternal, but it doesn't last

The human foot. On most people, a most pedestrian appendage. The humble platform from which our bipedal lifestyle derives its forward impetus. Functional. Homely. Utilitarian. A veiny assemblage of tendons. But once in a great while, the foot can be something...more.

My feet, for instance, are beautiful. I wish I was a sculptor. I could sculpt a marble likeness of my right foot that would make Gerard Depardieu wonder who done it. Just like that marble foot in Camille Claudel that Isabelle Adjani carved: smooth and supple, yet with a hint of godlike strength and restraint. The shapely bulk of the foot, the vein detail just beneath the blemishless surface...the toes like perfect soldiers, lined up for inspection.

I don't recall my feet being so beautiful before. I only really noticed this a week or two ago. In fact I remember years ago, standing in line at the Custard Corner down by the beach, looking down at my bare feet and thinking they were big and ungainly, ugly and veiny. But that was...oh, I must have been 11 years old at that point. I must have grown into them.

Or perhaps the veins have receded. It could be a sign of poor circulation. They may need to amputate! If they do, I hope they give me enough notice. I will want to set it up so that I can have these beautiful feet of mine bronzed.

On the other hand, maybe this is just some phase that my feet are going through. Perhaps in six months time, they will revert to ugly! I should probably have them bronzed right now. Just to be absolutely safe.

3 comments:

dogimo said...

I think you've hit on the essence of all true artistic expression.

Magna said...

You should have the replicas fitted with a tiny speaker that plays "Soul Man." But just in case they don't get the pun, also enclose a detailed letter explaining it.

dogimo said...

Will you write the letter, though? I'm afraid I'd only further obscure the issue.