Blind.

Around here…the main thing, is to keep the ‘main thing’, the main thing. Pool riding. Backyard swimming pools. Preferably empty. However, if water is the problem, pay that no mind. We have pumps & generators. Its like the Confucian maxim regarding the glass—‘A pool is only useful in its emptiness.’ Anyway, the other day, Scott Ward & I were speaking to a client of his.

She lives in an exclusive, gated area along the coast. The glittering, deep green ocean spreads out in a vista before her, on a daily basis. Her families sprawling home is perched on a bluff, with a 270 degree view. Lush landscaping & highly expensive automobiles complete this ‘American Ream.’ I saw her standing there, speaking with Scott. She was hauteur. She pointed to a house that squatted just lower on the bluff & north of hers. It was obscenely large & spacious as well. Walls surrounded it, to keep ‘those people’ away. It was evident.

This particular house happened to have the ONLY large tree in view. Its branches scraped the blue sky and it was majestic in its simplicity. The tree spoke of timelessness; the worries & trifling things of mankind, meant little to it. It passed its time, knowing it would probably be here, long after we went our way into the earth. The client gazed across this beautiful-virtually-unimpeded panorama.

She peered over at Scott & with all seriousness stated, “I want that tree cut back or removed. Its blocking our sunset.” I wanted to vomit on her expensive shoes. Scott looked at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. With calm integrity, he flatly refused. It seems to Scott & I, that she’s missing the main thing. She’ll probably never see it, either. Keep the main thing, the ‘main thing.’ Thank you to Jim Goodrich & Scott Ward for the images and for being rad people. Skate long-Ozzie