OLWG #193- The Grounds Girls

This week’s prompts are at the bottom. Feel free to seize the prompts, twist them, form them, play with them as you will. All comers are welcome. The words below are just practice for me. I had a lot of fun writing them and, practice makes perfect.

Here’s how to play along, if you are unsure.

On a recent trip to New York, I had one day where I could sleep late. I had no meetings scheduled until afternoon. I decided to go exploring. The Hotel thought I might enjoy the neighbourhood of SoHo, Beyond Broadway. The concierge told me that there is less foot traffic there, to the west, and more outdoor vendors. She told me that it was a combination of shopping and international cuisine. I stumbled across a coffee shop there named “The Grounds Girls”. I stopped in.

Inside I am drawn to an oversized sketch of a girl hanging on the wall. The artist’s name, Baptistee, and a price for the work shows on a plaque next to the drawing. The art is a mixed media piece done with coloured pencil and charcoal atop a pastel and watercolour wash. It depicted a girl; long-legged, poised, and slender. She glows with a café coloured complexion. A scattering of somewhat darker freckles splays across her cheeks and nose. Her hair is dark and curly, shot through with streaks of auburn and worn long, pulled to the back.

She has an affectionate smile that displays a hint of compassion; albeit somewhat sealed, like an envelope, not giving much away.

Hard to tell how tall she is because there is nothing else in the sketch for reference. You get the impression of “petite.”

She wears a light and flowing ruched blouse with a cowl neck and cap sleeves paired with skinny Capri pants. The trousers are of coloured fabric, patterned with stripes, with hints of rich wines and copper.

She looks like Marie, but it can’t be. Marie has never been to New York, she’s a West Coast girl. Marie wears a lot of Nicoline Gouin clothes. Marie carries herself regally and has an infectious smile. The sketch carries a price of $750.00.

I buy it. I’ll take it home and gift it to Marie.

It’s uncanny.

This week’s prompts are: