Picture Imperfect

A Short Story

Paul always felt sad when his friends got divorced. But he was especially affected when Norman and Sheila split up. They had always come off as one of those "perfect" couples. He thought to himself that sometimes appearances are deceiving. At any rate, he did his best to remain friends with both Norman and Sheila and neither seemed to mind very much that he wasn't taking sides. He was very much relieved that neither did mind, because he loved them as if they were part of his own family.

A few days later Norman called him on his cell. "Paul, I found place of my own."

"Great," I said without much enthusiasm. "How are you holding up, Norm? Are you doing okay?"

"Well... It hasn't quite sunk in that Sheila and I are actually splitting up. I didn't want things to turn out like this. But I am trying to keep myself busy right now so that I won't have a lot of time to think about what is happening. I guess I am holding my own, given the situation."

Paul wasn't sure what to say next. "Listen, Norman, if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where I am."

"Yeah, I know and I really appreciate that. And you can probably expect that I will be calling you when this thing actually hits me. Anyway, I wanted to know if you could help me move my stuff to my new place on Saturday. I'm renting a U-Haul truck and I'll be picking it up about 8:00 AM. So can you be there on Saturday to help me."

"Of course, you know I'll be there."

"Thanks a lot. I'll pick you up about 7:30 and we'll go and get the truck."

" Great, see you on Saturday," I said. I hung up the phone and sighed. You just never know what is going to happen in life.

Saturday rolled around all too quickly. Norman picked Paul up and they went over to the U-Haul place and got the truck. They went to Norman's house, packed the furniture and boxes that he was taking with him and went to his new apartment. They brought the contents of the truck into the apartment. Paul always marvelled that it always seemed to take less time to unpack a truck than it did to pack it. He wondered why that was.

"I am tired," said Norman. " Let's take a break. I got a six-pack of Bud in the car."

Gratefully, Paul sat down on the couch and rested his aching muscles. Norman came in, pulled off two beers from the six-pack and handed Paul a cold one.

Norman set his beer down on the coffee table. "Hey, Paul, I have to show you something." Norman pulled over one of the smaller boxes and ripped the tape off the top of the box. He rummaged around in the box looking for something in particular. He found it and pulled out a Playboy magazine.

Paul laughed. "Norm, you still buy Playboy. Amazing!"

Norman replied, "Sheila bought me the subscription. Would you believe it? Sheila?... So here is what I wanted to show you." Norman leafed through the magazine and found a photo spread with Jennifer Anniston. He handed the magazine to Paul.

Paul checked out all the photos. "She has a really nice body."

Norman looked a little surprised. "A nice body? Hell, she has a great body."

Paul looked back through the photos of the star and he stopped at one that was unlike most photos that one usually finds in a Playboy spread. It wasn't a full color shot. It was a shot done in sepia tones. The photographer had composed the photo of the nude Jennifer Anniston in a surprisingly subdued posture. She stood facing the camera but she was looking at something off to her left. Her right arm was reaching up to her right and touching a wall. Her left arm was almost at her side.

He looked at her body. He thought to himself that she had a really nice body... nice legs, nice breasts, everything generally nice. But a strange thought hit him. She didn't have one of those skinny Barbie Doll figures or spectacular breasts that so many of the Playboy centerfold models have. She had a normal body... a nicely proportioned body. In a way that made it more attractive, even if it was not as stimulating as those of the bodies of other Playboy models. Paul just saw her as a beautiful woman, a normal woman... who actually seemed to just be a person, who happened to be modelling in the nude.

And what actually grabbed his attention was her face, rather than the body parts that would have usually gotten his focus. He studied her face. He could not tell what she was looking at off to the left. But it was not a sexy look. There was no smile on her face. In fact, her face revealed very little about what was going on in her mind or even what nuance or mood the photographer was trying to capture in the photograph. The photo was almost an art piece that one might frame and put on the wall, had the photo been presented in a different venue other than Playboy magazine.

In this photo, Jennifer Anniston was not what she seemed to be at first glance. Paul was a little amazed at his response to the photo. After he had looked at the photo long enough, he thought to himself that her body was nice, but it wasn't that special. She no longer came off as having the perfect body or presenting an image out of which he could weave sexual fantasies. After awhile, he thought to himself, "I wish she would put some of her clothes back on. At least then there would be a little mystery to her, something unknown about her that I could fantasize about." He thought to himself, " I know just a little bit more than I want to know about you, Jennifer Anniston"

Norman broke into his thoughts, "Okay guy, bring your mind above your belt."

Paul looked up at Norman and laughed, but he did not share what he had been thinking. Sometimes things are not what they seem to be. Sometimes the things that we think are perfect or wonderful or something that we wish we could have... just isn't what it seems to be.

Paul looked at Norman. Norman and Sheila, the perfect couple... "I guess not," thought Paul.

"Are you okay, Paul," Norman asked, a little concerned. "You seem a little preoccupied."

"Nah! I'm okay. I was just thinking about you and Sheila. I am just a little sad that you two broke up."

Norman looked down, took a deep breath, and said, "Some things are not meant to work out, I guess. I just never thought it would happen to me."

"Well, Norm, shit happens. The only thing you can do now is to pick up the pieces and get on with your life, guy."

"Yeah I know," Norman said a bit glumly.

"Norm, you are going to get through this. You are. You are going to have some bumpy days ahead. So just take things one day at a time. And things are not always what seem to be. Yeah, your marriage to Sheila is over. But you have no idea what the future holds for you. Probably only good things. Like I said, you are going to get through this and I'll be there if you need me," Paul told Norman.

Paul momentarily got caught up in his thoughts again as it occurred him that his own life seemed really good. Paul loved his wife and loved his kids. All things seemed well and good in his life. He knew the realities of his own life. He didn't have all the things he would have liked to have, but he had what he needed to be a happy man. His only fear was that someday, things would no longer be what they seemed to be. Suddenly, he felt an urgent need to be back with his family and to hold his wife in his arms.. to give his kids a big hug. All he wanted now were people who were real... who were actually there when he reached out to hold them, rather than an illusion of empty promises in a photograph.

"Well, Norm, we are done here. Could you drop me back at my place. Sandy and I are going to take the kids to the park this afternoon."

"Yeah, sure. I am ready to get out of here for awhile. I need to grab a bite anyway."

They left the apartment and headed to Paul's place. "Thanks, buddy. I really appreciate your help," said Norman.

"Anytime, guy. Remember take things one day at a time, okay."

"Right, I will." With that Norman drove away.

Paul had never been so glad to come home again.