A New Level of Anonymity

I am the wife of the guy with cancer.

I do one art show a year. It's a benefit show for the library in the town where I lived some 30 years ago. The show generates around 60K in sales for the library. The Santa figures generally claim their share of Purchase Awards.

Artists don't handle sales. We're supposed to walk around, make nice with people and chat about our art.

I do more watching and listening than chatting. My official name tag stays in a pocket and I usually keep my invisibility cloak in place.

Last night I listened in the background while a group of people discussed this year's Santas. I'm used to the guys generating a lot of 'oooo' and 'ahhhh' response.

I moved in a little closer; all the better to hear the compliments roll...

"Do you know the woman who makes the Santas?.....I'm not sure who she is but her husband has cancer...."

My family still lives in town. I'm used to being my sister's sister or my father's daughter at this show.

This year I'm the woman whose husband has cancer.

It's a new level of anonymity.