Death of a Street Artist

Chapter 3 - The Craft Screening

The two-week wait had quickly passed, and today was the day Michael Devlin would present his enameled jewelry before the Screening Committee of the Arts Commission. If the committee verified that the jewelry was indeed work of his own creation, then he could receive a street artists license.

        An Arts Commission document, called The Blue Book, described the craft screening procedure and listed what he needed to bring to his screening appointment. He'd have to present his completed jewelry, some of his tools, and his work in various unfinished stages. He'd also have to show the raw materials of the process — like the copper blanks, and fritted glass enamel that would color the copper when heated inside a kiln.

        After loading those and other items into a small tattered suitcase, Michael left Ray and Hanna's apartment and boarded the Polk Street bus that would take him to the Arts Commission building at the city's civic center. Twenty minutes later, he was inside that four-story structure, pushing the elevator's button for the basement level where the screenings would be held.

        However, not noticing that the elevator was going up and not down, Michael hastily stepped inside as soon as its doors opened. Smiling after realizing his error, he shook his head and figured he'd just have to wait for the elevator to change directions.

        The elevator traveled upward to the fourth floor before it finally stopped. Waiting for its doors to open were two women: a tall brunette in her twenties and a petite, slender redhead who might have passed the end of her forties. The tall brunette's thick hair was awkwardly gathered into a bun, while the redhead's hair was meticulously cut to a pageboy style. While struggling to carry a clipboard and numerous folders, the brunette followed the petite redhead who leisurely strolled in front of her, emptyhanded. Deeply engaged in discussion, the two women seemed not to notice Michael when they entered the elevator.

        The tall brunette said, "Look, Ms. Hawthorne, I really don't see what we—"

        But before she could finish, she was interrupted by the redhead with a pageboy cut. "Lillian, please... call me Alice. Everyone here calls me Alice!"

        Nervously tucking a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, Lillian said, "Okay... Alice. I know you don't like to deal with them, but they are under the care of the Arts Commission — we can't avoid this. And I don't think I can do what you ask."

        "Look, Lillian, you're new here," said Alice. "And they're some things you'll just have to get used to. We can't always do things by the book, especially when we're dealing with a bunch of flakes like the street artists."

        Catching herself, Alice suddenly realized she and Lillian were not alone. From the corner of her eye, she discretely examined Michael. Now who, she thought, would wear secondhand clothes and carry a dumpy suitcase into this building? And with Alice's hesitation, Lillian also paused, now regarding Michael and his tattered suitcase. Holding a hand near her face, she spoke in a hushed tone.

        "Ms. Hawthorne — I mean, Alice — perhaps we should discuss this later."

        Still staring forward, Alice returned a subtle nod, quickly pushed a button for the next floor, and in a moment the two had exited the elevator. A couple minutes later, the elevator stopped at the basement where Michael stepped out and found his way to Room B-9, the location for the craft screenings.

        B-9 was a conference room with a small podium at the front and long folding-tables for the members of the Screening Committee. The rest of the room contained many rows of folding chairs, partially filled with craftsmen like Michael. There they waited with cardboard boxes and cases, holding samples of their craft, raw materials, and their tools.