memento mori

Last night the freeway entrance ramp was blocked off by a freaked out and angry cop placing flares across the lanes. We waited for a while, chatting with the guy in the car next to us. How very California it seemed. An accident (of course, what could be blocking the freeway this time, more bananas, a sectional, garden furniture), a friendly guy stopped next to us, who was funny and apologetic for his crappy car.

Then, the helicopters arrived, and the ambulance pulled up without the sound. When the cars were allowed to pass in single file, we drove through the accident scene. There were several cars at the side of the road and pieces of something spread out across the fast lanes. And eventually we passed the yellow tarp covering the body.

Bad dreams that night.

Today I find myself spending the day painting a vanitas still life. I had brought home a skull to sketch, and had an empty bottle of wine, and a candle.

A couple had been arguing on the side of the road outside their car. Some people passing pulled over to call the police. The argument escalated, the man turned and walked away, the woman ran into the road, and was hit by three cars.

vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas