Slim and Merlin Painting

From the series, "Panhandlers of Harvard Square." Merlin (in the rear) and Slim were hanging out outside the CVS next to the Coop. I asked Slim to pose for me but the composition with both of them was too nice and since they were obviously friends, I asked Merlin if he would pose too even though I didn't have $10 for him. I said I'd give them whatever I had in my pocket (it turned out to be $16) and they readily agreed. Their come on was "Spare change for Arizona Iced Tea... Spare change for Arizona Iced Tea..." When they'd collected enough Slim went into the store and bought two Arizona Iced Teas. They then switched to "Spare change for pizza... spare change for pizza..." I have no doubt that day they lunched on pizza. While Merlin and Slim were quietly taking care of business other dramas were swirling around them. An older panhandler whose name I didn't catch was standing next to the CVS door despite the owner's repeated requests for him to move away. He called the police, and it developed that the policeman who showed up to send the older panhandler on his way had arrested Merlin and Slim the day before. The cop grinned and said to me "It'd sure mess up your painting if I arrested those two" (he didn't). Perhaps the saddest conversation I had all day, however, was with a young panhandler who liked the painting and wanted to pose. He said "Hey ma, come look at this!" His mother, another panhandler came over to look and he confided to me "My father's the guy on crutches panhandling down the street."

Painting:Oil on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:24 W x 18 H x 1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.