As I arrived in Penn Station on a beautiful day in the bustling city of New York, I dragged my tool bag behind me, feeling like I was moving in slow motion compared to the frantic pace of the crowd. But I finally found my way to the correct platform, with plenty of time to spare before I boarded the 5:06 Long Island Express out to where my next customer was waiting for me. It was 6:07 when I stepped off the train. Nice ride!
I always get a little excited to paint for people when they have an almost kid-like excitement about them, and from what I remember this particular customer was super excited, and the mural wasn’t even for himself. He was having me come out to paint this mural for his daughter, as a surprise. I love surprises!
I got to work.
I wish I could remember more of the conversation, or the recording that he sent me of his daughter’s first reaction, but this is what he wrote me a couple of days later. I love getting these emails!
Hi Jeff,
When my daughter asked for a celestial theme for her bedroom, I searched and searched for an ideas, but nothing was worth investing even a little money in. Then I found your website and I knew that one of your Night Sky Murals was exactly what she was looking for (although she didn’t know it).
I already sent you a recording of the time that I showed her your mural for the first time, when she was really excited (and which I now can’t find anywhere), but I failed to record her entire reaction to seeing your work.
Here’s the rest of the story. After about an hour of staring, together, at the stars, my daughter leaned over, hugged me and cried. When I asked her why she was crying she told me, “Because I can’t tell you how much I love it!”
Thanks for that, Jeff.
Scott F. – (Long Island, NY)
Receiving messages like these always remind me why I love what I do.