- Red Driscoll Sketches Dinty
April, 1938
Rain, rain, and more rain. Certainly not a work day if you're a roofer. Since nine o' clock Red Driscoll sat in a booth, nursing a glass of Pickwick Ale, and sketching. On the floor Red has his roofing tools - claw hammer, cutting knife, Swiss Army knife, leather gloves covered with black tar pitch. Along side his "work" bag sits his drawing tools - pencils, rulers, pencil sharpener, sketching paper, mounting board and a mirror.
But today's exercise is to sketch himself. Red is using the mirror to sketch a self-portrait - a surprise for his wife who is expecting their first baby (boy or girl?) in spring sometime. Red is the acknowledged artist in Danny's and often sketches the patrons on wedding s and other special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, and the like.
Actually Red studied art at Massachusetts College of Art, but his Depression (and liquor) ended his formal quest for fame and fortune. "Someday," Red would often say, "I'll return to school. Maybe become another Winslow Homer." Instead Red's propensity is to tell tall tales, especially when he had a few beers under his belt. Not malicious stories - in fact many were comical and harmless. But they earned Red, especially in the Roofer's Union Hall, the nickname "Malarky" - meaning full of bullshit.
Actually, I am very fond of Red. Like all of us, he had his faults but he is a very decent guy who had talents but few opportunities in this economy. Around 10 AM who is down in a booth near the latrine, but Dinty doing origami with a stack of 3x5 cards - dogs, cats, and birds. He often sells the models to customers for a quarter or a half dollar to earn a few dollars on the side.
Dinty walks to Red's self portrait, "Red," he says, "Can you draw a picture of me? Please? I'll swap you a couple of my models. Huh? I ain't never had someone make a picture of me. Huh? Please?"
I smile at Red - everyone in DAnny's knows that Dinty is slow - Dinty the Dim - is what the young guys call him. It is a fact that Dinty is not a class A waiter, but Booker made a promise to Dinty's mother to watch over him. And Booker believes a promise made is a debt unpaid.
Red concedes. In less that 15 minutes he sketches Dinty. When Dinty sees his sketch, he breaks into a giggle - a tiny drop of spit runs down his lip. "Thanks Red! I'll take it home and nail it on my wall and take care of it - you can bet your life of it." He disappears into the back room. Red laughs, "All of my customers should be so gleeful. If that were so, I'd be a millionaire!" "For God's sake," I chastise Red, "you can draw better than that! He looks like Igor from a bad Frankenstein movie, only Dinty is not a hunchback."
"Bill, what the hell do you want? I did it in a couple of minutes, and Dinty ain't no Clark Gable! Anyway look how happy he is, like a pig in shit."
Rain, rain, and more rain. Certainly not a work day if you're a roofer. Since nine o' clock Red Driscoll sat in a booth, nursing a glass of Pickwick Ale, and sketching. On the floor Red has his roofing tools - claw hammer, cutting knife, Swiss Army knife, leather gloves covered with black tar pitch. Along side his "work" bag sits his drawing tools - pencils, rulers, pencil sharpener, sketching paper, mounting board and a mirror.
But today's exercise is to sketch himself. Red is using the mirror to sketch a self-portrait - a surprise for his wife who is expecting their first baby (boy or girl?) in spring sometime. Red is the acknowledged artist in Danny's and often sketches the patrons on wedding s and other special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, and the like.
Actually Red studied art at Massachusetts College of Art, but his Depression (and liquor) ended his formal quest for fame and fortune. "Someday," Red would often say, "I'll return to school. Maybe become another Winslow Homer." Instead Red's propensity is to tell tall tales, especially when he had a few beers under his belt. Not malicious stories - in fact many were comical and harmless. But they earned Red, especially in the Roofer's Union Hall, the nickname "Malarky" - meaning full of bullshit.
Actually, I am very fond of Red. Like all of us, he had his faults but he is a very decent guy who had talents but few opportunities in this economy. Around 10 AM who is down in a booth near the latrine, but Dinty doing origami with a stack of 3x5 cards - dogs, cats, and birds. He often sells the models to customers for a quarter or a half dollar to earn a few dollars on the side.
Dinty walks to Red's self portrait, "Red," he says, "Can you draw a picture of me? Please? I'll swap you a couple of my models. Huh? I ain't never had someone make a picture of me. Huh? Please?"
I smile at Red - everyone in DAnny's knows that Dinty is slow - Dinty the Dim - is what the young guys call him. It is a fact that Dinty is not a class A waiter, but Booker made a promise to Dinty's mother to watch over him. And Booker believes a promise made is a debt unpaid.
Red concedes. In less that 15 minutes he sketches Dinty. When Dinty sees his sketch, he breaks into a giggle - a tiny drop of spit runs down his lip. "Thanks Red! I'll take it home and nail it on my wall and take care of it - you can bet your life of it." He disappears into the back room. Red laughs, "All of my customers should be so gleeful. If that were so, I'd be a millionaire!" "For God's sake," I chastise Red, "you can draw better than that! He looks like Igor from a bad Frankenstein movie, only Dinty is not a hunchback."
"Bill, what the hell do you want? I did it in a couple of minutes, and Dinty ain't no Clark Gable! Anyway look how happy he is, like a pig in shit."