1.
Max stood at Agent 58's apartment door and rang it. She answered.
She wore dirty paint-covered clothes. Her bare feet were blue—literally!
"The wind of time always blows in one steady direction," he said.
"The stones of years are ageless," she responded.
"The crackers of eternity are made of wheat," he finished.
She nodded. "Come in and close the door, Max."
He did this. She went to a desk and pulled out a small plastic canister, which she gave to him.
"Thank you, Brigitte." He put it in his pocket and started to leave.
"One moment, Max. Please stay, for a bit."
"Stay?"
"Max, darling, would you help me with a painting I'm doing?"
"Sorry, no. The last time I helped you, you ruined my suit!"
"I promise, this time I won't paint your clothes! Please, Max?"
"Well. . . all right!"
"Wonderful! Come with me."
She led him to a corner of the room. A canvass was on the floor. It had an abstract painting on it, all in blue. Pans—some filled with paint—cans of paint, and paint-stained towels, surrounded it.
"This artwork was painted with my feet," she said.
"I was wondering why your feet are blue. I thought those were socks!"
"However, I feel that this painting needs 'a man's touch'-so to speak. Would you lend your feet to this painting?"
"Just my feet?"
"Just your feet."
He thought for a bit. "All right, I will."
"Excellent! I'll be blue, and you'll be red."
"All right."
She opened a can of red paint and poured it into one of the empty pans.
"Put your feet into the pan." He started to, but she stopped him. "First, take your shoes off!"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that!"
He slipped off his Oxfords and socks. Then he stood in the pan.
"Good. Now, stand right here-," she indicated a spot,"-and walk from one side to the other."
"This reminds me of an artist 99 and I saw at a beatnik club. She also painted with her bare feet."
"It was probably my girl friend Rose. That's where I got this idea from."
He finished, and she inspected it.
"Great work, Max!"
"Why, thank you, Brigitte!"
Thus, it continued. She had him put down paint in different ways, aff with his feet. She herself also added some more blue strokes. At the end of a half hour, she looked at it.
"A masterpiece! Thank you so much, Max!"
She gave him a big hut and a kiss, much to his embarrassment!
"I'm glad 99's not here!," he said.
They cleaned their feet off with towels. Then he left.
2.
Brigitte eventually sold the painting—which she entitled "Study in Blue and Red for 4 Feet"-for $300. Because Max participated in it, she gave him $100.