I sent this e-mail to my childhood sweetheart the day I met Belle Burch. “My autobiography is titled ‘Capturing Beauty’ as you know. While talking to you it did not occur to me that this is what I had done. This is the end of  my story, the story of a artist who is overwhelmed with beautiful women.

I first noticed Belle because she looks like you when you were young. She has your energy and ambience. She is in front of the Pepsi truck. Belle notices me, feels my eyes on her. She makes her way over to me. This is the other end of you noticing me before I noticed you. I did not even see you when you offered me that life-saver. The first time I saw you, I was fifty feet away. You were across the street. You came out of the drug store. You were wearing your turquoise dress and black leotards. Your hair is up in a French way. Note how Belle tells me her name is a French name. Note the mole on her neck. Note he smile after she sticks out her tongue. Marilyn, this is you. This is a musical. This may be love at first sight. It is on my part. Do I know for sure? It seems she loves me? She looks for a reason to get my number. She wants me to hear her poem. She wants me to paint her…….the movie ends!”