Would you save the cat or the painting?

Writing Club 

June 18, 2013 

Exercise #2

 Prompt:   Would you save the cat or the painting?  

I didn't write down the entire prompt at the meeting of our club, but the gist of it is you're in an art gallery and it's on fire.  In the room, there is an expensive painting and a cat.  Would you save the cat or the painting?

       My first thought is for poor Fluffy, if I had move on snap decision.  I would save the cat from the inferno.  That is, unless poor fluffy decided to unfurl his claws.  A canvas doesn’t fight back, you know.  If I have to struggle to hold the fur ball then I would let go likely.  No, not really.  But in most instances, you have two minutes.  Two minutes to contain a petrified petite tiger or lift a rather large bulky painting from its hook.  Who knows what the frame weighs?  Two minutes to decide whether to become the kind pauper or remain wealthy, although guilty of cat roasting.  If I came from a place where cats are on the menu, I might say yum! 

            To further complicate the conundrum, would the painting survive the heat?  Oils are flammable, are they not?  If it came down to mere seconds, and the flames were rising do I want to be holding tightly to an accelerant?  I had better hope it’s insured.  If it’s insured, then the all the art lovers better hope they have good photographs, because old fluffy’s still breathing and purring as we watch Old Rembrandt’s stuffy portrait get licked clean.  Burn baby burn and hand me my cheque when it’s done. 

            No, not really, I admit I am an art lover and an artist but I do not worship at the feet of the well-known simply because I am told I should.  Da Vinci is not my god and I haven’t pulled out my magnifying glass on a quest of any code.  I will say his drawings are lovely for their contrast and simplicity.  There are many more Rembrandts in the world.  I wouldn’t risk my hide for one.  He was quite proud of himself in his time as far as I remember, placing himself in many of his commissions. 

            And if the painting isn’t mine, then that’s another angle.  Long live fluffy!  Hopefully you don’t die of smoke inhalation.