THE GOLDEN BATHER

Mel's job commute to Southampton Hospital was too much. There were no local jobs so we left Greenport and went to Poultney, Vt., where Mel's mother lived. Again, no jobs. We flew to El Paso, Tx., to both introduce Mel to my parents and to look for jobs. Success! We returned to Poultney for our stuff, and back to El Paso we went in her VW bug. Mel manned the store, and I started a do-it-yourself frame shop at Greenfield Gallery. We rented an apartment high above the city with views of Mexico. I spread a tarp on the carpet for a studio. Mel posed many hours for “The Golden Bather.”