“Drag”
11 x 17.5, Oil on Panel
Lisa Rae Winant
Used by permission of the Arist
Moe looks lost while she walks alone in the dismal field. The sounds of Mother Nature moaning in discomfort, causes the harsh winds to swirl around franticly. A storm is coming somewhere in the near future, but its arrival is unknown.
Living in her sixties, Moe is sick and tired of the gray clouds forecasted above her. No one can relate to her agony…being diagnosed with breast cancer again was unimaginable to her. Enduring radiation and chemotherapy for the third time was not something she had planned on doing.
She truly wishes to refuse treatment. Moe can’t help but think, “But what would my family say?”
It’s the middle of November, which means fall is ending with winter arriving in no time. The surrounding scenery captures what words could never explain. The trees look weak from the dry and frigid nights that have gone by. Nearly all color is drawn from the leaves. A select few remain dangling from branches, refusing to let go of the past. The skies begin to darken…
Moe takes in a deep, long drag of nicotine; she can feel the cigarette smoke tickling her lungs. It seems to bother everyone…except herself.
Moe’s family is shocked and concerned with her actions; constantly trying to comprehend why she picked up her smoking habit again. Her son Jack asks, “Mom, don’t you know you’re hurting your chances of survival? While her daughter Jane states, “How could you be so selfish?” Moe had been smoke-free for nearly twenty years, but she wishes to enjoy things that make her happy.
Moe thinks to herself, “Whether I like it or not, I’ll be gone sometime soon and that cigarette tastes better than chocolate.” She knows her family will never truly understand.
That evening was quiet. Perhaps everyone felt full from the Thanksgiving feast they just shared together or maybe nobody knew what to say. Cancer is never easy, especially with winter just around the corner.
