Linda was telling me about her depression

I asked, “Are you feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

She replied, “No question”

As she stared at the wall

And, “Didn’t think you’d notice”

I’d jogged past her house and seen that it was only half painted 

She wore the same clothes as on Tuesday 

She sighed and said, “It’s the state of the world”

“It’s my straight hair that’s gone curled

It’s the fact that Robert Redford has gone away”

She told me about his movies, especially This Property is Condemned

Said ruefully, “I was supposed to marry him”

I said, “Yeah, like me and my best friend thought one of us had a shot with Ashton Kutcher

We went to the theaters five times to watch The Guardian

Watching him was our idea of partyin’”

Linda stared at the wall like it was a movie 

She said, “Nothing now can move me”

She saw my wedding band and said, “Who did you marry?”

I told her someone more handsome than all the actors 

Someone I’d met at church 

And she asked how I handle all the detractors 

I reached into my pocket but didn’t pull out a stethoscope 

I pulled out a little paint kit 

I put a brush in her hand with a tube of paint

To try to stir some hope 

She stood and walked to the white wall 

I told her she hadn’t lost all 

She began to spread color 

A mural of her favorite actor 

She smiled a little 

The next week, my best friend was in town 

She’s single in her late 30s and it gets her down

So I arranged some paint outside Linda’s house 

And brought my best friend out 

Along with an old school film projector 

That night there was a paint party and a movie show

What was happening, no one else could know

But it made the two ladies feel better 

And some neighbors came out to paint and watch Robert Redford and Ashton Kutcher 

An interesting find for onlookers 

Maybe just some conversation and some rumination

With a human who feels the same 

Along with some colorful paint 

Was all it took to wash the depression away

And to the party me and my husband also came