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It had been long day off from the tour, and they had seen so many pieces of great art and walked so many miles that Dan and Phil had skipped dinner with the crew and headed back to the bus to rest. Wordlessly, they crawled into their respective bunks and fell right to sleep.
Four hours later, Dan awoke to a vibration from his phone.
BZZ
Dammit, he thought, I forgot to set it to ‘Do Not Disturb’.
He reached down to his hip and picked up the phone. He squinted against the light, and made out that it was a text from Phil. All was silent from the bunk below him.
Earlier that day, at lunch, they had reviewed the pictures on their phones. Phil had, as usual, taken tons of photographs of Dan in profile and from behind, always surrounded by amazing art or dramatic scenery. Dan had taken plenty of posed photos of Phil, and they had also turned out great. With Dan’s encouragement, Phil had really come out of his shell and allowed his real smile and personality to come through.
Dan pressed the iMessage icon and opened the app. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes with his right hand to help them focus.
This is what he read:
I took your picture by the statue of David
I saw perfection in line and curve
In structure and in form
I saw emotion in stillness
And power in vulnerability
Dan saw three dots that indicated that Phil was still typing. He yawned silently and stared at the phone, waiting.
Finally, several minutes later, the next part of the message came through.
BZZ
I realized, then, in that moment, what perfection was
That perfection comes when we realize that there are no flaws
—that every bit of sinew has a purpose and a structure and a meaning.
…
Phil had spent over half an hour staring at Michelangelo’s David, but Dan had not realized how fascinated Phil obviously was with the masterpiece. This type of prose from Phil was very rare, and Dan rested his right arm behind his head awaiting the next lines.
BZZ
I saw a depth in those eyes—those betrayers of emotion—
And in them, I found comfort
I found the sense of belonging
I found home
…
Dan grinned. He loved this side of Phil. He loved seeing his more serious, introspective, and emotional side. He loved watching his brain work. He wondered if there was a miniature statue of David at the gift shop that he could sneak away and get for Phil tomorrow before they left.
BZZ
In the silence, so much was spoken
In the moment, an infinity passed
In the precision, I found no boundaries
…
Dan closed his eyes and pictured the great marbled statue: muscular, but not overly so; hands detailed down to the veins; weight slightly shifted to the right leg; left arm curved at the elbow. It truly was a masterpiece of proportion and detail.
BZZ
Dan opened his eyes.
I saw your pain and your intellect
I saw your heart and your mind
Dan’s eyes opened wide.
…
BZZ
And in the shadow of the David beside you,
I found what the world said I could not find.
Dan realized he was not breathing.
…
BZZ
I love you, Dan.
Wake me in the morning when you get this.
Dan realized he needed to blink, and when he did, tears fell out of his eyes and onto his cheeks. He wiped them away, then reached down and into Phil’s bunk. He felt Phil’s hand take his. He squeezed it softly, and Phil’s warm hand squeezed back.
Dan found he had no words. He had nothing to type and nothing to say. But he felt drawn to Phil as never before. He quietly lowered himself down to the floor and climbed into Phil’s bunk. He lay on his side and took Phil into his arms. As he gazed into his lover’s eyes, he saw in Phil exactly what Phil had so sweetly written about him.
He saw perfection.
And that is when he knew for certain.