Nothing in life is free. . .

There's often truth behind the saying, "Nothing in life is free," but not on Friday nights at the American Folk Art Museum!

A dramatization:

Scene - Friday evening, 5:15 p.m., 34th Floor of a midtown Manhattan office building

Characters - Erik and his office-mate, who we'll call "Luke," because his name is Luke

Script -

Luke: What are you doing tonight?

Erik: I dunno, it's Friday night, it's raining, and it's cold, so I'll probably go home.

Luke: Do you want to go to Free Music Friday at the American Folk Art Museum?

Erik: There's an American Folk Art Museum?

Luke: You bet there is, and they have free admission, free snacks, free live music, and cheap beer on Friday nights.

Erik: Gee willikers, that sounds swell, let's go!

So, that's how Erik ended up at the Dargerism* exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum on a Friday night, where they did in fact have free snacks and live music, as well as $2 PBRs. (That's Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, for those of you who don't drink such swill.) And, afterwards, it was still raining and cold, and he still had to get home.

*"Dargerism" is an artistic trend named for Henry Darger, an untrained 20th Century American artist, who continues to hold significant influence on many "trained" artists. He was also kind of a nut, for what it's worth.