229 An artist's time
He lived in a simple room, vacant except for the mattress on the floor and the desk in the corner. He was completely and utterly determined to translate his vague ideas onto paper in a way that would personally validate his existence. Until his novel was completely written, he would make no idle utterance, take no vacation, or vacate his apartment but for shopping once a week. All of the other rooms in his head were empty, but the room entitled "Artistic Drive" held a "No Vacancy" sign. It was filled with a special kind of valor about which only the artist knows. To his friends, his family, and all who cared for him, he would have to vanish for quite some time. On this project, his mind was not variable.