FloatingSheep in Missoula,

MT

Epilogue

Needless to say, this was not a barrier to the FloatingSheep pursuing his wanton goals.

The FloatingSheep begged me to produce a “true” road picture with him. This is the result. We are traveling weston I-90 towards Hellgate Canyon. I’m not really sure who was in control of the vehicle at this point, and in hindsightit was probably only moderately unsafe. The FloatingSheep was kind of unhappy about my finger obscuring theshot; I told him if he didn’t watch it I would pop that balloon before he could let our one bleep, and that he shouldbe appreciative I was taking the picture, and apparently letting him drive, so yes, I lied when I said I did not know whowas in control…

I have to give credit for this idea to the FloatingSheep, who thought the juxtaposition of my shadow, hisexistence, and the river made for an artistic statement that was only slightly preposterous. Indeed, notice that theFloatingSheep has no discernable shadow – an ontological paradox or a deeper statement about the liminal andspectral quality of the lives we lead?

The FloatingSheep finds himself in a very unfamiliar environment. This entangled encounter with nature left him alittle bit anxious since it carried him outside of his comfort zone. After a few minutes he was begging me to return to the city so that we could open up a nice laptop and map out the frequency and spatial distribution of Google searches for “MILF Tribbing.” I told him that he is a sheep and that such anthropomorphic desires are…unusual…

Here is the FloatingSheep hanging out at the base of the “M” on Mount Sentinel, overlooking UMT’s campusand Missoula. Astute observers will note a helium balloon tied to the floating sheep, which that fucker did not useonce on the way up to give me a hand. He was totally dependent on me, for which he should be properlyashamed, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the picture – he is absolutely glowing, acting like he owns themountain…

And yet here is the FloatingSheep, after having descended the mountain actively proclaiming ownership over it. Hemust have a very short memory or no shame; probably the latter.

The FloatingSheep wanted me to recreate the above WilliamEggleston photograph with him as the protagonist. I had to remindhim that a) he is not three-dimensional; b) lacks the poignant andlost despair of the lonely business traveler; and c) we lacked the anglesin the hotel room to capture it – the bathroom was on the wrong side.Instead, the FloatingSheep had to settle for a reproduction, or atleast an approximation, of this Eggleston photo to the right. Even I haveto say it is just very profound!

What does the FloatingSheep do to fall asleep?