madwoman of willow manor

'Can you believe it?'
'Quite bizarre. Storming into the art gallery like that. Like Ethel Merman in a library.'
'No Bidness Like Art Bidness. But you have to know Tess.'
'I don't want to know her. You're not going to sing are you?'
'No. I do. And I love her madly.'
'She had no right. Madwoman.'
'She had every right.'
'"I put that bullet through the frame," she yells.'
'Well, when someone tries to claim credit for...'
'And to whip out that white spray paint, hurdle the silk rope, and scribble...'
'What else could she do? Imagine your fury if someone took credit for something that belonged to you?'
'But she ruined her painting. Beautiful mirror impression - The Gathering Dust - loved that title.'
'Yes. 2.6 million little dollars making a beeline for the drain. I was next to her. Saw the lines of sorrow in her face.'
The lights go down row by row at the gallery, single white bulbs dangling from silver stems. They stare at an empty hole in the yellow-chafed wall. Closing time.
'That woulda bought a whole mess of new framed mirrors.'
'Or bullets. Madwoman.'