The creep just didn’t understand. No sense of art whatsoever. He just wanted to ogle the girls. Surprised that he didn’t force one into a closet or something. She couldn’t believe the man, more hands than a tank of octopi.

Lydia sat back and fumed. Out came a cigarette and soon she joined smoke from her mouth to the steam pouring out of her ears. She reached back to her lessons and went through the steps to calm herself.

After a short time in her happy place she was ready to think straight. Ok, so this pitch had failed. Well, he hadn’t given a definite ‘no’ but he would if she pushed him. You’d think if anyone would be on her side, it would be such a devoted lover of beauty.

Even in his official capacity as Mayor he didn’t see the big picture. One of the things that made New York special was it’s ability to always offer new and wonderful things. With his help, they could have added one more beautiful thing.

Really, was her proposal that absurd? One little corner of Central Park, that’s all she needed. They could put the Temple there and everyone would be able to visit it. The people of the city could have made it a daily landmark. It would become the absolute holiest place on the fashion circuit. She could list three different former models that would kill to broadcast on remote from it’s steps.

She leaned back and gave an extra long puff of smoke. If that fool couldn’t help her, she’d have to go to plan B. Not that she would have to change her plans too much. It was almost literally across the street from the park. The spot was expensive but the location really was prime.

She buzzed the driver and told him the address. She should go and look at it one more time. This time at night. Years of publishing had taught her that you never really knew a location until you saw it from all different angles and lights. Maybe some flaw would pop up at night that was hidden during the day.

While the car made it’s way through traffic she picked up the portfolios and started leafing through the design options. Lydia had toyed with the idea of using this design to create some kind of open contest. She still could picture the final eleven contestants, all eager. Each one being voted off until only the best was left. The ratings would have been phenomenal. Well, it was still an option if nothing here caught her eye.

Let’s see. No, too Gothic. Too plain. No, this wouldn’t do at all. Didn’t they know that nothing looks dated faster than something contemporary. What she really wanted was something that was both timeless and alien. She wanted to shock people with something extraordinary. She also wanted something that looked classic from the first day.

Perhaps the designers had been too confused with the word ‘Temple’. True, it would be a place of worship but it was also important that it wasn’t mistaken for some mega church or something like that. That was very important.

Wait. That was arresting. There was a picture of a low dome with a very high central spire. The artist had it designed with gold all over it. At each corner was a small tower, possibly a minaret. There was an imagining of the inside. Marble of course, with room for statuary. On the walls would be paintings from ages past. The ceiling looked vaguely like the one at that church in Italy. You know, the one with the two guys reaching for each other?

This might be exactly what she needed. It was truly different than anything else that she’d seen in New York. Arresting. Maybe even breathtaking. Those were the words she wanted to keep in mind. Lydia decided to have some of her design friends look at it and see what they thought.

The car slowly made it’s way past the park. She leaned forward to try and catch the spot with her eye. Every approach was important. She needed to know if there was some small thing, anything at all, that would ruin the view. The car continued forward. Everything looked fine so far. It was the best news she’d had all day. Well, second best after this wonderful design.

In her mind, it was already there. She could picture the spotlights on the gold. It would glitter and gleam every night. Lydia wondered if maybe it would help those miscreants she always heard about in the park. Maybe this would convince some of them to improve their lives. Of course it would. Was there any limit to what true beauty could do?