The Lotus-eaters

On Superbowl Sunday, one of the quilt stores in the vicinity had a pretty impressive sale. I was trying to exert some kind of self-control, so when I saw a gorgeous Kaffe Fassett lotus leaf fabric, I told myself sternly that it wouldn't work for any of my current projects, and left the bolt there on the shelf.

I kept thinking about it, though. And as we were standing in line to check out, DH made the mistake of asking if I had gotten everything, or if there was anything else I wanted. I admitted sheepishly (from underneath my great stack of fabric) that that there might still be one more thing. Just then, a woman walked by carrying the lotus fabric. "THAT one!" I blurted out.

The woman glanced over at the exclamation, so I smiled and explained I was considering getting some of the fabric too. Could I have the bolt after she was done getting her piece cut? Well, she cradled the bolt possessively to her, and told me she was buying the whole thing(!) for the back of a queen sized quilt. Alas. I expressed regret that I had missed my chance earlier; but assured her (on a more positive note) that her quilt would be beautiful. She paused, and said reluctantly that she supposed she could let me have some of the fabric if I really needed it. But it was abundantly clear that she really had hoped to take it all home with her. And since I didn't have an actual plan for it, and couldn't really justify making a request without it, I politely declined.

But I couldn't get that fabric out of my head. I saw it around in other colorways, just not in the shades I loved the best. Maybe, I sighed, it would just have to remain another of those missed opportunities, one of the unattainables of which you dream...

Then today we ventured into town to one of our less-frequented quilt shops. And there it was, my beautiful lotus fabric!

I scooped up the bolt and headed straight for the cutting table. As I handed it to the woman who was doing the cutting, another customer craned her neck over and started ogling my fabric. "Oh, that's a beautiful print!" she said, "...How much are you getting?"

And suddenly, I found myself struggling to resist the urge, like the woman at the last shop, to claim that I "needed" the whole rest of the bolt! I am almost sure that I blushed as I pointed out the other colorways in a rather transparent attempt to redirect her attention elsewhere.

Consoling myself for my foolishness later on, I recalled that no less a literary personage than Odysseus spoke of the addictive nature of the lotus, and how it drove all sense and other thoughts from one's head:

"[O]n the tenth day we reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships. When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be.... They started at once, and went about among the Lotus-Eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and ... were for staying and munching lotus with the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their return"
(Book IX, The Odyssey)

Tennyson, speaking in the (collective) voice of Odysseus's sailors, spoke of the lure of the lotus (or lotos) in terms befitting drug addicts.

So, all things considered, methinks my wee addiction to such a delicious lotus fabric may be not entirely without precedent.

Me also thinks that I should restrict use of such a dangerous and addictive fabric to the backing of my own quilt, so as to avoid being accused of being a pusher!