Chagall, The Stroll, Musée National, Nice, France

"Have you ever been transfixed by a painting until it told you--?"

"A truth about myself? Many times," Maxime said.

"Think of one."

After a reflective moment, he said, "Now that you bring Chagall to mind, I remember a Chagall painting of two standing figures, full frame. The woman was upside down, and one of the man's legs was wrapped around her to steady her, while his arms enclosed her legs and the hem of her skirt. They were intertwined. Their lives were intertwined." He paused. "They needed each other for support."

His questioning eyes asked if I had grasped what had landed so softly, so artlessly in our laps. Neither of us moved so much as a little finger in order to prolong the moment.