’’The angry bear swallowed a bee.’’ Jim had written this phrase in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and taped it to the wall just in front of him so that he could contemplate it as he sketched.

The drawing needed to be kid cute but also adult funny. It needed to be big and bold, bright and cheery, and attention getting.

As gifts go, it would not cost him much other than his time and effort, but his goal was to provide something unique and one of a kind. The gift needed to be just as special as the one it was intended for.

As Jim sat and thought about the promise that he had made to deliver this specific special gift he bemoaned the blank sketch pad before him. Why now of all times did a case of artist’s block have to strike?