Painting is the step right after the contractors have finished mudding and taping the drywall, and it is best if the walls are bone-dry. A deliberate decision must be made to paint a wall oneself, weighing the options between spraying the room and rolling the layers on, one by one.

First, one must gather the correct and necessary tools: gallons of primer and paint, plenty of roller sponges, an extender rod, paint trays, drop-cloths and brown paper, angled brushes and, of course, Frog Tape. A partner must be enlisted to help with the initial priming of the thirsty walls, since it is an overwhelming task to roll primer by hand. The tape somehow is missing from the pile of collected tools, and the wall plates need to be taken down, but this does not deter from the project at hand. The coat of primer is uneven, covering the walls and ceiling enough, but the mud still shines through. The room sits empty for a month, housing tools and rags and a wet-dry vacuum, waiting for the white painting to begin.

Another partner is drawn into the project, and an afternoon is spent laying down the first coat of paint. It is long and hard work, and memories of painting other places come to the surface. The echo of the paint rollers fill the room. It is blinding to paint a gray wall white. It is a healing process.

The first coat is completed, and the walls need to dry. The rollers are wrapped in plastic for another day. This time, the second coat is easier and does not need a partner. The painter is psychologically whole.