Dreamer
Kirti entered the museum, as this was her last day in Paris. She wants to get the most fulfilment and creative urge satisfied from this trip. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her.
Kirti was an art student who got a scholarship and won a ten-day trip to Paris for a future project in ancient art forms. The gallery is her last destination and a chance to dwell on famous paintings.
Kirti got mesmerized by all the divine work around her. She got lost in her dream world and saw herself creating and working beside such great painters.
She was standing on the seashore. The early morning sunshine was peeping from the sky. The color of the sky looks so mystic and full of brightness and hope. The sea breeze was flowing from east to west. A calmness was there in her surroundings. Kirti was busy with her aisle and brushes.
She was so engrossed in her world that she lost all sense of time. A massive appreciation from behind woke Kirti from her deep thoughts. As she turned, she saw an elderly couple and joggers admiring her work.
They complimented Kirti on her painting. She thanked them for their admiration. The elderly gentleman asked Kirti, “If her picture is for sale, he wants to buy it. It is our wedding Anniversary in two days, and my wife loves painting. I saw a gleam in her eyes when she looked at your art. Your work had great chasms, dearie; never stop painting.”
Kirti stared at her work with bright eyes. She painted an ancient Roman lady with her hands outstretched with a bowl filled with some medicinal liquid. The glow and halo on her face resembles, ‘Mother Mary.’ It seems she was offering some divine offerings to humans.
The man speaks again, “If you decide to sell, here is my card, and he names a price that was beyond Kirti’s comprehension.” Kirti thanked the man and said, “I will let you know by evening.”
Kirti could not believe, for an amateur painter like her, the price that man was offering was too high. She pinched herself to wake up from her trans. She again gazed at her painting with new eyes and felt the woman smile and wink at her.
Kirti stood there and pinched herself. She thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Before it flinched, hallucinating anymore, she collected her things and returned to her room. Kirti could not control her enthusiasm, and time was moving at a snail’s pace.
Around 5 PM, she dialed William’s number. He greeted Kirti and asked her, “If she could frame the painting and personally deliver it the day after tomorrow and join him as his guest at the party. I will send you the location of the venue. Kirti agreed and asked him for his specifications regarding the frame.
Kirti got dressed in her favorite black knee-length dress with matching silhouettes. On reaching the venue, William and his wife greeted Kirti. William gifted his wife, the portrayal made by Kirti. Everybody complimented Kirti on the exceptional artwork. Many guests inquired about Kirti’s work and offered her commission for preparing some creative pieces for them.
Kirti was floating on cloud nine garnering praise for her work. She was sipping wine from her glass and admiring the view from the rooftop when somebody tapped on her shoulder. She saw the Roman woman from her painting standing next to her. She said, “Kirti enjoying the limelight. You got the taste of success and how the rich live their life." Time to say goodbye and head back. The cloud Kirti was floating on burst with a bang.
Get up, sleepy head wake-up. A loud voice was yelling in the background. Radha poured a jug of water on Kirti. She woke up screaming not again; You doze kerosene on my dreams again, Radha. I moved into high society and got recognized as a painter.
Come down from your high horse, Supriya madam had already asked about you three times. Get ready for the show, acknowledge your real self.
Kirti got dressed into her uniform with a heavy heart. Supriya scolded Kirti "You are late again, when will you report on your duty on time.”
With a duster in hand, Kirti started walking towards the studio. Kirti stared at the painting of the Roman lady with the bowl and the Roman lady in picture just winked, smiled.
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