Patty and Elena haven’t seen each other in 5 years and the two girls are sitting in Elena’s family room sipping tea and eating pignoli cookies.
“It is so good to finally get together with you.” says Patty.
“I appreciate you taking the time to visit with me,” responds Elena.
“The last I heard you and Sal were planning to adopt a child.”
Sal and Elena were in the process of adopting a baby boy from the Social Services of Gaspe, Canada prior to Sal’s diagnosis of cancer. He had surgery and the surgeon suggested they hold off the adoption until after Sal’s healing took place.
Patty turns awkwardly away from Elena and notices a painting on the wall, and exclaims,
“What a unique seascape – waves coming in from the ocean pounding against dark-brown rocks surrounded by warm orange and yellow tones of a sunset. I could look at this scene for a long time.” Patty whispers. “I am drawn into the picture.”
“Sal painted this picture about 8 months after we were married,” Elena proudly states and continues, “We had a rental car and a Canadian couple we met in Montego Bay, Jamaica West Indies were going to Ocho Rios. Sal suggested we drive them to Ocho Rios giving us the opportunity to see another part of the island.”
“Sal always worked intently on his craft. On our return trip, we chose the shoreline from Ocho Rios back to Montego Bay. Suddenly, Sal pointed to a scene that grabbed his interest – strong waves hitting against a rise of rocks. He pointed to the rocks, stopped the car, grabbed his camera and captured the scene in a black and white photograph. He later combined the photograph of the rocks and the memory of a beautiful sunset he had seen driving home from work. He tried to describe in words where the sun melted into the horizon as it cast an orange and yellow tone throughout the horizon. However, in this case, a picture is worth a thousand words.”
“And Sal was an accountant, if I remember correctly. However, I didn’t know Sal was a passionate artist.”
The girls continue to sip their tea in silence both in their own thoughts. Elena was reminiscing when Patty and she were eight years old, giggling and pushing their dollies in their carriages to the grocery store. Time and circumstances had drawn them apart.
Abruptly, Elena rises and motions for Patty to follow her, “I think you would appreciate looking at another of Sal’s paintings. It is in the dining room.”
Patty, again, is engaged in another of Sal’s paintings. “The fruits look so real!”
“This painting is special to me!
“Why is that?”
“At the time we were living in a small apartment and Sal had his easel set on top of the washing machine in our kitchen. I would be across from him sitting at the kitchen table reading a book. Occasionally, he would ask my opinion. Such as, “Does this apple look real?” Or, “do you think I need more purple in the grapes? This still life, of fruit and wine, he specifically painted to give to my parents. He so loved to share his talent and joy he received from his work of art.”
“How is it you have it at your home?” asks Patty.
“My parents returned it to me when they chose to go into an assisted living residence.
Patty, never having met Sal in person, states, “Most artists like to be left alone when the muse hits them. In Sal’s case, he drew you into his work of art.”
“Sal’s uniqueness is what made our relationship so special.”
“Come with me into my creative room, I want to show you another of Sal’s paintings.”
“But of course!” Patty, who is enjoying the tour of positive memories, follows Elena.”
“We had rented a cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee New Hampshire. The cottage was located on the shoreline perfect for Sal to position his easel. One particular morning three young children, from a cottage nearby, watched as Sal set up his easel to paint. They were mesmerized as he started to make strokes on the canvas. They climbed onto a picnic table and laid there silently watching him for hours.
“Oh! Elena, I have visited Lake Winnipesaukee. This painting reminds me of the good times there. The White Mountains, the rocks in the foreground leading to the water and to the left is the white bark of a birch tree with a hint of green leaves showing at the top. The light blue sky with billowy white clouds offset the two sailboats in the distant water.”
Returning to the living room, Patty shakes her head in amazement.
“What is it?” asks Elena.
“I didn’t know how our visit would go today.”
“And?” queries Elena
“Knowing how bad you wanted to have children and the sudden death of your husband, I didn’t know what to think.”
“Do you have good or bad thoughts?”
“Oh, Elena, I can feel Sal’s presence here. You are surrounded by his essence. And you amaze me! I see in you an acceptance of your circumstances. I see in you joy in reliving special moments of your life with Sal.”
“These cherished memories conceive in me an enthusiasm to live life to the fullest. It is the gift Sal has given to me through his paintings. And to realize other people can recognize and appreciate a love of life seen through Sal’s perception of life that surrounds all of us.”
Becoming Writer 2016 Anniversary Contest 