Saturday, September 5, 2009

Just as I started drawing a rosebush in a nearby garden this morning, a woman peeked her head into the gate in the stone wall near me and said, enthusiastically, "Hi!"

It seemed as if she mistook me for someone else because she startled when I raised my face from my drawing and said, "Hi" back to her. I thought she'd recover from her start by commenting on the weather, or noticing the flowers I drew, or saying, "Oh, I thought you were someone else."

But instead, the woman jumped when I said hello and then she scurried away.

I didn't think much about the encounter until lunchtime when a friend of mine and I chatted about our mornings. I sort of ran out of things to say and came up with the story of how I startled the woman with my "hi!".

"She said hi and then jumped away when you said hi?" my friend asked. I was surprised at the interest. Usually my stories aren't so good that early in the day.

"Yes, she was friendly one instant and timid the next. I felt bad for giving her a scare," I said.

"What did she look like?"

"She was wearing a jogging suit, about medium build. She was walking a dog."

"What was her hair like?" my friend asked, and I described her hair. Her hair was a bit unusual in my neighborhood.

"That same woman said hi to me, just now!" my friend said. "On my way here, a woman said hi to me in a super friendly way. It took me off-guard because I didn't recognize her, but she seemed to recognize me. She was exactly as you described."

"The same hair?"

"Exactly."

"Did she have a dog?" I asked.

"I don't know," my friend said, "she ducked behind a car as soon as I said hello to her."

"She ducked behind a car?"

"I thought I scared her."

"Hmmm," I said.

"Yeah," my friend said, "Hmmm."

No time for color sketches today. Contour drawing in number 2 pencil on bristol board.

6 comments:

  1. Funny story : ) ! Are you going to color the drawing? Your desert wood below looks gorgeous - and I love the passion flower a lot, too.

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  2. Haha. Aww poor lady. Strange that she did the same thing twice. Maybe she did it to others too.

    Sorry, I haven't had the chance to drop by this week, it's been so busy as you know. I've not got a moment to breathe. I've been painting all day today, and will be tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day...lol. I'm reading through all of your blogs now. Busy busy busy.

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  3. kazumiwannabe: I think I will go back and draw the plant again, but I'm not going to color this particular drawing.

    Heather: I know you're busy! Stop by when you can, and I'll be watching your schoolwork when you post it.

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  4. That's add that it happened to both you and your friend. Hmmm... maybe you were 'being punked!' lol. Great drawings.

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  5. There is always (for me) an element of wonder with your stories...I like that about them.

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  6. There you go again, doing that wonderful story-telling with your visual art. Annie said it... your stories and art both charm.

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