CHAPTER 48: Artistic Impression

 

"Why do the Landgraabs think this tree is more important than any of the others around here? What mysteries are contained here?" Suzy Kent thought to herself, while she looked at the tree that stood at the end of the road she lived on. The other day she felt this sudden compulsion to sing and dance whenever she was near it and again, looking at it today she could feel something emanating from it that went straight to her soul. This tree was alive in more ways than one.

She shrugged, thinking it all silly that a tree could be somehow mystical or magical. Time was marching on and she had a date....more accurately...a meet up with her new friend, Neil Humphries.

They met up outside the Casbah Gallery. Neil had offered to take Suzy on a personal tour of the place as it was one of his favourite locations in Sim City and Suzy was keen to see the place and spend time with him. She was growing fonder of this shy, sometimes awkward artist who she suspected had hidden depths to him.

"Hello Suzy....you...erm...look great. I like your...ahm...dress" said Neil, awkwardly.

"Thank you, and thank you for inviting me here today; I'm looking forward to it" she said, graciously.

"Well, let me be your guide" he said, breaking into a smile.

"Now this is something I find fascinating..." said Neil, showing Suzy a large canvass showing a pop art scene. "I've not worked on such a canvass as large as this but I'm always impressed by the scale."

"Would you one day want to try something like this?" asked Suzy.

"Maybe...at the moment I prefer painting landscapes and my studio's not that big...it's more a spare room in my apartment at the moment" he chuckled. "I think we should move upstairs and check out the sculptures" he added.

They walked through the gallery, looking at the modern and classical pieces on show. Neil gave commentary along the way but at one point said "I hope I'm not boring you"

"Not at all" Suzy replied, warmly. "Shall we sit and enjoy this gallery for a while?" she added, indicating a couple of soft benches. Neil agreed and they sat down next to each other. Suzy noticed that Neil had shed his gawkiness the longer they chatted.

As they were chatting, a fashionably dressed and heavily made up blonde girl in her late teens approached them.

"Allo" she said in a heavy French accent. "I 'ope I'm not disturbing you but are you ze Suzy Kent from 'Ey Wow' magazine?"

"I am" replied Suzy. "I didn't know I was well known to be recognised"

"Oh for sure" replied the French girl. "I and my friends, we all love your column on ze fashion and ze muzeek. I particularly like your article on Bella Goth...will you be doing more interviews with famous people?"

"Oh yes!" said Suzy, thinking about her expose series. "I'm glad you like my work"

"My name is Michelle and can I send you some of my fashion ideas to you?"

"Of course....address them to the magazine but put 'For Suzy Kent's Attention' on the evelope"

The girl giggled in excitement and said farewell.

"I didn't know I was in the company of someone so famous" joked Neil

"Neither did I" said Suzy.

They walked on, up another level, where they found a music room complete with pianos, violins and guitars. Suzy picked up an acoustic 6 string and began to strum it.

"Do you play?" asked Neil.

"A little" replied Suzy...their eyes met and held their gaze...the first time that had happened today. Suzy checked to see if the guitar was in tune and began to play a song she knew.

"I'm impressed" said Neil.

"I'm still learning really" said Suzy, self-deprecatingly.

They toured the rest of the gallery and then stepped outside to get some food.

"Thank you for agreeing to come down here with me" said Neil.

"It was great; I've had a lovely time" said Suzy. "So...."

"So would you like to meet again sometime soon?" asked Neil.

"I'd love to"

Neil checked his watch. "Dang it, I have to get to work now...let's get together sooner rather than later" he said. As he got up to go, his hand brushed Suzy's accidentally but both felt a little zing of excitement as it happened. He took one last look at her before he left and smiled. Suzy thought Neil had melted and really liked her, but couldn't put his feelings into words yet. Patience is the key here, she thought.

As Neil headed off, Suzy wasn't alone for long as Bakko Jang came along to say hello.

"Well hello there Suzy" said Bakko. "Was that the artist cat we met at the Romance Festival not that long ago?"

"It sure is" she replied.

"Now look at you, Miss Kent...the last time we spoke you said you couldn't find a nice guy to go out with and yet here you are" he said, teasing her.

"Yes, here I am" she sighed. "I like him"

"Good for you...I told you to have some faith" said Bakko

As the sun was setting, Suzy now felt her personal life had taken a turn for the better.