Мгла
The First Night.
AmanfromCaliforniawhowasatopexecinsomecompanythatmakestennisballsandracketsandwhoknowswhatothersportsequipmentseemedtowantthatpictureverybadly,andwouldnottakenoforananswerinspiteoftheNFScardtuckedintothebottomleft-handcornerofthesparewoodenframe.Hebeganatsixhundreddollarsandworkedhiswayuptofourthousand.Hesaidhewanteditforhisstudy.Iwouldnotlethimhaveit,andhewentawaysorelypuzzled.Evenso,hedidn’tgiveup;helefthiscardincaseIchangedmymind.
Icouldhaveusedthemoney-thatwastheyearweputtheadditiononthehouseandboughtthefour-wheeldrive-butIjustcouldn’tsellit.Icouldn’tsellitbecauseIfeltitwasthebestpaintingIhadeverdoneandIwantedittolookataftersomeonewouldaskme,withtotallyunconsciouscruelty,whenIwasgoingtodosomethingserious.
ThenIhappenedtoshowittoOllieWeeksonedaylastfall.Heaskedmeifhecouldphotographitandrunitasanadoneweek,andthatwastheendofmyownfalseperspective.Olliehadrecognizedmypaintingforwhatitwas,andbydoingso,heforcedmetorecognizeit,too.Aperfectlygoodpieceofslickcommercialart.Nomore.And,thankGod,noless.
Ilethimdoit,andthenIcalledtheexecathishomeinSanLuisObispoandtoldhimhecouldhavethepaintingfortwenty-fivehundredifhestillwantedit.Hedid,andIshippeditUPStothecoast.
