Art of Love

Chapter 3

“You see, I’m a psychiatrist. I understood a little while earlier what your motives are even from the beginning of our meeting. You’re a good kid. Your modest stature shows no vile or any mischief.”

            Besides the good kid part, I had no idea what he said.

            “Uh…Thanks?”

            He laughed again.

            “Okay I’ll rephrase that for you. I am a doctor. And I know that you’re a nice little girl who won’t be any trouble for me.”

            There! Now that’s completely understandable!

            I smiled. “Now that’s better.”

            “Well have you ever heard of that institution you are going to?”  The doctor asked me.

            “Not really. No I haven’t. Why? Is it important to know?”

            “Well duh it is!” The doctor’s youthful spirit was starting to emerge.

            “Well then what is it?”

            “The best world-renown fine arts school here in our country. It adopts all races of people who would like to learn art and embraces up-to-date cultures in modern art. A lot of graduates there become great artists and I’ve heard they easily get a job in any big time studios like Universal, o-or DreamWorks, Pixar, and oh many more!”

            “Oh. Really? That sounds exciting. That must be…” My mind was wandering but then my mouth uttered something I shouldn’t have said. “…very, very expensive…” Realizing what I just said, and being afraid to be embarrassed, I sought for an excuse…

“I-I mean very-uh…Very...E-exclusive…”

            “Oh-Kay?” He laughed. That was what made me feel worse. “You’re not uh- financially stable are you?” He asked out of the blue.

            “Well, yeah. How’d you guess that?”

            “Well what can I say, I can read minds.”

            “What? No way! You’re lying.”

            “Yeah you’re right; I’m just a plain psychologist. That might be the reason.” He smiled. At that certain age and with that certain brain, I really couldn’t understand how those two different ideas would connect. In short they made no sense to me at all.

            While chatting with this new found friend of mine, the car came to slow down. My back was facing the window when I asked him where the school caused me not to see it.

            “Where is it then?” I asked.

            “…right behind you.” He said looking right behind me.

            A glimpse of the place and I was shocked. Glancing at the outdoor features of this school my heart skipped in excitement. It wasn’t like the other institutions we have been to. This was special. A sort of spark came to me.

            I subconsciously opened the car’s door and walked barefoot on the grass. There was a park there. Two benches lay adjacent to each other with a bird bath behind one. The murals were amazing. The scenery portrayed there was that of a mountain seen from a distance.

            Blam! The car door slammed.

            “Good luck!” The doctor said.

            “Wait. Don’t go yet!” I exclaimed.

            “Oh right!” He said.

            My boots were thrown out of the car window.

            “Now where was I? Oh right! Gotta go!”He drove away.

            “Wait. Wait. Wait!!” Seeing that running after it would be useless, I stopped. Sigh. “What was his problem with this school? It looks great though.” Turning back again to the school I slowly walked to the gate taking my boots off the ground.

            A tall vertically railed gate with golden spheres at each pole stood firm as if trying to say, “NO INTRUDERS!” A guardhouse was just at the side. Thinking about what to do—either asking nicely or going through without being noticed; I stayed at a distance looking at the signs posted on the steel bars. About a few were there. Most of them were beware signs.

            “I can’t believe there’s no welcome sign,” I thought to myself.

            Coming to a decision, I went to the guardhouse window. Seeing the guard, he looked tall, serious, and not to mention scary. Holding his chin and stroking his mustache, he noticed me.

            “C-can I please come in?” My voice shivered in fear of the possible outcomes. What if I don’t get in? But behind that clearly fake smile I had my fingers crossed.

            “Sorry little girl but my job is to keep people out of here.”

            “By ‘people’ you don’t really mean a little girl right?” Hoping my statement might give him an eye of sympathy.

            “Uh...”

            What rotten statement! Can he not think it over? I’m just a little girl. Eleven! For heaven’s sake! Please-oh-please-oh-please let me in.

            He picked up the phone. Someone picked their end of the line. After exchanging words with the man on the line he put it down.

            “Well…This is a very important job for me and I can’t just disobey my boss so…. I just called the city police. They’ll soon come and pick you up. Meanwhile you can just sit there.” He told me.

            Bummer! Now what? I sit on the benches waiting till birds think I am a figurine pair to the birdbath? No way!

            I played with my ball, the one I bought from a street vendor at the early stage of the trip, to pass the time. The cops must be busy right now because nobody has come yet after waiting a long time. What could’ve happened? Not being aware of the current updates about the trip I was abandoned in, a traffic jam unabled the flow of cars by the street just by the city gate which, for their misfortune, the school bus was caught in.

            Later on my ball bounced to a tight place. I snuck myself in order to retrieve it. When I stood up again with the ball in my hand I overheard a conversation. Hiding behind the bushes I came closer to the guardhouse making sure I was not seen. A new guard was coming in duty. What an enormous round belly he has. I almost laughed aloud. Hmm…Seems like the tough guard is on his way home. A great surprise came to me when the bearded guard pointed out to me. Oh no, was my cover blown? Good enough that they didn’t spot me. They assumed I had left already making this moment a perfect way to sneak in.

            Immediately after the first guard left I ran to the gate. Going through the people’s gate, relief came to me. But when I passed through, I stopped at the sight of a great big dog crying out GRRRR. I ran back to the gate as fast as I could, leaving me gasping for breath.

            Oh my god! That was close! Real close! Now I know why there are no welcome signs in here. Sitting on the grass, there I saw what I should have seen before. A sign saying “Beware of Dogs”!