Discussion

But before taking any step he had to discuss the matter with his family. So when they sat down to have dinner that night, he asked for their suggestions. He told them that he was thinking of selling the painting. His wife was happy with his decision because she too never liked the painting so she readily agreed to sell it off.

Decision

After the discussion, Rue started to search for the contact number of the Roadshow so that he could have a brief talk about the painting with the makers of the show. Soon he gathered all the information and contact numbers of the people who were organizing the show. He dialed the number and told them about the painting.

Response

The makers didn’t waste any time and briefed him about the initial procedure for participating in the show and asked him to come to the location. He was happy when he put down his phone and started looking for a way to commute to the roadshow from his home. Would he be able to get a decent amount for the old painting?

Standing Still

While he was doing so, he looked at the painting for the last time before wrapping it inside the box. He found himself motionless, staring at the painting. Though he was no aficionado of art, he was not able to understand why a painter would have painted an average looking man. And why would have anyone bought this painting?

The Painting

The painting depicted a man wearing a loose white linen suit, brown leather sandals along with a wide straw hat. It seemed to him like the man in the portrait gazed back at Rue with a frown- his stern, unsmiling mouth forever poised in almost bitter expression. He never knew about the back story of the painting. Suddenly, Rue had a strange feeling.

Strange Feeling

Something inside him made him touch the painting. He ran his fingers against the rough surface of the painting and felt its uneven surface. He could feel the artist’s brushstrokes distinctly. Rue could make out that the painting was done with oil paint and this made him think about the worth of the painting. He looked at the painting one more time and doubted if it could get him any money. But then he thought at least the frame might fetch a few dollars. Only if he had a little idea about the painting, his statement would have been different.