When Arthur called, I was almost ready. I finished tint my lips and took one of the folders in the drawers of my desk to put in it yesterday’s sheets, printed on work, and my sketches that I promised to show Arthur. Then I quickly put on my raincoat and shoes, went out, closed the apartment and went down to the yard. In fact, the new job was close, I could walk there, and not ride, but in this weather, I was glad to get in the car.
Arthur got out of the car towards me, and I instinctively ran into his arms. He became the very close, dear person for me for just a couple of days.
“Good morning, I’ve missed you,” Arthur hugged and kissed me.
“Hi! I’ve missed you too,” I clung to him and felt the pounding of his heart.
Time seemed to have stopped. I closed my eyes and disappeared in a wave of warmth and love that enveloped us both, and woke up only when heard the voice of Arthur,
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, of course.”
At work, Irina already sat behind the reception office. Maxim and the two boys were in the mini kitchen; her door was wide open. We said Hello Irina and went in the office of Arthur.
I put my folder on the table, and then took off my raincoat; Arthur hung it in the wardrobe.
“You promised to show me your drawings today.”
“I took them, as promised. You can see,” finding the folder I gave the sketches to Arthur.
“Wow, you portrayed us! We are very similar to ourselves here. I haven’t even seen Irina with glasses; now she will buy the same glasses for sure. You noticed how to work in a pair Yegor and Mironov. Usually what happens: Yegor holds everything, and Vasily determines the installation point according to the drawing and puts a mark there. And Max’s favorite position is to sit on the desk chair in the office, holding hands behind the head. How did you know, if you’ve never seen him like this? And I love going through the rooms with a cup of coffee.”
I devoured every word of Arthur. When I give someone to look at my work, I worry every time. And yet I observe how a person watches, what he says.
It is important to be able to feel another person to capture its image not only with the eyes but with the heart. When I was able to feel another person, I can draw it. I don’t think about how I’ll draw someone. I’m just starting to draw, and the image of the man himself evolves and begins to manifest itself on paper, canvas. The images of each of you appeared as you see. I wonder what else Irina and others will say about these sketches. Did I be able to catch their images?
“In the morning we usually meet in the kitchenette. All employees gather there; everyone is drinking coffee or tea, and at the same time, we discuss what we have done and not done, make a schedule of work for today. Let’s go to all, and show drawings, you not against?” Arthur offered.
We went to the kitchenette.
“Hi!” Arthur said when we came in.
“Good morning,” I smiled.
“Hello! Hi!” everybody greeted us.
“Coffee-tea – join us,” Maxim gladly was drinking coffee from his cup.
Indeed, all gathered here, except the Vasily and Yegor, who still worked outside of the city.
“We discussed something here; I’ll say you later in my office. Tell us, how are you doing? Alexandra, how was your first day of work went?”
“She portrayed us,” Arthur answered for me.
“This is something new on the firm. Can I see pictures?” Maxim asked in surprise.
I handed him the drawings.
“You just look at our Irene – no one can even come close to her if she wears these glasses,” Maxim gave the drawing Irina.
The others quickly crowded around Irina; they wanted to see, too.
“Folks, I want these glasses. I’ll wear them, and you will unquestioningly obey me,” threatened Irina.
“In the picture, you are very similar yourself, but you seem very strict on it,” replied the collective.
“Irina, we love you. You can pretend to be arbitrarily strict, but we know that you are good,” said Armen Georgievich; he was the eldest of us. I already knew that he is engaged in supply issues.
Irina smiled, and beautiful dimples appeared on her cheeks. She replied Armen Georgievich,
“You are a wise sparrow who knows life, Armen Georgievich. No one can cheat you.”
“Why does the sparrow take the above – I’m an eagle,” said Armen Georgievich. He tried to pretend to be the eagle and thrust out chest. His belly still left more than his chest, and it looked funny. We all laughed, and Armen Georgievich, too.
The other two drawing went hand.
“View at least, what the Vasily and Yegorka are doing; we haven’t seen them for about a month,” gathered said about the drawings of the manor. “Wow, here is a great mansion. And who only builds such mansions….”
“You caught to the point our leaders – they are always looking for something new. And Maxim Vitalyevich loves to sit in his chair, holding hands behind the head.”
“And I like to walk with a cup of coffee at the office,” Arthur has joined the conversation.
“It’s true,” confirmed Irina. “Alexandra, can I show at home how are you have portrayed me?”
I looked at Arthur and realized that to decide me.
“Of course, Irina,” I said to her.
“Sasha, what can I do to have you paint my portrait?” Armen Georgievich immediately asked.
“Nothing specifically, Armen Georgievich. I’ll be watching you and the others whom I haven’t painted yet. If you want, I can portray each,” I replied.
“Of course we want,” the others said me.
“No one has still ‘joined’ so in our company. Well done, Alexandra,” Maxim said. “Well, friends, lifted spirits, now for work.”
All began to disperse. Arthur and I returned to his office.
“Take my laptop. What’s in it, you know,” Arthur unfolded to me the laptop. “Turn it on; I’ll show you the password. Now I have to go to Max; you are left to work alone. You can work with my laptop or walk around the office, chat with people. I’ll be back by noon, and we are getting somewhere for lunch. After lunch Maxim and I will tell you our ideas for advertising. And you will think how to show these ideas. I propose this plan of work for today. Do you agree?”
“Yes, I agree.”
“Here’s my password,” Arthur showed me the password. “I went: I’ll be in the office of Maxim.”
Arthur left, I looked at the information on security systems, which the firm Absolute offers. It was hard for me to understand and remember it, so I decided to leave it as is until a conversation with Maxim and Arthur will take place, and turned off the laptop. As proposed by Arthur, I walked through the rooms of the office and talked with people. I did some sketches of the employees, starting with Armen Georgievich, and left them for a while with me. Half a day passed quickly. Arthur came out of the office Maxim and found me chatting with Irina at the reception desk.
“Let’s go eat,” he called.
“On the first