his feet to collect tips. A boisterous pickup game of street hockey was being waged on the basketball court behind him. And in the midst of it all, a constant stream of foot traffic—young and old, hipster and business casual, every skin color—was crisscrossing the cement pathways that cut through the grass in all directions. Katrina estimated that 25 percent of the people were carrying Starbucks cups and 40 percent were wearing headphones.
After watching the world go by for a few minutes, she neatly folded the empty paper sandwich wrapper in half before tossing it into a nearby trash bin. Then she began to paint. For her subject sh e’d chosen the bench where sh e’d been sitting, which was now empty and framed by a background buzzing with passersby.
Calm, surrounded by chaos.
Another unusual juxtaposition, yet it was exactly how she felt at that moment.
When she was done painting an hour or so later, she picked up the canvas and folded up her easel, then stretched her arms over her head, satisfied with what sh e’d accomplished. She dropped two dollars into the ponytailed guitarist’s case and decided it was time to head back to the apartment.
She ran into Shana on her way into the building.
“Hey, Kat. How’s your first week in New York going?”
“So far, so good. There’s just so much to do here, I almost don’t even know where to begin. I’ll never be able to fit it all into just two months. I seriously think I could spend several days just watching people in Tompkins Square Park. It’s a whole world unto itself.”
“Tell me about it. I think I could live here for five more years without even scratching the surface. But that’s why New York’s so fun, right? It’s nothing like where I grew up. Going to the mall is a big deal in rural Ohio.” She pointed at the canvas. “Were you just painting?”
Katrina felt her cheeks flush and nodded.
“Can I see?”
“I’m not very good. I’m pretty rusty, actually.”
“I draw stick people, so let me be the judge of it.” Shana reached for the canvas and turned it around, then let out a little gasp. “Oh, wow, Kat, it’s beautiful.”
“You think so?”
“I love it. What are you going to do with it?”
Katrina shrugged. “I have no idea. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Before this week I hadn’t painted in years.”
“ I’d love to hang it in my living room.”
“Really?”
“You bet. I don’t have money to pay you for it though. I’m sorry.”
“Oh gosh, don’t worry about that. I can’t believe you think it’s worth hanging.”
“I do. Not that I know a lick about art, but I love it.”
“Well, consider it yours.” Katrina began to hand it to her, then pulled it back as she eyed Shana’s workout clothes. “Are you off to teach?” I can hold on to it for you.”
“Yep. Friday evenings I teach at six and again at seven thirty. You should come to a class sometime.”
Katrina stiffened. “I don’t know. I’m not very athletic. I can barely keep my balance on the stationary bike.”
Shana put a hand on Katrina’s arm. “That’s okay, a lot of people who come to my classes aren’t athletic. That’s why they do yoga, or at least the kind of yoga I teach. Come on, give it a try. I can get you in for free. I know it’s not much compared to that painting, but at least it’s something.”
Katrina hesitated. She wanted to go, but she had agreed to meet Reid for a drink in the Meatpacking District.
“How long is the class?”
“Just an hour.” She squeezed Katrina’s arm, her eyes bright. “Come on, it’ll be fun! I promise.”
“Do I have to wear special clothes?”
“Anything yo u’d wear to the gym is fine, as long as it’s not too loose. And I have an extra yoga mat you can borrow. But I’ve got to leave now , so if you’re going to come with me, we’ve got to get a move on.”
Katrina thought about it for another few seconds, then made a decision. “Okay, I’ll do it. Can you give
After watching the world go by for a few minutes, she neatly folded the empty paper sandwich wrapper in half before tossing it into a nearby trash bin. Then she began to paint. For her subject sh e’d chosen the bench where sh e’d been sitting, which was now empty and framed by a background buzzing with passersby.
Calm, surrounded by chaos.
Another unusual juxtaposition, yet it was exactly how she felt at that moment.
When she was done painting an hour or so later, she picked up the canvas and folded up her easel, then stretched her arms over her head, satisfied with what sh e’d accomplished. She dropped two dollars into the ponytailed guitarist’s case and decided it was time to head back to the apartment.
She ran into Shana on her way into the building.
“Hey, Kat. How’s your first week in New York going?”
“So far, so good. There’s just so much to do here, I almost don’t even know where to begin. I’ll never be able to fit it all into just two months. I seriously think I could spend several days just watching people in Tompkins Square Park. It’s a whole world unto itself.”
“Tell me about it. I think I could live here for five more years without even scratching the surface. But that’s why New York’s so fun, right? It’s nothing like where I grew up. Going to the mall is a big deal in rural Ohio.” She pointed at the canvas. “Were you just painting?”
Katrina felt her cheeks flush and nodded.
“Can I see?”
“I’m not very good. I’m pretty rusty, actually.”
“I draw stick people, so let me be the judge of it.” Shana reached for the canvas and turned it around, then let out a little gasp. “Oh, wow, Kat, it’s beautiful.”
“You think so?”
“I love it. What are you going to do with it?”
Katrina shrugged. “I have no idea. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Before this week I hadn’t painted in years.”
“ I’d love to hang it in my living room.”
“Really?”
“You bet. I don’t have money to pay you for it though. I’m sorry.”
“Oh gosh, don’t worry about that. I can’t believe you think it’s worth hanging.”
“I do. Not that I know a lick about art, but I love it.”
“Well, consider it yours.” Katrina began to hand it to her, then pulled it back as she eyed Shana’s workout clothes. “Are you off to teach?” I can hold on to it for you.”
“Yep. Friday evenings I teach at six and again at seven thirty. You should come to a class sometime.”
Katrina stiffened. “I don’t know. I’m not very athletic. I can barely keep my balance on the stationary bike.”
Shana put a hand on Katrina’s arm. “That’s okay, a lot of people who come to my classes aren’t athletic. That’s why they do yoga, or at least the kind of yoga I teach. Come on, give it a try. I can get you in for free. I know it’s not much compared to that painting, but at least it’s something.”
Katrina hesitated. She wanted to go, but she had agreed to meet Reid for a drink in the Meatpacking District.
“How long is the class?”
“Just an hour.” She squeezed Katrina’s arm, her eyes bright. “Come on, it’ll be fun! I promise.”
“Do I have to wear special clothes?”
“Anything yo u’d wear to the gym is fine, as long as it’s not too loose. And I have an extra yoga mat you can borrow. But I’ve got to leave now , so if you’re going to come with me, we’ve got to get a move on.”
Katrina thought about it for another few seconds, then made a decision. “Okay, I’ll do it. Can you give
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