Shane sat there on the bench, pencil and drawing pad in hand. She can draw
the tree. No, not enough emotion. The birds? They move too much. She drew
little doodles of nothing, but quickly crossed them out. What to draw, what
to draw? The boy on the bench across the path fiddled around with his
camera; he put the film in, and then took it out again. He cleaned the lens
and then adjusted it. What an expression he had! Shane flipped to a clean
page, and then adjusted herself on the bench. She started to draw the
outline of his face, then his eyes and curly hair. She drew him sitting on
the bench, fixing his camera. She became absorbed in her picture. She saw a
flash. Was it going to rain? Shane looked up to see the boy smiling as he
lowered his camera. She smiled back. He walked over and held out his hand
for her to shake.
"Hi, I'm Craig," he introduced himself.
"I'm Shane," she said, looking up.
"Shane? Isn't that--?"
"Yes, I know it's a boy's name. Long story." She said standing up.
"Well, I'd like to hear this story. Want to come to the pizzeria with me?" Craig asked.
"Sure." Shane replied. She closed her sketch book and walked along side her new friend.
~*~*~*~
Craig and Shane sat at a small square table by the window.
"So, about your name..." Craig said as he picked up his soda.
"Well, my mother was absolutely positive that I was going to be a boy. She painted my room blue and got me boy clothes and everything. She was so sure she even told the doctor to put 'Shane' on my birth certificate before I was even born. What a surprise it was when she found out I was a girl." Shane finished her story. "So, I saw you take a picture of me. Why?" She asked
"While you were drawing, you showed so much seriousness and concentration. You were very into it. Your expression was amazing." Craig took a sip of his drink to stop himself from smiling. "And what exactly were you drawing?"
"You," Shane opened her book to Craig's portrait and slid it across the table.
"Wow, that's pretty good." He gave the book back to Shane.
"Thanks," she replied. "I have to get home. It's getting late."
"Oh, well I'll walk you." Craig offered, trying to find any excuse to be with her.
"Hi, I'm Craig," he introduced himself.
"I'm Shane," she said, looking up.
"Shane? Isn't that--?"
"Yes, I know it's a boy's name. Long story." She said standing up.
"Well, I'd like to hear this story. Want to come to the pizzeria with me?" Craig asked.
"Sure." Shane replied. She closed her sketch book and walked along side her new friend.
~*~*~*~
Craig and Shane sat at a small square table by the window.
"So, about your name..." Craig said as he picked up his soda.
"Well, my mother was absolutely positive that I was going to be a boy. She painted my room blue and got me boy clothes and everything. She was so sure she even told the doctor to put 'Shane' on my birth certificate before I was even born. What a surprise it was when she found out I was a girl." Shane finished her story. "So, I saw you take a picture of me. Why?" She asked
"While you were drawing, you showed so much seriousness and concentration. You were very into it. Your expression was amazing." Craig took a sip of his drink to stop himself from smiling. "And what exactly were you drawing?"
"You," Shane opened her book to Craig's portrait and slid it across the table.
"Wow, that's pretty good." He gave the book back to Shane.
"Thanks," she replied. "I have to get home. It's getting late."
"Oh, well I'll walk you." Craig offered, trying to find any excuse to be with her.