'Started with a' series

Started with a sketch

"Blue eyes

Baby's got blue eyes

Like a deep blue sea

On a blue blue day"

The song filled my ears  as I started on the canvas for the day. I've been coming to this park every Friday for the last 3 months. And my inspiration is not a tree or flowers or nature or the skies. It's always the girl with golden hair and blue eyes. 

When summer vacation rolled in I was bored out of my mind. I had tried everything: camping, hiking, partying, clubing and what not. None of them seemed to work because after trying everything I would still be bored. It was mom who gave me the news that the scholarships were to be given to juniors as well. I didn't have anything better to do anyway so I decided I'd spend my time with my good ol' pals a.k.a. my books. Now before you jump to conclusions let me tell you I am NOT a nerd. I just like knowing everything and actually putting it to use. And besides we could use the money that would be otherwise spent on my fees to pay the bills. But sometimes I needed a break. And sketching just happened to calm me down. So every Friday I'd come up to 'Victoria Memorial' and just sketch.  

"Blue eyes

Baby's got blue eyes

When the morning comes

I'll be far away

And I say

Blue eyes

Holding back the tears

Holding back the pain

Baby's got blue eyes

And she's alone again"

I concentrated as the all too familiar scenery started showing up on my sketchpad: the girl, the oak tree and her camera. Sounds of birds chirping, multicolored sky, the breathtaking sunset, the sound of children playing, the smell of flowers in the air, and my hands moving over the paper. It all summed up to a calming evening before school starts again. It was then that I realized that I would no longer be able to visit the park. Not even on weekends. And even though I hadn't talked to this girl yet I felt like I had to talk to her at least once. I didn't want to live in regret. 

I finished my sketch just as the song ended as well and looked at it proudly. Today I had decided to add in a little color as well so the sketch would look more lively. I packed my stuff, stood up and with all the courage I could muster, walked to the oak tree with sweaty palms and messy thoughts. 

She had her golden hair covering her face and was intently looking at her camera so she probably didn't see me coming.

 "Excuse me. Hi! I'm Alan."

The moment she turned to me I felt like all the air had been kicked out of my lungs. Her eyes, that seemed like any other pair of blue eyes from afar, were gorgeous up close. They were dancing with curiosity, happiness and looked so...alive. Her gaze was firm and soft but confident at the same time which made me squirm. I small smile played on her rosy lips.

 "I'm Rosie. Nice to meet you Alan." She said with a British accent.

I nervously scratched the back of my neck as I said, "Look this might seem weird but I've been coming to this park all summer and I always see you sitting under this oak tree with a camera in your hand and I sit on that bench over there and sketch and stuff and obviously you'd be in there because well you're in the picture and it's just that vacation is ending soon and I won't be able to come here anymore and I wanted to talk to you so I-"

Rosie pulled up a book in front of my face effectively cutting me off.

"Open it."

I gingerly took the book from her hands and opened it. My mouth opened and closed like a fish with each turn of page. It wasn't just any book. It was a picture holder. 

The first picture was of a sunset. By the looks of it, it seemed like a couple of months ago. Around spring maybe. It was gorgeous.

The second one was of the playground in the park. There were children on the swings and families with picnic baskets, seniors talking walks and people exercising. It all seemed so lively.

The next picture was of an empty bench behind which the trees held different birds and squirrels and green leaves. It was amazing as well. The bench seemed surprisingly familiar though and I knew why when I turned the page.

This picture was of the same bench but a boy sat on the bench with headphones in his ears and a board in his hands. The polo shirt he wore suited his body and his face had a look on concentration as his brows furrowed. That boy was me.

The pictures that came after were all of the park except a few. And I was surprised to find many pictures had me in one way or another. On the last page I saw a polaroid picture which had the same contents as the first picture that had me in it except that the clothes in it were from today. 

"She must've clicked it a few minutes ago," I wondered to myself.

I closed the book as I handed it back to her and smiled.

She gestured me to stop."Keep it."

"Oh no. I couldn't. I shouldn't. It's so beautiful. You should keep it for yourself."

"I want you to keep it." She said completely ignoring what I just said.\

"Thank you." I said. "I had to give you something too."

Her face brightened up as I dug in my bag for the sketches. I handed them to her cautiously, wondering how she'd judge them. She looked through every one and finally let out a content sigh.

"You know, these just might be better than my pictures." She said with a genuine smile.

"Geez. That's too much but thank you."

By this time we had somehow walked to the playground and were now seated on the swings.

"So what brings you to America?" I asked.

And that's how it all started with a sketch.