The Painter

Chapter 2
Part 2

Chapter Description: Second Customer

The mysterious painter took a deep breath as he stood in his studio, alone. He had been doing this a very long time. He still wondered when his Father would let him rest, but he never complained. Perhaps soon.....

The man was interrupted by his next customer. This customer was a man wearing an expensive-looking suit with black sunglasses. He was talking on his phone. He was Ryan Etter.

“I don’t give a damn Irving!” the customer yelled in his phone. “I don’t give a shit about that Boys and Girls Club next to the office! We need to expand and we already have the property deed for the area! So make it go boom already!”

Ryan hung up his phone and sighed. He turned to the painter. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Troubles with work?” the painter asked.

“Not really, just disobedient employees. Trust me, it’s a lot better to work alone, wouldn’t you agree?”

The painter shrugged.

“Oh and you’ll receive your payment of five hundred dollars after the portrait’s complete,” Ryan added.

The painter gave him a look. “I believe we agreed to a thousand?”

Ryan shook his head, “No, it was five hundred.”

The painter knew he was lying, but he did not accuse him of it. Ryan went and posed on the elegant chair that the painter had set up. The painter noticed that Ryan’s cell phone was sticking out of a pocket that was on the top half of the suit. He allowed himself an inward smile.

“Ready when you are,” Ryan said.

The painter began his portrait. He slowly made the chair appear. After it was done, he added the Ryan’s leg and foot that stood on top of it. He continued upward, bringing to life his other leg and midsection.

The painter felt a sudden, sharp pain go up through his arm. He dropped the brush, grunting.

Ryan didn’t move, but asked, "You alright man?"

The painter looked at him and laughed. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just let me finish. The painter picked the brush again.

He finished the upper body and drew in the cell phone. Using a detail brush, he wrote a name on the caller id screen of the cell phone. Finally, the painter finished darkening the sunglasses. He signed the bottom of it.

Ryan’s cell phone rang. He answered it on the first ring.

“What is it Irving? You’re kidding? That is great! I’ll be over there in a couple of minutes.”

The painter smirked. “Good news?”

Ryan grinned. “Very! The landowners on the other side of our office building finally agreed to sell! This means we’ll be able to expand far more instead of tearing down that old Boys and Girls Club!”

The painter nodded in acknowledgment. “You will be able to pick it up soon. I’ll contact you when it is completely dried.”

“Of course, your payment of a thousand dollars will be transferred to your account.”

The painter cocked his head. “Wasn’t our agreement on five hundred?”

Ryan shook his head. “Hell man I think you deserve more than that. Like I said, the payment will be transferred.”

“I hope you enjoy the portrait. And congratulations on your good fortune!”

The painter sighed as Ryan left. He felt his arm. It was still aching. He was running out of time.