Once the gallery owner returns he smiles at me in a friendly manner. I ask him, “Do you have any other works from this artist? I like to see them, and learn a little more about this artist.”
He doesn’t realize some of the things I saw. The artist actually managed to put on the top layer of paint so thinly it is translucent. I know of one other artist who managed to do that, of course is art goes for millions and hangs in the Louvre.
He has three other works by the same artist, all poorly displayed as the first painting was or worse. I was looking at and they are equally as good. I look to Kathryn and she has an expression of agreement and I don’t need to ask. I have him total their price of the three additional paintings and purchase them all.
Once he returns he goes into his salesman’s routine, he points out several of the more popular local artist indicating their work will move very quickly. I just asked him if he has any more from this artist, he indicates he doesn’t and probably will never again. I take one of the paintings over to the window asking him to follow. In the natural light from the window the work now shows its true beauty. I tell him due the poorly done display of the artwork you didn’t get their full value from me. Having him examine the art closely, if he’s done any study of the Masters he will see this artist looks like actually had studied under them.
Only slowly he reluctantly looks at my insistence, his eyes go wide and then he rushes away coming back with a magnifying glass he again looks at the work. Seeing it for its true beauty in the natural light, seen a masterful paint strokes and the layers so translucent it’s only truly visible in the bright natural light here in the window.
He offers to buy the artwork back at twice what I just pay for it. I jokingly say, “I wouldn’t sell it back at ten times what you offered. I will buy any additional works this artist does.”
A hurt expression displayed on his face when he has to confess, “The artist, she refuses to sell anymore works to me.”
Shaking my head I say, “I don’t blame her, as poorly as you had them displayed no one could see the true beauty, or how masterful her work truly is.”
I say, “I will give you five hundred dollars for her name and address, and you can even call her to introduce me. You tell her I bought, no rescued the last four of her works from you.”
He says in a whiny voice. “She’s no one special, she hasn’t even gone to art school she’s just some kid about sixteen. I basically agreed to sell them at 50% commission.”
Then I tell him, “I would’ve purchased them ten times what you had listed if they had been displayed correctly. Her art really speaks to me.”
When he gives me her name Kathryn and I look at each other and break out laughing. He has a confused look on his face until we tell him, “We know her. There are three reasons why you will never sell her art again, first she’s a multimillionaire, and second I helped her make her millions, and third I’ll make sure whoever sells her work from now on displays it correctly. By the way she just turned seventeen a few months ago. I was the best man at her wedding, and Kathryn my wife was her maid of honor.”
Sam giggles adding, “And I was Aunt Misty’s flower girl.”
We have him pack the four paintings gingerly and special shipping containers made for art. We load the back of the SUV with these after rearranging our cargo. After stopping for a lunch, we quickly drive the rest of the way home to unload our art and search for new frames. When Misty sees her paintings she says, “You should’ve heard that asshole begging me to paint some more. Apparently someone showed him how good my work is.”
Marshall comes down from upstairs he smiling and he tells us, “Guess what we’ve been doing today, we tried our hand at trading using everything you taught us. We actually made half a million today. Not too bad for our first solo.”
MC giggles and says, “We would’ve done better, but we panicked on one when it dropped a little it was coming back up and we sold it too soon. We only broke a little better than even on it. If we had stayed with the original estimates we’ve been closer to one million today.”
I smile and say, “How many people you know can say they made half a million in a single day? So don’t sell yourself short because of one mistake, you aired on the side of caution it’s always better than make the mistake and hanging onto it for too long when it really drops.”
MC says, “I imagine if you were here, you would keep us from panicking and selling it short.”
Kathryn adds, “That comes with experience. Once you trust your own research more, and what you need to do is due in independent verification. You will take the same stock or commodity and see what each of you think is going to do. If you both are in agreement the chances are a lot less that you made a mistake. JJ and I do that all the time.”
I continue, “If either of us aren’t sure, we simply go to a different stock and try it again. I usually let Kathryn pick she’s best in finding the undervalued stocks. We once purchase stocks that were ten cents, once we showed interest in them so did others before long the same stock was going at twenty-five dollars a share and climbing. We sold at thirty-five dollars a share.”
Misty is hugging Sam, with tears in her eyes. Sam was telling her how much she loved her painting called Change. I ask Misty, “My favorite artist, when did you paint Change?”
With a giggle Misty says, “The first day Marshall and I became lovers. I painted it just before Mom and Dad kicked me out.”
Looking at it I say, “It looks like you took a month to paint that.”
Misty says, “When inspiration hits me I can paint so fast I don’t even remember doing most of it. At the end I step back and I know it’s done.”
I chuckle and say, “Whatever works for you Misty. But if you want to sell anymore or do anymore, will find a much better gallery for you to display them in. That guy had the worst lighting possible on your work. It’s no wonder they had not sold.”
That Saturday even without Alyssa, Johnny and Mom there we had breakfast like normal for the family. Joan helps with breakfast this Saturday, and has actually learned a few things from her mother. She has a scrambled eggs and cheese with the few additional spices that’s to die for. Joan is now the official scrambler of our Saturday morning breakfast.
After breakfast Uncle George tells Sam that they know for sure Lester is dead and will never be coming after her again she gives him a hug. I hope Sam will never have another nightmare about Lester.
Still didn’t stop her from coming to our room, if anything in the night woke her. She would come up the elevator and tiptoe across the bedroom. Coming onto the bed opposite Kathryn she would softly crawl over to me slide onto my chest and under Kathryn’s arm. She would always give Kathryn a kiss then she would say, “Love you Mommy. Love you Daddy.” Lay her head to my chest and go to sleep.
The second time Sam did that, she was surprised when Kathryn and I answered her. Sam asks us, “Do I have to go back to my bed?”
Kathryn giggles and says, “I would miss you if you did.”
I raise my hand in place in on Sam’s back. I say, “I would get cold. I love you sleeping on my chest you keep Daddy nice and warm.”
Sam giggles and says, “Daddy you keep me warm too.”
Sam did not do that every night she can tell when Kathryn and I need to be alone. On most nights unless she had a nightmare or felt lonely Sam would stay asleep in her room. Only after watching a horror movie with one of her aunts Sam would have a nightmare, I think they do that the torture us. Of course after the second movie like that I put my foot down; I actually restricted the satellite from showing R-rated movies.
There were some nights when I realized Sam needed us too, and Kathryn I would just bring her to our bed to sleep.
Another week passed and I spoke to Mom and Alyssa several times there were going to take a few more days possibly a week before they were ready to return. They actually have one more court date they had to attend. Because he had to meet demands the judge required a continuance and they would have to show up the next Monday. After a few of the facts of the case became evident the judge struck down several of his demands. Alyssa was stuck with support, the judge limited based on her former income.
Which was fine with me, when Alyssa come back I plan to start a new class with her. The rest of this week we did outstandingly with their class. Marshall, Misty, MC and Joan would take one stock or commodity and Kathryn and I would do another, for the week was over they had made another twenty million. At that point they were over sixty million each well within the target range, and more importantly they had learned the lessons we really wanted them to accomplish. Any one of them could set down with us and go over a selection, explain the research, and how and why it would change in price. It’s important to know when this stock or commodity will decrease in cost as well and the factors that cause that. The four of them are very aware of those causes. They now know what to look for in advance.
I would always be there for them and willing to give them a helping hand and they agreed to do the same for me. They agreed to assist with any new class I would instruct. This would be a refresher for them and an opportunity to make additional money. They also realized how good it felt to help others. They can tell that Kathryn and I were proud of them.
Joan with a giggle said, “Until this last two weeks, it felt like JJ and you Kathryn were just handing us money right and left. I realize now each and every day were a lot of lessons. You made sure we were doing it right.”
Daniel did ask Kara out that weekend, he took her into town for dinner and a movie. She seemed very happy, and they were going to continue dating. He had already asked her out again which she accepted the date. By the time our class ended, Daniel is been working on their blueprints and have them nearly finished, only minor changes in a few spots for Marshall’s and Misty’s again. MC was very happy with hers.
Leave a Reply