The Painter Essay, Research Paper

Suddenly, he woke up. He sensed that the train had stopped. ?Am I in Beijing?? John Gwen thought. He looked around and saw Tianjing signs on the pillars in the train station. ?Looks like this is it. Well I better hop off and glance around. After he hopped off, he saw two security guards hurrying toward him.

Uh-oh.

Two strong security guards rushed to him and grabbed him. The other one took his painting. They sent him to the office to confront their chief. The chief was sitting down behind a large desk and looked like a kind looking man that was toughened by the world. He had eyes that can look right through you.

?Chief, we caught this thief trying to sneak off the cargo train that just arrived. This is what he stole.? Said one of the guards as he handed the painting over to the chief.

?I suggest putting him in jail for fifteen days and see if he tries to steal again.? Said the other guard.

?Oh no,? John thought, ?if they put me in jail for fifteen days. I?ll miss the art convention. I must prove my innocence.? ?No, no, I swear, I didn?t steal it! That?s my??

?Shut up!? the first guard ordered.

The chief had been silent since the suspect had been brought in. The man looks like a high school student. He is shivering and looks very nervous. ?Is he shivering because he is afraid of getting caught? Or is he freezing?? he thought. ?Okay, what?s your name?

?J?J?John Gwen.? He muttered, ?c?can I have hot water??

?Sure.? And he poured some hot water for him pretending not to hear the grunt from one of the guards. Then he waited as John slowly drank the water.

?Well,? John thought, ?if I can?t prove that the painting is mine, I could get to the convention on time but I will also have to pay for sneaking on the train. However, I could pretend to go to the bathroom and escape but I won?t be able to take my painting with me. Also, how will I get to Beijing then??

?Okay, what are you doing here?? the chief asked.

?I was going to go to Beijing but at Shenyang, I fell asleep when I was waiting for the train and somebody stole my tickets and all my money so I snuck on a cargo train and I thought it was going to Beijing but when I woke up I was in Tianjing and then two guards rushed over and??

?Okay, okay, so where did you get the painting?? the chief inquired.

?I painted it.? Replied John.

?Really? You can paint?? said the startled chief.

?Yes, I am going to Beijing to display my painting in the national art convention.? Said John.

?Can you prove yourself?? said the chief with a little bit of doubt in his voice.

?Sure, can I have a pencil and paper?? replied John.

The chief ripped out a piece of paper from his notebook and picked up a pencil and handed it to John. Then he sat back down and started doing his duties with an occasional glance at John to see how he?s doing.

John started to draw patiently, he seemed at peace when he is drawing. Sometimes, he would take a glance at the chief and start sketching again.

After a couple of minutes, the guards became restless and saw that there wasn?t any need for them anymore. So they went away on their duties and left the chief and John alone.

?Sir? I?m done.? John said.

?Really? Well let me see.? And the chief walked over to see. ?Wow, that?s?that?s pretty good.? The chief said as he looked at the sketch of himself. Now he really believed that John is an excellent painter and for once, the chief feels pity for the poor fellow. ?He has a good future, I should help him.? The chief thought. ?The night on the train must have been cold. Come with me and my wife will take care of you. Then, when you are healthy, I will send you to Beijing.? Said the smiling chief.

?Thank you, thank you very much. I appreciate your help.? Said the relieved John.

John Gwen later moved to America to expand his career. He is rich and famous. He is very grateful that the chief had believed him given him a chance to prove himself.