Keep Away

My theme for this year’s
Blogging from A to Z Challenge is called the
Click here to read more about it.
***
Today’s words are
‘Keep away
  which means to stay away.
Source: http://pixabay.com/

 

“Oh my god, is that really a bird?” remarked Miss Perfect who sat on the desk next to mine, as she peered into my drawing sheet and rolled her eyes. She raised her own drawing and proudly pointed at the beautifully sketched swan. It was perfect to the point that I almost wondered if she had traced it from a picture book. I looked down dejectedly at my crude strokes of crayons that conjured the image of a dancing peacock. It was messy, alright. But I loved it. I had used all my favorite colors to beautify it. Of course, a lot of those colors spilled out of the lines and my drawing wasn’t as perfect as that of my snooty perfect neighbor there. But I simply loved my handiwork.

The only thing that spoiled my moment of narcissism in the art class was when Miss Perfect would look down at my drawings with disgust while she went ahead to flaunt her carefully and neatly sketched art pieces. Well, they almost looked clinical and boring to me. But I never said that to her. Instead it would often set me wondering if my drawings were good enough. The art teacher was always kind to all of us, and seemed to like everything we drew or painted, so we never knew what she really liked and what she didn’t. But when her gaze would linger for a second longer on my neighbor’s drawing, I sensed that she probably liked those perfect masterpieces. I would look away and ignore the whole scene. I felt that it was best to keep away.
Though, I would easily forget all of this the moment Miss Angel would step close to my desk and start admiring my crude expression of colors on paper. I call her Miss Angel, coz’ she really was an angel for me. All the self-doubt that Miss Perfect planted in me with her maliciousness, would get washed off completely when Miss Angel would go gaga over my creations. She would run her fingers over rough the strokes in my drawing as though they were liquid gold streaked on paper. She often complained that she never could get the kind of color contrasts, moods and effects that I managed to bring out in my work. And that, would be my magic moment. After she would leave, I would study my drawing as though I was looking at it through her eyes and it did make sense. I was actually good!
Some years down the lane it was time for us to fly out of high school to major in the subjects of our choice at college. Miss Perfect announced with a touch of vanity that that her wealthy parents were getting her an admission in the best college abroad to study architecture. While I was still wondering which field of study I should be pursuing further, Miss Angel appeared with a brochure and handed it to me along with an admission form to apply in one of the most prestigious art colleges.
Miss Perfect laughed scornfully. “Do you have any idea how tough their entrance exams that you need to clear  to grab a seat there are?” she inquired in her usual sarcastic manner, obviously enjoying my discomfort.
But, Miss Angel rested her palm on my shoulder in reassurance and exclaimed, “Oh, that’s no big deal for someone as good as him!” And like always that made a hell lot of difference to my confidence.
Interestingly, Miss Angel was right – it really was not a big deal for me to clear the entrance test. I got through easily and was also offered a scholarship soon enough! Today, my paintings are appreciated world wide and I’m a famous painter only for the ingenuity my work exudes. The ingenuity that Miss Angel helped me discover.
Keep away 
from people
who try to belittle
your ambitions.
Small people always do that,
but the really great
make you feel that you too
can become great.
~Mark Twain
 
 
Linking this to the Blogging from A to Z (April 2015) for the letter K.