Page 78 (1/2)

If "I’m sorry" didn’t work, ould?

"You must’ve been thrilled when you saw the Ottawa Star review When it calledactual artists Did that give you pleasure, Peter?"

"How can you think that?" Peter asked But it had given him pleasure And relief It was the first really happytime "It’s the New York Times review that matters, Clara That’s the one I care about"

She stared at hiers and toes and up his legs As though his heart had weakened and couldn’t get the blood that far any up hat the rest of him had known all his life He eak

"Then quote me from the New York Ti an impression, if it was that ile line"

She waited

"A word?" she asked, her voice glacial

Peter scanned hisfro to prove to himself, never mind Clara, that he’d cared in any way

But all he relorious review in the Ottawa paper

Her art, while nice, was neither visionary nor bold

He’d thought it was bad when her paintings were si But it orse when they were brilliant Instead of reflected glory, it just highlighted what a failure he was His creations dihtened And so he’d read and re-read the parrot line, applying it to his ego as though it was an antiseptic And Clara’s art was the septic

But he kneasn’t her art that had gone septic

"I thought not," snapped Clara "Not even a word Well let s are not just brilliant, they are luenerous stroke, redefined portraiture I went back and memorized it Not because I believe it’s true, but so that I have a choice of what to believe, and it doesn’t always have to be the worst"