I met Brian many years ago when he owned the used bookstore in Normal, IL. He was an educated man with a beard and bright small eyes. He loved books, spoke some French, and dabbed in art.
A few years ago, he sold his bookstore and I stopped running into him in the city. I kept wondering if he had moved away from cold Central Illinois and decided to settle in warm Florida. He did not.
I ran into him today at the Corn Festival in downtown Normal. He was busy, but I realized he looked happy at his new calling. I decided to interrupt him, talk to him, and watch him apply his skills at his new pastime.
He joked when he said that he should not have owned a used bookstore. He confessed that he enjoyed meeting so many interesting people while he owned it.
He kept a lively conversation with his client: A pretty, young girl who sat in front him while he limned her portrait. Below are a few pictures of Brian, his work, and one of his client.
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