With Mother

She is running an art gallery since twenty years. I knew her. In last fifteen years we met only two times.

Recently she called me.

I was surprised by her call because i am not a gallery artist and she would not call anyone without a purpose.

For few minutes, we talked formally, then she told me why she called.

See … now a days gallery business is not good. Even to meet monthly expenditure is becoming difficult. So … ” she paused one moment and continued ” … I am planning to run art classes. They will recover some expenditure, so I need your help. ”

I became little bit hesitant, then asked her, ” What kind of help it is ? ”

” I want some syllabus to teach. See … you are the most experienced, that’s why I require your help to structure the courses.”

Last I knew she was not an artist, but maybe she learned since then, who knows. I asked her with some curiosity, ” who is going to teach? ”

” The artists, who are exhibiting their works in my gallery, they will teach. ”

” Why don’t you ask them to design the courses? ”

She hesitated for a minute and said, ” I don’t think they are good enough for that. ”

I was shocked by her words. ‘One who is going to start an art school doesn’t know how the courses has to be structured and she does not believe in the ability of artists whom she is going to assign to teach the classes. Then how will she run an art school!? ‘