You get to the art museum at the same time as last week, the same time as every week. It's your ritual, your time alone, your time to be at peace. You glide from artwork to artwork and the world floats away. Replaced with the landscapes, portraits, and saturated colors of the paintings lining the stark white walls. You sink into them, let them envelope you, let them seep into your subconscious. You've seen them all before, but every week there's something that surprises you. Something new, something fresh, something inspiring. This week is no different, but it's not a painting that catches your eye. From across the room you see a man admiring Canova's sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss." At this hour you are usually all alone in the museum, it's why you choose this time. At first you want him to leave, you hate him, and he is disrupting your peace. You stare at him intently, trying to urge him to move along with your mind, as if you could conjure the power of The Force. It is useless, he is motionless. Admiring the sculpture, in his own little world. You intensify your gaze, unable to concentrate on anything else. Finally he begins to move, but before you realize it, he has turned towards you. Your eyes meet. His blue eyes meet yours and he greets you with a polite smile, punctuated with dimples. You smile back and quickly shoot your gaze back to the art on the wall.
"Dammit!" You think to yourself, he's kinda cute. The two of you circle the main exhibit hall ensuring you always keep your distance. As if you are dancing the tango, you keep in lock step with each other. When he moves to the next piece, so do you, and vice versa. You know he's watching you, you can feel it. And you are watching him. You occasionally catch him looking. You smile every time you catch him, and he smiles back. He is handsome. You can feel something between the two of you. Suddenly there are butterflies in your stomach.
He turns the corner and disappears into the next hall. Inexplicably, you now miss him. You miss his presence, his subtle gazes, the flirting dance the two of you were playing. You uncharacteristically rush through the final paintings in order to catch up to the mysterious man. You turn the corner expecting him to be on the other side of the hall by now, but he is still on the first painting. You know this painting well, Jean-HonorΓ© Fragonard's "The Swing." He is staring at it intently and you are suddenly in the uncomfortable position of looking at the same artwork as a total stranger. He looks to you and smiles, "hello," he says.
"Um...hi" you say back, unsure what to do, you look at the painting. He does the same. You are both silent, taking in the motion and playfulness of the painting. The silence is comfortable. The man sets you at ease. Without saying a word, it nonetheless feels as if a conversation is occurring between the two of you. It's as if the two of you have known each other for years and no words need to be spoken.
"I like her dress." The man breaks the silence.
"Me too," you say with a nod, "he's getting quite an eyeful." You smile widely at him.
"That he is!" he replies with a wink in his voice. "My name is Randall," he says as he extends his hand for a shake.
You take his hand, it is strong and full. "Jane," you reply with a smile, "pleasure to meet you."
"Do you come here often?" he asks as if already knowing the answer.
"Every week. Why?" You inquire.
"You move about the place with familiarity, with comfort," he replies.
"I love it here." You proclaim. "I don't think I've ever seen you here, is this your first time?"