Leaves Read Free Page A

I’ll grab a cup and wait for you.”
    Tyler walked slowly toward the back of the store, finding a collection of some of his shots on a wall along the way. There were many new artists on display in the gallery since he was last here a month ago. Lots of misty watercolors. Some faux Impressionist stuff. He noticed a new series of photographs of children playing. He’d never been able to photograph people well.
    Tyler waved to Lanny, Bob’s wife, as he walked into the office.
    Lanny blew him a kiss. “You look good, Tyler. Lost a few pounds?”
    â€œYeah, maybe a few.”
    A few minutes later, Bob joined him.
    â€œDid they buy anything?” Tyler said as Bob sat down across from him, picking up his own coffee cup.
    â€œLanny’ll close the deal. They’re trying to decide between a landscape and a still life. Both paintings are more than five hundred dollars, so whichever they take is fine with me. What’s up?”
    â€œI just finished processing a great session and I wanted to show you a few of the shots.” Tyler opened his portfolio and pulled out the photographs, laying them on Bob’s desk. “These are just test prints, obviously, but even before I start tweaking the output they look pretty good, don’t they? Look at the movement on this one.”
    Bob leaned forward to look at the photos. “They’re great, yeah. I love the angle you got here. Were you laying down?”
    â€œArched under. It was a lucky shot, to tell you the truth. I was focused on a different leaf when I saw this one float down. Closest I ever get to action photography.”
    Bob nodded. Tyler always knew he’d get a warm reception here. It was especially appreciated these days.
    â€œYeah, it’s beautiful,” Bob said.
    â€œI’m glad you think so. I was pretty buzzed when they came out. I’ll work on these a little and get you a set of prints to frame.”
    Bob pulled his coffee cup up to take a sip. “You might want to hold off on that for a little while. I have a fair amount of your inventory right now.”
    Bob had never said this to him before, and Tyler felt a little flustered, choosing to hide behind his own coffee cup for a moment. “Do you want me to take some of it back?”
    â€œNo, I would never ask you to do that. But I’m not sure I can handle anything else until some of this other stuff moves. We’ve got your display up and then there are the mounted pieces in the bin as well. I sold one last week, I think, so I’m sure I’ll work through all of it in the near future. Then you can replenish the whole lot.”
    â€œWhat do you think is going on here?” Tyler said, failing to keep the concern from his voice.
    â€œIt’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. This stuff is cyclical. For a while people want nature photos, then they want watercolors, then they want abstracts, and then they want nature photos again. It always comes around.”
    Tyler knew Bob was trying to ease his mind, but business had never been cyclical for him. Every year, he’d sold more images than the year before. Until this one. He packed the shots back in his portfolio, feeling a sense of disorientation he’d never felt in Henry’s before. “I guess so. I might have to give these to someone else.”
    â€œYeah, of course. The lucky bastards. It’s probably just something that’s going on in this shop, anyway. They’re probably burning through your stuff in Old Saybrook and they’ll sell these in a week. I’m sure Penny’ll call me to gloat.” Bob stood as Tyler did to shake his hand. “Everything else okay?”
    â€œYeah, everything’s fine.”
    â€œYou settled in the new place.”
    â€œPretty much, yeah. I don’t have a lot of furniture, but my workspace is all set up.”
    â€œI’d like to see it sometime.” Bob clapped him on the shoulder again.