​antique dealer

Mamoru and Reiko live modestly in Malaga, a healthy island country in the south. Mamoru worked at a restaurant, and pregnant Reiko worked at home. Mamoru liked painting at home, but that was just a personal hobby. It had been five years since Mamoru had moved to this art-prosperous town, and two years had passed since he and Reiko had started living together. One day, when Mamoru returned to his apartment from work, the resident of the next room was waiting in front of the apartment door. The relationship with the neighbors was just to the extent that they usually greeted each other with a smile, but they both had a sense of intimacy because they were both from the same region. The man greeted Mamoru with his usual generous voice and asked Mamoru for a certain item. What I wanted Mamoru to keep was a Persian carpet. The man brought an expensive-looking Persian carpet in front of Mamoru's room. "Would you mind taking care of me for a little while? I'll thank you," the neighbor asked Mamoru in a generous tone. Mamoru agreed with a strange feeling and curiosity about this mysterious request.

The lovely carpet made the modest room very attractive. My wife, who thought it wasn't bad, didn't ask why she kept it.

About three days later, two large men visited the neighbor's room. The neighbor was absent, and the two men visited the room the next day to see the neighbor. The neighbor was absent again. The next day, two large men came to the apartment with their neighbors. The two of them tried to force their way into the room, and the neighbor opened the door while constantly chatting in a pleasant tone. After the three entered the room, at first there was something like an argument, but after 10 minutes, laughter gradually echoed through the apartment floor, and the two men, who seemed to have come to terms with something, left the room. I heard a rattling sound. A few days later, a neighbor knocked on Mamoru's door. When Mamoru returned the Persian carpet he had kept to the man, the man politely thanked Mamoru and invited him to dinner. My neighbor's name was Paul. Mamoru and Paul had a great time talking about their hometown. After dinner, Paul invited Mamoru to come with him to sell carpets at an old man's house. After eating, we went back to the apartment, and with the carpet in our hands, we arrived at the old man's house. Paul introduced himself as an antiques dealer in front of the old man. "Hello, my friend Mamoru," Mamoru simply said, and Paul explained to the old man, adding, "Mamoru is a famous painter in his hometown." "Regarding the carpet you asked about the other day, this is it." The old man sitting in a wheelchair silently looked at Mamoru and Paul, then stared at the carpet with sharp eyes. The old man went into the back room and came back with an envelope. The old man silently handed the envelope containing the wad of money to Paul. Paul thanked the old man with a smile and left the room with Mamoru, who had been quietly watching over the situation. The two walked straight home. When Mamoru saw the two big guys in a carpet shop someday, he was convinced that the carpet was stolen. Paul greeted them in good spirits and walked past the rug shop as if nothing had happened. upon arriving at the apartment. "This is a thank you for coming with me." Mamoru tried to refuse, but he couldn't refuse Paul, who made him hold a wad of banknotes with an even more happy face. Mamoru also had a hard time making ends meet. The moment I was about to ask if that carpet was stolen. Paul invites Mamoru to play cards in his room, and invites Mamoru into his neat room. For Trump, it was all a draw. Mamoru saw through every clever trick Paul did. The game wasn't controlled by the cheating Paul, nor by Mamoru who saw through it. Paul has always won games by deceiving his opponents. That's why I was surprised by Mamoru. "It was a good game. I've never been this hot before," Paul said with a smug emotion. Mamoru thought Paul was an interesting character. On the way out, "Mr. Paul, are you really from the same town as me? I've never heard of the name Paul." "It doesn't matter. We already share memories, including today." I don't think you can trust this person who calls himself Paul, but he's somehow attached to him. Mamoru said, "I'll share it," and nodded, then said goodbye and left the room.

A few days later, on a day off, Mamoru went to the market to give the vegetables he had drawn to the greengrocer. When I was thinking about where to display it with the store manager, a passing Paul appeared. "I'm buying vegetables here." The picture was just an ordinary drawing of vegetables, but Paul looked at it with admiration. After doing their business, Mamoru and Paul walked home. "Did you give it away for free?" Next time, why don't you sell your paintings to the old man the other day?" "No. That old man won't be able to do it." I'll explain it to the old man.It's fine if Mamoru stays quiet like he did the other day.I'll go pick up the painting next Saturday.Well then." bottom.

explanation. Mamoru thought it wouldn't hurt to be treated like that, but could Paul, who doubts whether he's from the same hometown, really be able to explain the painting of my hometown? While thinking so, Mamoru drew a picture while looking at several pictures of his hometown. Saturday morning, Mamoru finished painting. I wrapped the picture in a blanket and tied it with a string. Mamoru took him to Paul's room. As soon as Paul had untied the string and put out the picture, he wrapped himself in the blanket again. "This is great," he said. "Did you see it with me?" "I saw it. It's a picture of a fish, right?" "Fish?" Mamoru didn't mean to draw something like that. "It's a good fish. I'll explain to you about the fish in my hometown. I think you'll be happy. Yes, let's paint a picture of a fish being caught by a person. Isn't that fine?" If it's a picture, I'll draw it properly from now on." "Listen, how the person who sees the picture perceives it. When I saw your picture, I was moved. For me, this work depicts a fisherman on the river that flows through that town. It's a picture. That old man is hard of hearing and his eyesight seems to be bad. Mamoru said in half anger. With a grin, Paul said, "Look, emotions come from sharing. Let's sell this painting."

The old man was looking at a picture of his daughter in his room. After not noticing the knocking sound for a while, the old man opened the door in response to Paul's voice calling "Mr. Sherlock" from outside the door.

"I've brought a picture of Mr. Mamoru, which I told you about the other day. Here it is." As Paul untied the string, the old man slowly leaned forward and peered into the canvas. "Is this a picture of a bird?" Mamoru wondered. Paul looked at it from the side and spoke to the old man generously. "That's right. This bird is called Toki and is an endangered species that lives in Asia." "If you have memories of going to Japan with your wife, this picture might be just right." Mamoru was surprised to see the tearful old man. At that moment, Mamoru thought it was a good idea to deliver his painting to this person. After returning home, Mamoru and Paul had dinner together in Mamoru's room. The two shook hands on the dining table where the envelope containing the wad of money was placed. Reiko watched it silently.