Short: Gary And Mary: The Artist and The Magic Paint Brush, Part 5.
He set Mary on the table in front of him and waited. If not for the giggles emanating from his hand, he’d assume it was an ordinary two inch oil brush- hog’s hair bristles, metal ferrule, and wooden handle.
“Oh thank you so very much,” she said in a soothing way that calmed the aspiring painter to his core.
“Will you set me up? I’d like to see your face.”
The request confused Gary as he saw no noticeable face, no eyes or mouth, or ears, but he acted without hestiation.
“That’s better. Thank you.”
And as Mary spoke, Gary noticed the tiniest moving lines across the face of the ferrule, and a pair of eyes where the ferrule was fastened to the handle.
"You’re welcome,” Gary managed to choke out as he stared at Mary’s metallic face.
“Yes. This is my face. I suppose it’s odd to you.”
“This whole situation is not normal, Mary.”
And as the words left his tongue, Gary remembered where he was. And he quickly glanced over to where the other artists were seated. The black man was gone, but the hefty lady was still face deep in a drawing. What ever was happening, was only happening between Gary and Mary. Again, he collected himself.
“Where are your ears?” he whispered.
“I don’t quite know, but I can obviously hear you. I think. Or maybe I can only perceive your thoughts.”
“Oh no. That’s not good.”
“How come?'“
“I think a lot of things and some of them are not meant for anyone but me.”
“May I assume all people are like this?”
“Yes, Mary. All humans like me think thoughts they don’t want anyone to know or perceive.”
“Well, then. That’s something to consider.”
The reality of Mary as Mindreader weighed on Gary. And Mary knew it. As a few moments of silence filled the room, she decided it best to continue to answer his questions. “What else would you like to know?” she prodded.
The mere question caused Gary to burst into laughter. Did a paint brush really just say that? And he laughed again. Mary did not to answer Gary’s thoughts, though she wanted to. Gary needed his mind to be a safe place, and so she decided let him be.
After a pause to collect himself, Gary asked, “How…I mean, what are you? Are you alive? Am I going insane? Why?”
Mary could see how her presence caused Gary great confusion, yet she also sensed his curiosity, a more noble human trait than fear.
“Gary, all I know is I heard your thoughts earlier today on the train. It was like I was awakened from a deep sleep. And I knew what I was, who I was, and what my purpose is. And I couldn’t wait to meet you. So, I decided to talk to you if I could. I believe you thought I was prank or mental trick.”
“Indeed, I thought someone was messing with me,” Gary offered.
Again, Mary waited for Gary to speak rather than answer his thoughts which were complex and weighed with emotion. And, she decided on a different tact.
“You know Gary, I’m new here too.”
