Mans` story

It`s not a surprise for anyone that an impressive number of rich, successful, famous people, who are often called “self-made”, had no connections, no resources and no insurance in case of failure. They wanted their ideas come true, a better life, stability, success and, perhaps, fame.

There is a teenager — Mans, from a poor family. Mans` dad earns barely enough money to support his family of 4 kids and a wife. Mans knows, his dad won`t risk to find another job.

In fact, when he turns 16 he will leave school and work too, to help his dad. There are no other options. Dad has been telling him that since the day he learned to talk.

Mans is a good boy, he cares about his family. However, with no degree and education, he won`t have much options, except the hard manual labor or cleaning.

Mans thought for a while, does he want to repeat this cycle of poverty? To be a hard-working copy of his dad, who`s not being able to fully support his family. Or, take a risk, leave his close people and start a career of a painter, fulfill his childhood dream? He is not simply motivated, he knows, if he chooses the second variant and fail, he will be completely broke.

Mans decides to study really hard to have excellent grades, tries to draw more paintings in order to attach them in an application form soon. He has a hard time persuading his dad to let him work part time before he turns 18 (the age he finishes school). Having a lot at stake, he`s going to do anything to succeed.

With a heavy heart, young boy applies to university, spending all his savings on application fee. The day comes.

Mans receives it. “Why are my hands shaking?” he thought. He opens an email on his phone and says: “Oh… okay, fine, I shouldn’t have thought I will succeed”. Young painter felt a pang of disappointment. Mans immensely wanted to have a BFA degree.

A week passed, Mans was babysitting his little brothers. His 18^th birthday is in 10 days. “Manny, what is it?”, his brother held out a crumpled peace of paper. “It`s… it’s my painting! I`ve drawn it when I was 11 or 12… yeah… this was my attempt to draw Monet`s «The Artist`s Garden in Giverny». It`s drawn awful. But I still enjoy admiring it every day after school”. It was a small painting hanging in his family`s kitchen. Something changed in him when he saw it. Seems as if Mans remembered why he wants to become an artist.

The first day he turns 18, dad will start helping him to find a suitable work place with no days off to earn more money, of course. So the night before the birthday, he takes his belongings, kisses sleeping brothers` foreheads and leaves with tears in his eyes.

After 5 financially and emotionally rough months, one of the 9 paintings, emerging artist has drawn, was finally accepted to a small exhibition of young artists. “My parents weren’t even aware of Monet, never considered art as a job… they don`t even remember how Monet`s painting appeared on our kitchen. Mom and dad would never let me become an artist. I was made for babysitting and working”. Young man still needed to work part time to pay the rent, buy food and cheap drawing tools. After 4 painfully exhausting years passed, he finally became a little more popular among the artistic community and started earning enough money to quit second job, which has been slowly taking away his vital energy. When Mans had had his first week off after all these years, he felt a strong surge of inspiration. Sitting near the fountain in the park, Mans looked at the dark sky and an idea flushed in his head, his body immediately broke out in goosebumps.He rushed home. That night 22-year-old Mans has painted his first masterpiece. It wasn’t known all over the world, but an emerging artist was totally satisfied that his paintings were recognized outside the city. From that time, he has already been able to send little amounts of money to his family. Mans lived the life he truly wanted. Our main character has never been rich or world famous, but at the same time he never complained and regretted anything he has done. Artist always knew that his parents won`t be happy to see him, but when he was 29, Mans finally met all his grown up brothers. Young man thought about them every day since he left. It’s important to mention that Mans has helped the eldest brother after him to pay for college and travelled abroad with the young ones. Main character of this story had challenging moments and problems, but he always kept trying.

I, almost accidently, wrote quiet a trivial story, which, as it turned out, I needed to write, to remind myself that your closest people sometimes don`t understand what you truly want to do. I didn’t describe my main character`s appearance or habits, because I didn’t focus on it. I hope, my first written story is worth of reading.