The Art Gallery Encounter
Listen To The Following Reading
It was a year from now, on a chilly spring evening, when Lucas found himself wandering through the new exhibit at the city gallery. He hadn’t planned on staying long—just enough to make an appearance and catch up on work contacts. But halfway down the corridor, he froze. There, across the room, was Elise.
She stood near a painting of a rain-soaked street, her head tilted slightly, eyes focused in quiet thought. A man stood beside her, laughing softly at something she’d said. Lucas felt his stomach tighten. He hadn’t seen her since their breakup two years earlier.
He tried to play it cool, pretending to study another painting, though his mind barely registered the art. The clinking of wine glasses and the low hum of conversations filled the air. He straightened his tie, glanced in her direction again, and caught her noticing him.
For a brief second, their eyes met. Her expression flickered—surprise, then something unreadable. She whispered something to the man beside her, then turned back toward the painting.
Lucas exhaled slowly. He realized he’d been holding his breath. “She looks happy,” he thought, and for reasons he couldn’t explain, that truth stung more than he expected.
He left the exhibit quietly, stepping into the cool night air. The reflection of city lights shimmered on wet pavement. He smiled faintly, thinking how time has a way of closing old wounds—but only if you stop rubbing salt into them.
How Would You Use The Following
Idioms
close old wounds – to heal emotional pain from the past
rub salt into (a wound) – to make a painful situation worse
Phrasal Verbs
catch up on – to do something that was missed or delayed
play it cool – to act calm and unconcerned
Relative Time Expression
a year from now
Inference & Discussion Questions
What clues reveal Lucas’s emotional reaction to seeing Elise again?
How does the gallery setting reflect his internal conflict?
What might Elise’s quiet response suggest about her feelings?
How do the idioms connect to the theme of emotional healing?
Why does Lucas choose to leave instead of speaking to her?
How do light, silence, and observation shape the tone of reflection?
