On My Wall

When I was living in Dubai, I was working as an engineer an hour and a half away in Abu Dhabi. Hameed Brohi was my driver, and he took me to and from work each day. He was careful and polite, but didn't talk very often. One morning, we were heading to Abu Dhabi and the car was facing directly towards the rising sun. It was the most glorious sunrise. Hameed and I ended up having a conversation about the gorgeous, beautiful colours in the sky and he told me he was a fine-arts graduate. He had literally broken his brushes when he couldn't support his family in Pakistan from his painting. I encouraged him to start painting again and, quite wonderfully, he did. We have become great friends. This street scene of old Dubai is one Hameed painted for me.

Sue Ross of Tāhuna Queenstown, Otago.