ONE DAY, IN PAINTING CLASS, WE ARE FORCED TO PAINT, ACCORDING TO NATURE, A GOTHIC STATUETTE OF THE VIRGIN MARY. THE TEACHER RECOMMENDS THAT WE DO EXACTLY WHAT EACH OF US “SEES”. AS SOON AS HE TURNED HIS BACK ON A FRENETIC NEED FOR MYSTIFICATION, I BEGAN TO PAINT, INSPIRED BY A CATALOGUE, A BALANCE THAT I DREW WITH THE MOST RIGOROUS ACCURACY. ALL MY CLASSMATES THINK I’VE REALLY GONE CRAZY. AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THE TEACHER COMES TO CORRECT AND COMMENT ON OUR WORK, AND REMAINS FROZEN IN FRONT OF THE IMAGE I OFFER HIM. ALL THE STUDENTS SURROUNDING US IN AN ANXIOUS SILENCE, I DARE TO SAY IN A VOICE A LITTLE EMBARRASSED BY MY SHYNESS: “IT MAY BE THAT YOU SEE A VIRGIN LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, HOWEVER, I SEE A BALANCE”.