In the February 9th issue of READ (yes, it was a while ago, our apologies), we presented an adapted version of William Shakespeare's classic play, Romeo and Juliet. At the end of the Readers' Theater play, we asked you to write a story that explains how the Montague/Capulet feud originally began. Although we received many great submissions, here are our two favorites.

Two Artists
-By Hunter Windham

Once upon a time, four generations before that of Romeo's, in the very same streets yet a completely different terrain, stooped an old man. The man lingered by a lake during the same hour every day. He admired his surroundings to the point where walking the landscape blindfolded would not have been a problem. He walked around the trees and then around a cove of the great lake. Eventually his daily exploration always led him to the opposite side of the lake. And there he sat.

An artist approached the solitude of this fine gentleman. Armed with pastels and charcoals, he saw a passion in the old man and decided to capture it on his canvas. Every shadow, every leaf, and even every wrinkle in the cloth the old man wore, right down to the peaceful grin on his face was painted by the artist. The old man sat for him for hours.

During this time, another artist happened to be roaming though the area, his thoughts tended to be the same. He too was armed his creative weapons: oils and a charcoal pencil took hold of the bold framework as he attempted to capture it on his canvas. The tall trees sat thick and broad, the hills smooth, the leaves delicate, the old man looked soft... yet strong. And time passed.

As shapes formed and colors blended, the occupation of each artist on the shore that day became relevant. The second artist proceeded to the canvas of the first to know his progress. And the first did the same. They began to discuss art with an air of arrogance. The second artist tried to add to a line on the first artist's canvas. The first artist responded with great anger! He proceeded to throw a black blotch of ink onto his neighbor's work. Soon, it became an all out "save your painting" war, splashes of paint and charcoal rocks were in the air.

In all of this hustle the old man became enraged by this disturbance and up and left. Moments later the two artists found themselves laying in a mess of expensive and extensive color. Both painters found themselves mourning over the destruction of their work. A truce was made and they began to pick up their mess. They said their apologies, shook hands and went their separate way with supplies under arm.

Being that these two artists were the only two men of their profession left in all of Verona, they both received angry letters from their employers announcing that their paintings were overdue. They both immediately ran to meet their boss. When they arrived, they met each other again. They had not known that they were both working for the same man! Each artist tried to explain his case, but it was no use. The boss fired them both. A shared, bitter rage fell into silence as the two artists walked sadly away.

The two artists went on to lead successful lives outside of their painting careers. But they always held a love for art in their hearts, as well as a deep hate for the other man. Their names were Montague and Capulet. ... But that is a different story.