The Headless Hawk by Truman Capote. Short summary

5 seconds

At the art gallery where Vincent works, a strange girl comes in and brings a painting for sale. When the man sees the image of a headless hawk, he realizes that it was painted as if it were about him.

1 minute

Vincent works in an art selling gallery. One day a strange girl with a short haircut walks into the gallery and asks to buy her painting. Vincent is not very interested in the offer, but when he sees the painting, which depicts a headless hawk, he decides to smoke it for himself. He is ready to give the girl $40, but is distracted by a phone call. The girl runs away, leaving the painting behind.

Some time passes. The painting hangs in Vincent’s home. Every time he goes out he looks for the girl. Several times he sees her, but fails to approach. Finally he manages to take her hand. Since then, the girl lives with Vincent. At first, all is well, but after a while, the man begins to be frightened by her strangeness.

It soon transpires that she has escaped from a mental asylum. From there she has also taken the painting she painted herself. Vincent wants to break up with the girl, even packing her suitcases. The girl understands everything and leaves. But the painful passion turns into a real disease.