Leo makes hats, and so it was the perfect occasion for a little tea party pondering about believes. “I believe in everyone’s individual talent”, Leo said.

“People are unique – everybody has a special talent in them.

I love people… I always want to know: Who are you? Like, who are you, really?

This is how the hats I make come into being. I ask people that exact question,

I want to find out who they are. Thus, every hat is unique”, he explained.

Leo showed me a variety of hats he made. Indeed, not one hat looked like the other! His friend next to him also got one from him – “...after half a year”, the friend laughed, “I wasn’t sure whether Leo had forgotten it or not!”

“Sometimes”, Leo said, “sometimes, people say: I want this hat, and they point to a model I already made. But it is impossible! I always tell them: You will get an individual hat.” The conversation was filled with jokes and laughter. At some point, I had to prove to be a painter by sketching a very simple hat, a line with a U on its head on the top. It looked… individual, I guess. We laughed.

Leo, you get this very individual hat from me, as you believe in my individual talent as a painter, and I believe in your individual talent for making those magical hats. Now it took me (way) more than half a year after our encounter to publish your smallest, but here it is!