FIVE AND ONE HALF - Chapter 6

 

One more year of High School and it would be college after I graduated.

I had to save up for that because my dad didn’t believe in higher learning.

During the summer I was busy with photographs and portraits in my studio Dad let me set up in the garage.

I took photos of several of the kids in school. Some of the girls were scarcely shy of being beautiful and that hurt knowing they would be going out with guys I knew.

I had to placate myself with the fact I was making a lot of money.

It was about a month before school started again and a girl my age and her mother came in and wanted some photos and a portrait of the girl painted.

They had heard I worked cheaply so they came to me and wanted to know if I was available to help them?

I said, “Sure,” and set them up with appointments.

I asked if I could sketch the girl before they left and her mother said it would be alright but she had an errand to do and she would be back in about thirty minutes.

After ten minutes I showed the sketch to the girl and said I would use it to start her painting with.

Since her mother wasn’t back I talked to her about where she came from and if she was going to enroll here at the local high school. She said no she would attend a private academy but they would be living here.

She asked me what there was to do and if there was anything exciting happening.

I gave her a run down about where most of the kids went and what they did leaving out the lovers’ lane stuff for I didn’t think her mother would appreciate that.

She asked me why I was staring at her so intently.

I told her, I wanted to memorize your face much like an actor memorizes his lines.

 

After you leave I want to be able to see in my mind everything about your face. How your face and cheeks fade back into your ears and more importantly your eyes. You get the idea I want to be able to sit down and draw you from memory.

Oh she said, “You were freaking me out and I was about ready to leave.”

I said, “No, don’t do that, your mother said she wanted a head shot down to the neck, is that right?”

“Yes that is what she said.”

“I would like to do you down to the waist not quite as far down as the Mona Lisa but to your waist.”

She asked, “Why would you want to do that?”

Do you wear a swim suit at the beach?

“Well I don’t want to embarrass you but from what I can tell, you are perfect from an artist point of view.

 

You would be the perfect nude model. I’m not suggesting you do that I’m just telling you something about yourself.

 

Do you ever go to the beach?”

“Yes quite often.”

“Do you wear a bikini?”

“Oh no, my mom would have a fit.”

“But you do wear a suit of some kind?”

“Yes, you know something not so revealing.”

So you wear a bathing suit and hundreds of people see you dressed in that garment.”

“Sure I feel there isn’t any thing wrong with that.”

“Well I agree with you but how would you feel about removing your blouse and let me continue your sketch down to your waist. Remember being on the beach and all the strangers looking at you.”

She started to object but quickly removed her blouse and said, “Hurry up for mother might slip in on us.”

I hurried but paid special attention to the way her breast melded into her arm pits.

“You can put your blouse back on and I’ll show you what I have done so far.”

When she saw the sketch she began to blush and said, “You drew my breasts without my bra on.”

I said, “Yes, I have a vivid imagination. When I paint you, you will be fully dressed I just wanted to see the contours of your torso.”

 

To be Continued