I was an artistâs model in uni since it paid better than any other student work position. Did a life drawing class one semester, despite it being an unheated old building in the winter evenings, because the instructor was a decent fellow who always had extra space heaters. So there I am one evening, exhausted from my teamâs afternoon practice, but Iâm in a comfortable position on a padded stool, ready to hold the position for like fifteen minutes. Space heaters all around me, spotlights on me to get shadows in interesting places.
Beyond the red glow of the heaters and the hot-white of the spotlights, the massive drafty room is dark and quiet, broken only by the instructorâs whispers and the scratch of charcoal on paper. Me, Iâm just dozing, âcause my ancient dorm was heated with creaky old steampipes that never really got warm, and with the new extra-powered space heater alongside the others, that night was the warmest Iâd been in a month. I dozed, basking in the glorious warmth.
And then I fell off the stool.
I woke up rather abruptly on the cold wooden platform, and looked up to see an entire ring of terrified and worried faces around me. Everyone had their hands up, ready to help me up, except no one had touched me. Naked chick laid out face-down on the floor, and all the men and women were suddenly acutely aware they couldnât just grab a half-asleep dazed naked chick.
Fortunately someone had the bright idea to tear the sheet down from the backdrop, lay it over me as a wrap, and then everyone was quick to help me up.
After that, the instructor and students got used to taking turns talking to me, just to make sure I wasnât dozing off. Which was weird, at first, because Iâd done two semesters just being a silent prop, and now I was interacting. It gave the class a vibe completely unlike any other Iâd modeled for, and it ended up one of my favorite modeling experiences.Â
postscript: months later, walking on campus with someone whoâd eventually become my spouse, we passed some guys on the main path. One of them stopped, peered at me, and then said hello, excitedly, saying, âsorry, I didnât recognize you, Iâve never seen you with your clothes on!â
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