I had a booking for a session at the usual pub near Tottenham Court Road at four o'clock. I arrived on time for the appointment, but just as I was settling in, I received a message on my phone from the agency: "Can you cover both the role of tutor and model? The tutor had a last-minute issue and won't be able to make it to the session."
This was completely new to me. The tutor played a crucial role in these sessions, keeping track of time, leading the session, managing the attendees, giving drawing instructions, and most importantly, bridging the gap between the girls and the model. However, cancelling the event would ruin the bride's day, and I would feel incredibly guilty about it. Without thinking too much, I decided to accept the challenge. After all, it was only a small group of nine people, so there was no reason to be scared.
I rushed upstairs and began arranging the tables and materials, my mind racing with thoughts on how to handle the session. Should I play music? Who would handle that? What poses should I suggest? Which games should I propose? And who would keep track of the time? I set up the tables in a semi-circle and placed a chair for myself to stand on. Oh my, I hope the attendees chat among themselves. What if they suddenly become quiet? What if we don't connect? How can I provide guidance on the drawings without interrupting the poses?
Time flew by, and before I could even think about how to greet them, the first two girls walked through the door. "Hi, hi, I'm Diego. I'm going to be your model and tutor today! Please take a seat." They didn't seem embarrassed, but they were visibly confused about the absence of a tutor and how the session would work.
I took about 10 minutes to explain how the session would proceed. One person would be in charge of the music, while another would assist with the timer. Everyone already had a drink, and everything was ready to start.