Jenny was looking through the local newspaper for a short-term job over the university break. She looked through the first few pages, disheartened that they all wanted at least two years experience or were commission based. She got to the end: the last section, TV Film and Modelling.
She was half Indian, half Fijian, shorter than average, a little curvy, fit but defiantly not a Model or TV hopeful. She pressed on more out of boredom than any real hope of a job... There were the obligatory scam ads offering "portfolio" shots at bargain prices but a small ad near the end that caught her eye.
"Fit young ladies of all sizes to model Orthopaedic braces and posture aids, $100 per day."
This seemed legit. It wasn't much, but how hard could it be to do a medical catalogue? She thought. In the back of her mind, the thought of being on display gave her a little thrill.
She emailed off her drivers license scan and got a response straight away. It was just an address and a time, Level B1 155 Castlereagh St 7pm Friday. She wondered if this was an interview or the shoot... feeling too shy to ask, she decided to just go and take her chances.
Jenny got there at 6.30pm because she was anxious about being late and when she got in the old elevator the B1 button didn't work. The doors opened again and the cleaner got in and pushed the 9 button.
On the way up he noticed that no other buttons were push so he asked:
"What floor honey?"
"Um, B1 I think." replied Jenny.
"The elevator doesn't go there anymore; you can use the fire stairs." The cleaner suggested.
Jenny got off with him on 9 and walked through the fire stairs door. The cleaner called out "...why don't you take the lift back down to the ground?"
...but the fire door closed before she could catch it and she had to walk down 10 levels in her highest heels and tightest pencil skirt.
Jenny got to Level B1 still 20 minuets early and there were a couple of guys hanging rigging and lights. A man came over with a clipboard and handed it to her saying:
"Sign this use-of-image release and fill in the insurance and your bank details on the next page."
She took the clipboard but in the dim light could not read the first dark coloured page. The man just tapped his finger at the bottom and she signed in the box with the big 'X'. Two more women arrived and the Man gave them clipboards as well.
The only seat in the large dim basement space was a dark coloured circular vinyl couch. Room enough for six or eight sitting in a circle with their backs to each other. On a folding table opposite there were a few dozen clear plastic Orthopaedic braces with long clear straps and buckles. There was another table with half a dozen small electrical boxes and a bundle of wires.
Jenny finished with the questions on the forms and looked up at the rigging being hung. She imagined getting her photo taken and felt a little naughty as she looked up at the two circles of lights, one small and one larger directly above the couch. Jenny guessed that the shoot would be on this round sofa.
The man came over and collected Jenny's forms as she watched two more Women come in. She thought that this must be the audition, why else would they need so many models? She felt a bit sad at the thought of perhaps not getting this job.
After the clipboard man seated the new arrivals he returned to Jenny with a brace from the table. It was a solid brace for both arms. It's clear plastic rigid form ran behind the shoulders and held the arms slightly bent in a big open hug at shoulder height. The brace was split so it buckled up one piece in front and the other at the back.
When the man, now with a large digital camera around his neck, started to fit the front on he stopped and said,
"We'll have to slip off your shoulder straps for this first shot they are in the way of the brace."
With that he took the back of the brace back as Jenny reluctantly slipped her arms out of the thin straps of her tight satin singlet top.
Noticing her reluctance he added:
