While sitting without my hubby in a small pub not far from the apartment enjoying a cocktail and analyzing the humanity within listening range an attractive couple sat on the two stools at the bar's return leg to my left. The usual nods of acceptance followed and I didn't think much of our sudden closeness within my proclaimed space. The woman was very tall but the man was even taller and I began to contemplate the oddities of what attracted people to other people.
Our conversation began after the woman studied me for a few moments then asked me what I did for a living. After I told her she grinned and nudged the man with her shoulder. It wasn't long thereafter a story began to unfold about how two attractive people with similar backgrounds, education and fantasies, collided to form an unwavering union of erotic behavior. I felt compelled to write their story and with the gracious consent of the couple, I sat down the next morning and penned an interesting fragment of their lives ... their first time.
As Alex matured she began cultivating two lives. She had always strived to enhance her art talent with childish curiosity but during the last years of college she began developing an alternative life style she reserved for those times when a release was needed.
After graduating from a renowned art college she looked forward to her next phase in life with enthusiasm. With a bachelor degree in illustration and offers from several large firms around the country, Alex had more options to improve her life than ever before but her little quirk challenged her relationships, especially with certain men. Alex simply lost control of all reason when in the presence of tall attractive Aryan men. Instead of suppressing her oddity she embraced it then nurtured it into an art form.
She came to grips with leaving behind a student's life shortly after graduation. Figuring she had stepped over the threshold of youth and pushing her life to the limit, Alex looked forward to returning home with little fear of the solitude. Although her parents were more than happy to have Alex close to home again, having her around seemed foreign to them at times.
One of her interviews was with a prestigious firm located in a posh neighborhood on a barrier island off the Atlantic coastline. Alex preferred the studio because of the affluent location but it was also less than an hour's drive from her parent's home. Alex felt confident she could secure the job and possibly point her life in a new direction while hopefully dealing with her issue.
The firm was an advertising art and design studio providing services for major clients around the world and Alex thought she fit the part as art coordinator perfectly. Art was what Alex treasured the most and her education reflected her passion for creativity and pushing the envelope. To her surprise, the interview didn't come as easy as her education, never considering there were several other souls vying for the same position with considerably more experience and education. But Alex felt she had a hell of lot more artistic talent and with a keen sense of human nature she was determined to prove her professionalism to her prospective employer.
Alex knew she hit on something when she was called in for a second interview with a request she bring a collection of what she considered her finest artwork. She was instructed to meet the firm's owner in the woman's private office, and after introductions the lady wasted no time opening the large binder containing the artwork Alex had lovingly assembled.
The lady's first impression of Alex was somewhat of a surprise but after a short time the woman barely noticed how tall Alex was and accepted her cheerful personality and wit as a reflection of Alex's work ethic. After their second greeting the lady looked at the first few sketches with a quick scan then stopped and looked at Alex. "Interesting sketches Miss Gregory, your professors mentioned you always strived for perfection outside the box," said the stately woman after looking over her glasses at Alex.
"Thank you ma'am, I've been drawing ever since I could use crayons to make messes ... on my parent's living room walls," offered Alex as she repositioned her buttocks on the hard seat of the wooden chair.
The woman grinned a little then looked at the next sheet of art. "Well then, this sketch is interesting ... it captures the ferociousness of the animal's basic instinct but reflects cunning ... without a storyline I'd suspect the viewer would assume the animal is calculating its prey ... you captured the story well with pencil on paper nearing the level of photography," said the woman after a slight giggle. Then she gently turned the large sheet of paper over to examine the next drawing.
"She's actually watching her kittens ... look very closely at her eyes," offered Alex as she noticed the woman's huge diamond wedding ring.
The woman looked over her glasses at Alex as she tenderly flipped the sheet, grinned, looked down at the next sketch and said, "Conte crayon ... this is rather unique ... squirrels in a scurry ... I don't recall ever watching those little creatures that closely," then the woman looked directly at Alex and said with a calm voice, "Apparently you love nature my dear."
Alex wiggled a little and looked down at the stack of drawings then said as she pointed, "There are different subjects, further down."
Alex thought the woman would simply close the portfolio, slide the stack of drawings away from her space like a disease, sit back then tell Alex she was talented and thank her for coming in and sharing her art with her, but that wasn't the case. After the woman had browsed through the drawings of streetscapes, flowers and strangely a single redbrick in space she flipped to the last of Alex's sketches then sat back a bit adjusting her reading glasses.
"Well now ... sepia ink on Mylar ...did you use a model ... or your imagination dear?" asked the lady as she adjusted her readers on her nose and studied the drawings more closely.
Alex glanced down at her artwork and recalled the amount of time it took to complete the studies. She was a bit hesitant to answer but she figured she was in the presence of maturity and it would probably be another walk in the park for the lady. Alex had to make up an answer yet make her answer sound honest. She smiled a little then said, "He was my neighbor ... did he model for me? ... No ... not exactly ... he was a sun worshiper and liked to lay out in his backyard a lot ... I just though it would make an interesting subject because of the complex characteristics ... and implied sensuality ... so, I drew it in that state."
"I'm curious as to how you managed to achieve the whiteness within the sepia color of the ink," said the lady as she examined the largest of the sketches. Alex was proud of her artwork but also of her innovative approach when working with media. "Simple, I used a matt knife to scratch the surface of the Mylar after the ink had dried ... sort of like sandblasting glass, if you will," offered Alex with a slight grin.
The woman closed the portfolio with obvious grace and care, sat back in her chair then looked at Alex straight in the eyes. Alex cleared her throat a little and felt nervous the woman saw her drawings of an ejaculating penis from several angles but she grinned and waited.
"Physically the penis is complex enough, but it really has only one purpose even though the recipient often expects unlimited sustainability ... I suspect you understand the correlation between that analysis and the position I'm offering," said the woman in a motherly voice.
Alex actually did understand what the woman was inferring with respect to the biological point of view, however she felt she had to the offer her thoughts regarding her interpretation of the implied purpose of the male reproductive organ and offered, "Yes ma'am, however I have experienced, unlike a clitoris, a penis performs it's duty then retreats and the mystery of its potential vanishes leaving the recipient yearning rather than satisfied, therefore inviting encouragement."
The woman grinned a little then looked out the window for a moment, then back at Alex and said softly, "Alex? ... You're a very talented woman, your artwork reflects your love of art, the reflection of the kittens in the tiger's eyes and even the solitary brick are so well done, they gleam with life, it's apparent you have the gift of deep observation as well as the understanding of the mechanics of fine art ... and the implications some subjects have on the human process of decision making as well as their feelings ... I'll be honest with you ... There are candidates from Yale, Cooper-Union and even a business master expecting a nod from me ... tell you what ... I'll offer you a position in the studio as a junior ... say ... four months probationary period ... no, make that three months ... I want to see how you work under pressure ... believe me ... this business is all about pressure dear ... and little to do with talent ... I'll expect to see you Monday at 7:30 sharp," said the women calmly before she turned her head and reached for the phone to her right.
Alex was so elated she didn't know what to do or say except say, "Thank you Mrs. Halprin ... I'll do my best."
The lady turned toward her left to grab a pad on her desk while plucking the handset with her right hand then turned her head and looked directly at Alex. "In your words, I expect your performance to be less then that of an ejaculating penis and trust you'll perform more like a clitoris craving encouragement ... that's all."
Being new to the employment world Alex wasn't sure if she was just told to go play with herself or not, but she simply smiled then stood and gently gathered her portfolio, turned and stepped toward the door, not realizing the lady was scanning her backside with an envious glare, reminiscing about an earlier time in her life when youth was an endless string of possibilities with eager sex partners while the beautiful ejaculating penis Alex had drawn on Mylar flashed in her mind.