All characters over eighteen. Thanks to S who helped me edit this story.
*****
The cars darted in and out of the early morning traffic, driving Gary crazy. He began to wonder why he had rented the downtown studio. Art can be a difficult mistress and it demands privacy. While his two-room studio did not compare to the studios of the more famous artists, it did give him the privacy he needed. The annual Nude Figure Exhibition was coming up and he did not have many paintings to showโnothing he liked. He needed to find something that inspired not only him, but also the buying public. As a retired psychologist, he knew the erotic yet subtle response he wanted his art to evoke in his buyers.
He was in pretty good shape for just turning 70. This morning he was not feeling fully awake. His mind was still in a haze of cobwebs from being up late the night before. Strong coffee was needed. He wandered up the back stairs of the old building to his second story studio. The multi-colored leaves were falling in swirls of a cool fall wind. The studio had two very large double windows facing north which provided a strong contrast, yet soft morning light. He loved the natural light. It was light and shadow that always fascinated himโhe incorporated it in most of his work. The nude figure would dance in the chiaroscuro he could produce.
He went to his coffee maker and discovered he was out of coffee. Damn, too much on his mind. He would have to go to the coffee shop two blocks away. He grabbed a sketchbook and some drawing materials. Perhaps he could find an unassuming person to sketch and draw in stealth as he drank his coffee.
As he walked down the block, there was a cold chill in the air. It put a skip in his step. He noticed the morning sunlight had changed. Now, the shadows on the street were deeper since the last time he went to get coffee. It had to have been two months since he last made the short trek to the coffee shop.
In the past, he usually flirted with a cute barista. Typically, she was the highlight of the trip to the coffee shop. They both had chatted many times as he sat at the bar facing the various machines as she worked. The last time he was there he had done a quick sketch of her. She liked it and he gave it to her. Ah, he thought, what was her name? Karen, Kate, perhaps it was Kathy. He really needed the coffee to clear his mind. The line was long as he entered the shop. As he stood in line, he looked around to see if she was there. Nope, nowhere to be seen. Oh well, he thought as he took a deep breath.
After he got his coffee and found a comfortable seat at a table, he looked for someone to draw.
"Hey Mr. Stone," a female's voice rang out from behind him.
It's her, he thought, what the hell was her name? Then it came to him. He stood and turned, "Oh, hi Kate." Phew, the old noggin was working.
"I don't see your uniform, are you not working today?" he said in a very friendly tone.
"Mr. Stone, don't you remember? You talked me into going back to college and getting my bachelor's degree in art. It was the best advice ever, thank you so much." And, with that, she gave him a big hug.
Immediately, he smelled her perfume and felt her warm hug was lasting a bit too long. He thought he felt her hard nipples against his chest. Hum, he felt some stiffness in his pants, he thought to himself, you can't be that aroused, heck, and you are old enough to be her grandfather. Perhaps it had to be the cooler weather.
"I turned 22 last month and most of the kids in my classes are younger than I am. So, that makes me the old lady of the group. They ask me for advice all the time."
"Come, please join me," and he pulled out a chair for her.
"Such a gentleman, thank you." as she smiled. "I always like talking to you because you treated me as an adult. You gave me the best advice and you have helped me in ways you can't imagine."
"Now you have my curiosity up, how are the ways I have helped you in ways I can't imagine?" he said leaning forward in his chair smiling.
"Oh, I have gone to your website and also to your profile on Facebook. I have learned so much from your art." She slowly reached out and touched his arm. "Your step by step examples are excellent. The way you draw and paint the nude figure, the way you capture the light on the figure's form and the way you evoke emotion from your art, I find breathtaking."
"I'm flattered, thank you." As he talked, his eyes drifted toward her cleavage and the stirring began again in his pants. Quickly glancing away, he asked how she liked her teachers.
A sad look crossed her face and she said, "A year ago you gave me the advice to go back to college. I did right then and there. Currently, I am getting all "A"s but I feel I have so much more to learn. My teachers have taught me all they can or what I want to learn from them and now I feel I'm in a void, an artist's block."
He started to say something about artist's block, some sage advice when she teared up and said she really needed a favor from him. "That depends on what you are asking." He settled back into his chair.
"Would you consider being my mentor? I can't pay you to teach me because of my lack of funds. If I could be your assistant in exchange for some mentoring services, it would really make me happy. We could work around my school schedule and my work schedule if that would be OK with you."
Gary was completely taken off base. He did not know what to say and he needed to collect his thoughts.
"Many years ago, I used to teach," he said, but thinking that these days as a retired artist all he wanted to do was produce quality art.
"Please, please, I know I can help you and with my digital skills, I can update your website." And she leaned forward showing more of her breasts and again touching his arm.
He relinquished. "Do you work or have classes this next Saturday?"
"Yes, I have to work from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at a restaurant, but I'm free after that."