the pin up
'Ok, honey. If you could just lean forward. Surprised look – your skirt is caught on that hook there. That’s it. Priceless. Hold it, baby’.
(and so if I get ten cans of tuna that are on sale at 3 cents a can….and mix them with tomatoes….that will give me meals for the week…then I can save the rest of my weekly allowance and get those kid gloves for the audition on Friday.)
‘Now, hon, if you stand straight on for me and look up. That’s it. Put a finger to your chin. You’re perfect, baby, perfect, what a star you are, darlin’. Bigger eyes for me, doll. That’s exactly it, hon. Hold it’
(and if I walk to the club instead of getting the bus for a week and a half, then I can put a deposit on that cute little hat. That would go with the gloves perfectly. Create the image – lady. That’s what they’re looking for. A good girl.)
‘This time, babe, if you sit on that block over there – turn the light on her would ya Pete? That’s it exactly…so, hon, go sit down, pull out your skirt, hook one leg over the other – perfect, perfect, baby! You have instinct, that’s what I love about you, dollface. That’s it, a bit of stocking top, and a sexy look. You have talent baby, talent.’
(i hope they don’t find out about this stuff. Would it ruin their ‘image’ of me? I hope not. I adore posing for these guys. The ones I work with are the best, and each one a perfect gent. No one believes me. But they just snap your picture, then you go and they paint you. Wonderful. It’s easy work, easy money, totally above board and clean. Why it’s looked down on I don’t know. I’m not forced to hook for movie businessmen like some of my girl friends…)
‘Alter the pose slightly, hon, look away. That’s it, that’s just right, babe.’
(of course, I’m not asked to do that yet… I’ve heard all kinds of stories about what happens when they get you under contract. Oh god. Maybe I should have stayed home and worked in Uncle Isadore’s store. Would that have been any kind of life? Is any of this worth it? Well, this is. This is fun.)
‘And now, baby, pick up that phone and lean into it. Your boyfriend has called you up and told you he loves you for the first time. That’s swell, doll, just swell. Hold it.’
(boyfriend. Yeh right. In this town, with these wolves? Not any better back home of course. I stay away from ‘em dearie. Still. To hear the words ‘I love you’ would be kinda sweet.)
‘Look away from me now, hon, that’s it’
(funny how most of these guys will take your picture and when you see the painting you look like a dozen other girls they have painted, only this time it’s a redhead, last time a brunette, next time a blonde. They have their ideal face in their head – maybe a girl who they loved and who broke their heart, maybe the girl they are hoping to meet – and they paint her over and over, regardless of what you look like yourself.)
‘Last one, baby. Look surprised. He just said something dirty’
(ok, baby. He just did. I’m a good girl but I’m not green. Heh heh. I like this guy. Stays just on the right side of saucy, without offending a girl. I love this work. Maybe I should stick to this, take some classes in something that I can do when my looks are gone and they don’t want me any more.)
‘That’s super, dollface. I love you. Go see Sally over there. She’ll give you a check and book you in with us again. I love working with you, hon. You are a class act, baby.)
(see. Me – a class act. These guys give you respect. They appreciate you. More than can be said for those cattle callers, casting couchers, desk chasers….maybe I will skip that audition. But what if this is the break? What if this will lead to me becoming the next Joan Fontaine or Theresa Wright? You never can tell with this business. Never can tell.)
‘One of these is going to be advertising Coca Cola, hon. I could make you a star, baby! A star! I’ll let you know when it’s finished, darlin’. You can come and see it. You’re a peach ya really are.’
(Coca Cola? Ah. It won’t be my face…but it will be my inspiration. See. This is the life for me. You never can see what is round the corner. I’ll go put the deposit on that hat now, on the way to the grocery store.)
(copyright corinna tomrley 2005)