Saturday Lunch Meeting

Saturday morning Darlene tried to keep herself busy with household chores as a distraction from the upcoming decision she would have to make. Even though she agreed to meet with Angela and Cindy, Darlene started to have doubts about posing for pictures. Her friend Angela was due to arrive in a couple of hours to pick her up for the lunch appointment at Raphael’s restaurant and she was a nervous wreck. She thought to herself “Maybe a drink would help calm my nerves.” Remembering Sam had been drinking martinis last night, there might be some vodka left and she could fix herself a screwdriver. Darlene sighed with relief when she found Sam’s Grey Goose still had a quarter of a bottle left. “That should be enough for a couple of drinks” she mentally noted. Over the course of getting ready, she managed to finish off the bottle and she was more than little tipsy when Angela arrived at her house.

As they started to leave, Angela asked “Are you okay? You seem a little drunk.”

Darlene sheepishly admitted that she had “A couple of drinks just to calm her nerves”.

“Darlene, we’re just talking it over with Cindy today. There is nothing to be nervous about if it doesn’t sound like something you want to do then we’ll think of something else for Sam. So just chill out, relax and try not worry so much. Oh, and maybe skip the wine today at lunch because you know you’re a light weight when it comes to drinking.”

“You’re right Angela, we’ll talk to Cindy and go from there and maybe just one glass of wine” Darlene half giggled. “I can handle my liquor now better than when we were teenagers.”

As they arrive at the restaurant, Cindy was already waiting for them at the hostess station. After the being seated and placing their orders with the waiter, the ladies began to discuss the proposed photo shoot.

“So, Angela tells me that both of you are thinking about doing a photo set for your husbands. Well, let me tell you little about my husband Brian and I. We both have been taking photographs and video for over thirty years, either as an amateur hobby or paid professionals. Until five years ago, we had a studio in town where we could handle any occasion for our clients: weddings, graduation, baby pictures, portraits, anything they might want but with improved quality of cameras in phones we felt a direct impact in our business. People started relying on their phones to capture memories instead of hiring a professional. It made little sense to continue to pay rent for a store front. So, we closed our brick and mortar studio in town and built a home studio addition to our house. As my husband and I got older, we realized we needed health insurance. So, we got day jobs to help cover the cost. Brian teaches a photography class at the local community college and I work in the accounts payable department at the hospital. We still get to do what we love but at our pace and by appointment only. I hope I covered some of your concerns. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?”

“See Darlene, I told you Cindy knows what she is doing” Angela injected as if to help sooth her friend’s concerns.

“That all sounds very good, Angela but I'm most concerned with what will happen with pictures she takes of me in uh compromising positions.”

“Darlene, I understand your concern, but we do not publish or use our client’s photos for promotional purposes unless given authorization by them which is outlined in release forms we both sign before shooting begins” Cindy explained.

“Okay, that makes me feel better about this” Darlene sounding relieved.

“Cindy, can you put our pictures into a photo album? It would be a nice surprise for our husbands when they open their gift” asked Angela.

“Not a problem, we can customize an album however you like. We also provide you with a flash drive with all your media in addition to a private web page with password protection for you to access when you want to order additional photos” Cindy reassured. ” Would y’all like to go ahead and schedule an appointment for next weekend since we have an opening for Saturday at one o clock ?”

“That works for me” Angela answered.

Darlene replied, “Me too.”

“Well, it sounds like we are all set on the date, both of you need to think about what you'll wear for the photo shoot. I suggest a variety of clothes: sexy dresses, lingerie, bathing suits, and lacy undergarments. If you have any questions give me a call, both of you have my phone number. I’ll start getting the studio ready for Saturday and see both of you then. Thanks again for inviting me to lunch and allowing me to be a part of your special presents to your husbands.”