MsCezanne's Odyssey

When Sheila woke up, there was a cart of food waiting for her. She waited a few moments for Basil, but he didn't show up. She went right into eating it.

A few minutes after she finished, Basil came in, without a word, and sat down, staring at her expectantly.

Sheila went right back into Alexandra's Story.

Alexandra: A Painter's Story - Continued.

Alexandra was not happy. She was a good painter, she knew she was. It seemed totally unfair that people would judge her work based on her appearance. She didn't even see the big deal with her appearance either. Yes, she was fat, but so what? She was happy with it, why can't other people be happy with it?

Cut off from the community she wished to be part of, Alexandra fell into a deep funk. It wasn't such a stretch for her to find solace in the food that she had loved so much the past year. Before long she wasn't merely a fat artist, but had become quite enormous.

One day, when she was out of clothes that fit, she was watching herself in the mirror. She was struck at how unique she now appeared, and was immediately inspired to self portrait. She was so happy with the results of her self portrait she made another. Right away she could see the contrast of the miserable, ugly, fat Alexandra who was the first subject, and the bright, beautiful round Alexandra who was the second subject.

She followed up her portraits by painting herself at different times, as a child full of hope, a teenager wanting to get out, an artist wishing to accepted, an artist who has been accepted, and finally the artist shunned.

It was the first time in a long time she had painted for herself, rather than creating paintings for others to buy. There was no one to impress, no one would be impressed by her any more. She was creating art, not a product, and it made her happy.

Even though Alexandra had broken her funk, she continued to eat and gain. It was what she did now, who she was. She even enjoyed painting self portraits to compare herself over time.

She began to run low of funds again, and she began wondering what she could do now. If people thought she was fat before, what would they think now? Her morose view on life was beginning to return when she happened to turn on the TV and see a story about some woman suing for fat rights. She was pretty big, and her lawyer was absolutely gigantic, bigger than Alexandra herself!

Alexandra became steeled. She wrote a long letter to dozens of magazines, saying that what someone contributed was far more important than anything about themselves. In a day and age where the world fights to rid itself of sexism, racism and other discriminations, adding sizism to the mix was a terrible idea.

Her letter came to the attention of a cable news producer who actually had one of her paintings, and was rather curious what she was up to now. He'd never known her, fat or thin, and was ready to have her interviewed in her art studio. Alexandra jumped at the chance.

Her interviewer was fascinated by the self portraits she had scattered around the studio. Alexandra got a chance to explain what each and every one represented to her. Over night her first pair of portraits, dubbed 'Melancholy and Joy', became the symbol of art. They were on magazine covers, her art started to sell for vast sums at auctions, and everyone wanted to speak to her.

Alexandra revived her painting career by painting other large men and women. It became a status symbol to be one of her subjects. She even helped to get some Hollywood stars who had faded from the spotlight after their weight woes.

She then began her most ambitious project: she would paint a series documenting someone's weight gain over time.

Alexandra was worried that it would take a lot of time to find the perfect subject. As luck would have it though, she met him the very next day.

Anthony: The Model - Part One

Anthony had the world at his feet. At least, that's what everyone told him. His dad was mayor of the town. It was a successful town, and quite powerful ever since his father had arranged the ethanol plant to be built. Anthony lead the high school football team to its first ever championship. He had the cutest girlfriend in town. He had his choice of plum jobs. He would be mayor when he was ready. He had everything the town could offer.

It wasn't enough. Anthony knew that he did have the world at his feet, and the world was not in some hick town. He caught the acting bug, and moved to Hollywood to share his good looks and easy charm with the world.

Two years of waiting tables, and never getting the break he deserved, or meeting the people he needed to, Anthony began to realise that it wasn't going to happen. Rather than admit defeat and head home, he sold his shares in the ethanol plant (a gift from his grandfather) and bought a restaurant. He'd worked in enough, it was time to make the money.

Two years after opening a restaurant in the underserved arts quarter, Anthony had a better understanding of the term 'starving artist'. They couldn't afford good food, and Anthony's wasn't about to serve anything less. The restaurant was going down the tubes fast.

It was a typically empty lunch. In the back his chef, another failed actor who was actually a very good cook, was feeding prepped but unsold food to the waitress. The waitress was a failed actress, of course. Anthony sighed. He could see the buttons straining on her blouse, he'd have to buy her a bigger uniform. Again. At least she liked the food.

Anthony was startled when the door opened. He was still staring at how much wasted food his waitress was eating. He turned to the front and was shocked to see a a mountain of a woman standing there. She was at least 3 times the size of the waitress. He watched in fascination as his waitress got up from her own meal and escorted the slowly waddling woman to a table.

He looked on in pleasure as the fat woman ordered even more food than even the wildest stereotype.

As the chef got busy in the kitchen, Anthony decided to head over and talk with his client. With any luck, she could become a regular and put some cash in the till.

Just as he arrived at the table to introduce himself, the woman looked him up and down, and her face lit up. "Are you an actor?" she asked.

Anthony was caught off guard, "I, well, I try, but, why?"

"You're perfect!" Her voice filled the restaurant.

Anthony waited a moment, at a complete loss of words. Was this what a big break felt like?

"Turn around," she commanded, holding up pudgy finger to trace a circle in the air.

Anthony did a slow turn on the spot, fixing his smile on her.

"Yes, yes. I'll take you!"

"Um. Take me where?" Anthony was trying to keep his excitement, and confusion, contained.

"You'll be my model. Oh, you're so perfect. Do you work out?" The fat woman continued to gush. Her whole body seemed to be jiggling with excitement.

"Yes I work out... but I'm an actor, not a model. I've never modelled before. Are you a designer?"

For the first time since he came over the big woman was silent. "You don't know who I am?"

"No." Anthony could feel his excitement draining. Hollywood was full of hacks who thought they should be famous, and offered nothing but empty promised. He'd just never seen a fake that was so fat before.

"I'm Alexandra, the painter."

The name certainly rang a bell. Despite being in an artistic neighbourhood, he didn't have much interest himself. But she had been on TV or something he thought.

His waitress came by with a tray full of food, which she began to arrange in front of Alexandra. Anthony smiled again, if nothing else, he was going to pocket $50 from this meal. And if she really was famous, and word got out... he could be going places after all!

Anthony watched Alexandra eat as though she only had minutes left to live. After a few minutes she looked up, and seemed astonished that Anthony was still there, "Give me your card, I'll get my people to call your agent and we'll get this settled."

The next day Anthony was on the phone with his agent. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I'm going to get paid how much?!" He was going to get enough that the restaurant could stay open for years without another customer! "And I have to do what?" He would have to double his weight over the course of a year, and allow Alexandra to paint him at any time.

All Anthony could think about was dollar signs. Gaining weight? Hell, his waitress had done it, so it was no big deal at all.

Shiela smiled at Basil.

He stared back for a moment before finally muttering “okay, have a good sleep”, before he stalked out of the room.

Labels: Adiposity Nights, Alexandra: A Painter's Story, Anthony: The Model, FA, ffa, fiction, weight gain