The Art Seminar and Thereafter
By: Kaffy
Chapter 8: The Interview
Richard and Caroline spent the next 2 days working on their respective art forms. Caroline sat on the bed drawing while Richard stood poised in front of the canvas. Both worked in silence all day, neither wanting to disturb the other. By the time the meeting came around, Caroline had at least 20 strips to show this Del Cassidy.
Before they knew it, it was the day of the meeting. Richard walked her to the building and waited with her in the lobby.
"Do you want me to go in with you?"
"No, that would be unprofessional."
"Ok, I'll wait for you right here."
"Ok." Just then, she was called into Del's office.
Richard noticed how nervous she was. He grasped her hand. "Relax, you're going to be fine." She smiled at him. "Good luck." He let go and watched as she walked through the door.
*~*~*~*~*
She opened the office door, surprised to see someone not much older than herself sitting at the desk.
"You must be Caroline Duffy…" he stuck his hand out and she took it. "Del Cassidy."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. So, I understand you draw a comic strip."
"Yes."
"I see, what papers have you been in?"
She stuttered, "Um, I haven't, um, I haven't, um, really been published yet…"
He looked up. "Oh. Well that does change things a bit."
"Ok, I understand." She got up to go.
"No, no, no. I didn't mean that we wouldn't publish you. I just meant that it would change things a bit."
She sat down and laughed, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"Can I see what you've done so far?"
She handed him her portfolio. "Hmm…this is good. I like the country mouse in the big city thing." She crossed her fingers. He looked up. "I like it. I'd like to do something with it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I have to run it across my father first, but I think we might be able to do something with it."
"That's great!"
"I'll talk to him tonight. Can you come in tomorrow?"
"Sure."
"Ok, 9:00?"
"Sounds great. Thank you, Mr. Cassidy." She stuck her hand out again.
"Please, call me Del."
She smiled sheepishly. "Ok, thank you Del."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes. Thank you. Bye."
"Bye."
*~*~*~*~*
She calmly walked out of the office, walking straight up to Richard. He looked up form the book he was reading, "Well, how did it go?" She didn't answer, but instead grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the elevator. Once the doors closed, she hit the red button and turned to Richard, a big smile on her face. He matched her smile and grasped her hands. "Does that smile mean it went well?" She nodded. "What happened?"
"He said he really liked it, he'd have to run it by his father first, but it looked like he could really do something with it."
"So they'll probably publish your strip?"
"Probably."
He picked her up and spun her around the elevator. "That's great!" He put her down and kissed her softly on the lips.
She smiled up at him. "I know." She reached up and kissed him again. "I have to come back tomorrow morning and he'll let me know for sure, but…"
"I'm so happy for you."
He started the elevator again. They talked excitedly all the way home.
"So, what are you going to tell your parents?"
"I don't know. I didn't even tell them about he meeting. I told them you were showing my stuff around, but that's it."
"Well, what happens if they decide to publish it?"
"Well, I'd have to quit school, at least for a little while, and move here….after that, I don't really know…I guess I'll know tomorrow, and if they say 'yes,' I start looking for an apartment."
"Why do you have to look for any apartment? Why don't you just move in with me?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah." His eyes sparkled with excitement as did hers.
"But, isn't your place kind of small for two people?"
"Yeah, I guess…we could find a bigger place…"
"Yeah. Let's just see what they say tomorrow. I'll call my parents tonight and warn them, me moving to New York can't come out of the blue."
"That's probably a good idea."
"Thank you, Richard."
"Me? For what?"
"This never would have happened if you hadn't convinced me to let you show my stuff around, you made this possible." She said sweetly.
"Does this mean I get 10% of what you make, like an agent?"
"No," she pulled him aside, "But you get some other pretty nice benefits…" She kissed him soundly on the lips.
"Even better." They continued to kiss lovingly for a few moments before Richard pulled away.
"We better get home or I'm going to need some serious medical attention."
"Ok," she laughed, "Let's go."
They hurried home and fell into bed, celebrating Caroline's newfound success.
*~*~*~*~*
Caroline called her parents later on that afternoon. "Mom?"
"Hey hone, how's New York?"
"Good, I'm having fun…"
"That's good, how's Richard?"
"He's good."
"Good."
"I…um…I have news."
"What's that dear?"
"Well, uh, I had a meeting today with the owner of several newspapers, and…uh…well, he uh…he thinks he can probably publish my strips.
"What?!"
"Yeah, I know, isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah, but is it in New York?"
"Well, yeah…but…this could be the break I need, I don't want to pass it up…"
"I know, honey, but New York is a big city, I'll worry about you living there all by yourself…"
"But, I won't be alone here…Richard's here…"
"I know, but you don't have any family there, honey…I'll just worry so much, you're so young to move to New York by yourself…"
"Mom, let's not talk about this now, I don't even know for sure, I'll know tomorrow."
"Ok. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll have a serious discussion about this."
"Ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow." Caroline sighed.
"Bye dear."
"Bye Mom, tell Dad I love him."
"I will. Bye."
"Bye."
She hung up the phone and turned to Richard, who was painting in the corner. "I don't think that went over too well…"
He turned to look at her. "She's not happy for you?" He was surprised, he thought her parents would be thrilled that she was getting her career started.
"She's happy that someone is interested in my work, but she's worried about me moving here, you know, I'm too young, don't know enough people, blah blah blah."
"Do you think they'll be mad if you move out here?"
"Not mad, just worried."
"Oh." He put down his art supplies and sat down on the bed with her, gently grasping her hand. "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know…I'm not going to worry about it right now." She pulled him back down onto the bed with her. "I just want to lay with you and not worry about a single thing."
"Ok."
*~*~*~*~*
The next day, they went back to Del's office to get his answer. Richard gently rubbed her hand while they waited, helping her to relax. "Just relax, Caroline, you'll be fine…"
"I know, I'm just so nervous…this could change my entire my life…"
"I know, but you have to take this one step at a time."
"I know." She took a few deep breaths until her name was called and she choked, whispering, "Oh god…"
"Relax, you'll do great."
She smiled weakly and got up.
(to be continued)
By: Kaffy
Chapter 8: The Interview
Richard and Caroline spent the next 2 days working on their respective art forms. Caroline sat on the bed drawing while Richard stood poised in front of the canvas. Both worked in silence all day, neither wanting to disturb the other. By the time the meeting came around, Caroline had at least 20 strips to show this Del Cassidy.
Before they knew it, it was the day of the meeting. Richard walked her to the building and waited with her in the lobby.
"Do you want me to go in with you?"
"No, that would be unprofessional."
"Ok, I'll wait for you right here."
"Ok." Just then, she was called into Del's office.
Richard noticed how nervous she was. He grasped her hand. "Relax, you're going to be fine." She smiled at him. "Good luck." He let go and watched as she walked through the door.
*~*~*~*~*
She opened the office door, surprised to see someone not much older than herself sitting at the desk.
"You must be Caroline Duffy…" he stuck his hand out and she took it. "Del Cassidy."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. So, I understand you draw a comic strip."
"Yes."
"I see, what papers have you been in?"
She stuttered, "Um, I haven't, um, I haven't, um, really been published yet…"
He looked up. "Oh. Well that does change things a bit."
"Ok, I understand." She got up to go.
"No, no, no. I didn't mean that we wouldn't publish you. I just meant that it would change things a bit."
She sat down and laughed, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"Can I see what you've done so far?"
She handed him her portfolio. "Hmm…this is good. I like the country mouse in the big city thing." She crossed her fingers. He looked up. "I like it. I'd like to do something with it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I have to run it across my father first, but I think we might be able to do something with it."
"That's great!"
"I'll talk to him tonight. Can you come in tomorrow?"
"Sure."
"Ok, 9:00?"
"Sounds great. Thank you, Mr. Cassidy." She stuck her hand out again.
"Please, call me Del."
She smiled sheepishly. "Ok, thank you Del."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes. Thank you. Bye."
"Bye."
*~*~*~*~*
She calmly walked out of the office, walking straight up to Richard. He looked up form the book he was reading, "Well, how did it go?" She didn't answer, but instead grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the elevator. Once the doors closed, she hit the red button and turned to Richard, a big smile on her face. He matched her smile and grasped her hands. "Does that smile mean it went well?" She nodded. "What happened?"
"He said he really liked it, he'd have to run it by his father first, but it looked like he could really do something with it."
"So they'll probably publish your strip?"
"Probably."
He picked her up and spun her around the elevator. "That's great!" He put her down and kissed her softly on the lips.
She smiled up at him. "I know." She reached up and kissed him again. "I have to come back tomorrow morning and he'll let me know for sure, but…"
"I'm so happy for you."
He started the elevator again. They talked excitedly all the way home.
"So, what are you going to tell your parents?"
"I don't know. I didn't even tell them about he meeting. I told them you were showing my stuff around, but that's it."
"Well, what happens if they decide to publish it?"
"Well, I'd have to quit school, at least for a little while, and move here….after that, I don't really know…I guess I'll know tomorrow, and if they say 'yes,' I start looking for an apartment."
"Why do you have to look for any apartment? Why don't you just move in with me?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah." His eyes sparkled with excitement as did hers.
"But, isn't your place kind of small for two people?"
"Yeah, I guess…we could find a bigger place…"
"Yeah. Let's just see what they say tomorrow. I'll call my parents tonight and warn them, me moving to New York can't come out of the blue."
"That's probably a good idea."
"Thank you, Richard."
"Me? For what?"
"This never would have happened if you hadn't convinced me to let you show my stuff around, you made this possible." She said sweetly.
"Does this mean I get 10% of what you make, like an agent?"
"No," she pulled him aside, "But you get some other pretty nice benefits…" She kissed him soundly on the lips.
"Even better." They continued to kiss lovingly for a few moments before Richard pulled away.
"We better get home or I'm going to need some serious medical attention."
"Ok," she laughed, "Let's go."
They hurried home and fell into bed, celebrating Caroline's newfound success.
*~*~*~*~*
Caroline called her parents later on that afternoon. "Mom?"
"Hey hone, how's New York?"
"Good, I'm having fun…"
"That's good, how's Richard?"
"He's good."
"Good."
"I…um…I have news."
"What's that dear?"
"Well, uh, I had a meeting today with the owner of several newspapers, and…uh…well, he uh…he thinks he can probably publish my strips.
"What?!"
"Yeah, I know, isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah, but is it in New York?"
"Well, yeah…but…this could be the break I need, I don't want to pass it up…"
"I know, honey, but New York is a big city, I'll worry about you living there all by yourself…"
"But, I won't be alone here…Richard's here…"
"I know, but you don't have any family there, honey…I'll just worry so much, you're so young to move to New York by yourself…"
"Mom, let's not talk about this now, I don't even know for sure, I'll know tomorrow."
"Ok. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll have a serious discussion about this."
"Ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow." Caroline sighed.
"Bye dear."
"Bye Mom, tell Dad I love him."
"I will. Bye."
"Bye."
She hung up the phone and turned to Richard, who was painting in the corner. "I don't think that went over too well…"
He turned to look at her. "She's not happy for you?" He was surprised, he thought her parents would be thrilled that she was getting her career started.
"She's happy that someone is interested in my work, but she's worried about me moving here, you know, I'm too young, don't know enough people, blah blah blah."
"Do you think they'll be mad if you move out here?"
"Not mad, just worried."
"Oh." He put down his art supplies and sat down on the bed with her, gently grasping her hand. "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know…I'm not going to worry about it right now." She pulled him back down onto the bed with her. "I just want to lay with you and not worry about a single thing."
"Ok."
*~*~*~*~*
The next day, they went back to Del's office to get his answer. Richard gently rubbed her hand while they waited, helping her to relax. "Just relax, Caroline, you'll be fine…"
"I know, I'm just so nervous…this could change my entire my life…"
"I know, but you have to take this one step at a time."
"I know." She took a few deep breaths until her name was called and she choked, whispering, "Oh god…"
"Relax, you'll do great."
She smiled weakly and got up.
(to be continued)
