Five years ago, prodded by who knows what*, our whole family trotted over to a local modeling agency, got pics taken. We were officially ‘signed’ by an agency. We’ve gotten calls here and there, the TV series that never happened, a big event when I was in the US, but it is not something we think about much.
Last week I got a call.
She: “Hello, Kinzi? This is Sausan from The Agency”.
Me: “Who? Oh, yes, hello, keefik?”
“Mneeha, kefik enti? Yella, Kinzi, you were chosen for an ad. Can you be here at 10am Tuesday for casting?”
“Are you serious?”
“Um, yes, that is why I am calling. Can you make it?”
“Sure. Now, you know that picture was from five years ago.”
“Yes, yes”
“I have gained 7 kilos and am not blonde anymore, and very wrinkly” (I almost played the cancer card)
“Malesh, yella”
“I am not going to pretend to be someone else’s wife on a billboard”
“Tayyeb, no problem, can you go?” (she laughed at me)
“OK”
“Now you know I am over 50 now? Not a 35-year-old who looks old, but a well-preserved 50-year-old”
“Yes, yes, yes. See you then”
The first two attempt was cancelled due to weather. I thought, oh well, fun idea.
It actually happened recently. I got the seshwar, did the make-up and dressed cool (even got out an Amman-type handbag – big, black, bling). I walked in with a bunch of other beautiful, slim, def-model-looking models, and handed our stock images – oo, I had overdone the highlighting during that time of life. And oh, my favorite jeans, now relegated to the bottom of the bottom drawer.
We were looked over, and to my utter delight, were referred to by the Lady In Charge as: The Talent.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! The Talent
**breaks into fits of giggles**
I am awaiting news if I made the final cut.
It is very fun to be a token Ajnabi in Amman. All kinds of benefits indeed.
*I remember now, a friend’s kids were cast in Hurt Locker, and my kids wanted a chance in case there was another film done here
