Sportswriter's Dilemma

She had just finished dressing when Marcus stepped into the room, taking care to knock first. "I apologize for holding you up. I know it's been a long day, but I just wanted to go over a few details with you," the videographer.

"It's not a problem," Kate responded.

"I sense this isn't going exactly as you might have hoped. And frankly it's not for me either. But we will have a better day tomorrow, I promise." He paused, while Kate nodded as a way of acknowledging the truth of what he just said. "So, please arrive at noon for wardrobe and makeup and be ready to shoot by 2:00."

"And," he continued, "let me know if you have any thoughts on what we can do to capture the real Kate Rossi. I know your writing, and you have passion and intelligence. But we didn't capture that tonight. That's what I hope we can see tomorrow."

"He gets it," she thought. "He understands that romping around in lingerie is just not me," and she suddenly felt a wave of energy and confidence surge through her. "That's exactly what I'd like to see to," she said with utter sincerity. "Thank you."

"And now," Marcus concluded, "let me make sure you get home safely. Gina will call you a cab."

Once again, seemingly out of nowhere, the assistant materialized, already dialing her phone to set up the ride.

"I guess you're Gina," Kate said as the assistant completed requesting the cab, and extended her hand to the young woman.

"Yep, that's me.

"Thanks for calling the cab."

"Oh," the young woman replied. "I had already volunteered to give you a ride home with me but Marcus said a cab would be better." She paused, then resumed somewhat awkwardly, "That didn't come out right, did it? I mean I have my car here, to go home in, and I thought that maybe I could give you a lift to your hotel. But no worries, the cab's on its way."

Kate wasn't quite sure how to interpret all of this -- was she being propositioned? She had been around women athletes enough not to be surprised by that; even during high school, several of her teammates were open about their interest in other girls and Kate had been hit on more than once. Regardless of how Gina intended it, she found herself flattered by the assistant's attention. "Maybe next time, she replied. "And I do want to say, I was grateful for your help tonight. Whenever I needed something tonight, it seemed like you were always there."

Gina blushed and simply responded, "It was my pleasure."

****

Kate returned to her hotel room, slipped into the oversized tee shirt that she usually slept it, and turned on her computer. She knew she wouldn't be able to get to sleep for hours -- the combination of the brief period of excitement she had felt when appearing topless in front of everyone along with a sense of frustration combined to keep her mind racing. The shoot had not gone the way she had hoped; she had felt awkward and inadequate. She didn't intend to fail, but she hadn't yet figured out how to succeed. So, she turned to what she always did best -- she sat down to write.

Her fingers starting pecking at the keyboard, imaging the article she would submit in a couple of days to describe this experience. "Hi, my name is Kate. I'm a diehard fan and I have a big mouth. I live and die with my team, and anyone who will listen to me will get an earful about just how great they are. I made a bet that they were going to win, and that probably doesn't make me any different than a lot of you. But I bet with my mouth and not just my money. I said I'd strip naked if they lost, and now I was going to have to do just that."

She continued typing for almost an hour, describing the events that led her to Sports World and the pictorial they were in the process of shooting. But it still didn't help make the photo session feel right. Being a fan is letting people know how you feel -- that you bleed the colors of your team. You're in people's faces about it, and you don't deal with it by posing for hours. It's emotional and immediate, something she was always able to convey that in her writing. So why couldn't she bring that same visceral feeling to paying off her bet?

Somewhere around 4:00 in the morning, half asleep at the computer, it hit her. She had been too willing to just turn herself over to the professionals, to let Julie and Daniel tell her what to do. Suddenly she knew exactly what they should do. She picked up her phone and hurriedly texted Marcus, telling him to check his email first thing in the morning. She then took another ten minutes to capture the ideas that were tumbling out of her head, clicked the send button, and turned off the computer. Now, as she crawled into bed, she finally felt ready to sleep.

By the time she woke up, she had several messages from both Marcus and Julie. Everybody was on board with her suggestions, and Julie was busy working with the team to nail down the details. It would take some time to arrange everything, so they told her she wouldn't need to get to the studio until 4:00 and that they would be back in touch with more information by 2:00. Kate decided that gave her just enough time to shower, grab something to eat, and do some shopping to replace whatever outfit she wore to the session. "After all," she reflected, "I don't think I'll be able to get these clothes back by the end of the night."

*****

When she walked into the studio shortly before 4:00, Kate was projecting an air of confidence and poise that had been completely lacking the night before. The team sensed it immediately, and as Kate headed off to the wardrobe room for make-up and hair, Julie looked over at Marcus and signaled a big "thumbs up."

The roles today were reversed, with the videographer directing the session and Daniel standing by to snap some stills. Marcus was going over things with his crew and pointed out to Julie the equipment they had decided to use. Rather than the larger, less portable cameras set up for use in the studio, they would be filming using two hand-held digital cameras. He explained that although they were not much larger than cameras that anyone might use for taking photos at home, the lens and memory capacity made them ideal for shooting video. Small and portable, they could easily be used on location outside the studio without being obtrusive or hard to handle. In fact, that particular model had been used to shoot several movies and numerous TV shows, so the quality of the final product was not in question

They began the evening's work with a repeat of Kate in the sports jersey. Although Marcus had shot some video yesterday, he wanted to adjust the lighting and try some angles and close-ups that he hadn't been able to get before. And, he also wanted to capture some of his model's new-found sense of confidence. Tonight, as she looked into the camera lens, Kate felt she could convey that mixture of nervous embarrassment and calculated teasing that had eluded her yesterday. She could feel her excitement growing, and Marcus's camera captured that.

The crew then spent some time reassembling the desk and chair on the set that they had used the night before. But this time, the sportswriter posed first in her street clothes, a pair of tight jeans that she had worn that day that nicely accentuated her generous ass, and a simple black tank top scooped just low enough to give a glimpse of cleavage. And over it she had on a plain black blazer, creating a professional yet casual look -- the typical outfit she had worn to work countless times.

Unlike yesterday's series of poses, tonight Marcus and Kate had decided together on a very specific scene that the journalist was to act out. As if returning home, she was to enter the set from the left, approach the desk and turn on the computer. Then, removing the blazer and tossing it to the floor, she was to sit in the chair and start typing.

Marcus directed her through multiple takes, sometimes having her approach the desk with hesitation and sit down. For other takes, he had her pace around, looking distracted or tired, running her hands through her hair, leaning over the desk, and then gradually easing herself into the chair. It took longer than Kate had thought, and she was surprised that when Marcus finally called for a break, it was almost 10:00.

"Okay, that gives us plenty of footage for the first part of the video," the director announced. "Time for the second crew to head out. Gina, you want to show them the way and make sure we're all set?"

The assistant had just appeared with some bottled water that she handed to Kate. "Thought you might be thirsty," she said as she grabbed her coat from a rack to the side of the set. She then proceeded to round up the crew of four and headed out of the front door. Turning back, she shouted, "See you there soon. Can't wait!"

Marcus came over to talk to Kate. "Gina's arranged everything at the bar. It's just a little place around the corner, couple of TVs and a fair number of regulars. They'll be watching the basketball game tonight."

"Perfect," Kate replied, trying not to betray the nervousness she was feeling. Sounds like a typical neighborhood sports bar -- my type of place."

"Just what you asked for," he replied with a smile. "Frankly, I think it was a brilliant suggestion to have our heroine pay off her bet at the local bar. We'll be able to set it up as a kind of dream sequence, creating the sense of you falling asleep at the computer and then waking up when it's all over. Such a good way to frame it all -- I've already told Julie that you should have her job," he said with a wink. And now," he continued, reaching out and taking one of her hands in his outstretched palm, "do you feel ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Kate replied, taking a deep breath.

Marcus chuckled softly. "Gina ran over an hour and checked it out. She's says it's a great group there tonight -- pretty crowded because it's a big game but well behaved. Just take it one step at a time, and we'll be there for you the whole way." He smiled, releasing her hand and taking a step back. "You're sensational tonight. Just keep up the good work."

"Thanks," she nodded in return. ""Once I'm there and have a beer in front of me, I'll be fine." Or as fine as she would ever be knowing that she had written a script for herself in which she was going to jump up on a bar and strip down to nothing in front of a crowd of total strangers.

****

It was about 10:40 when Marcus, Kate, the hair stylist Janice, and Daniel made the two block walk to the Time Out Bar and Grill, the neighborhood sports establishment selected for the rest of the night's shoot. Stepping inside, Kate observed a group of five or six tables immediately inside the doorway. The bar itself ran along the left side of the room, while the right side had a long row of booths. At the back, beyond the bar and booths, there was another large space holding half a dozen bigger tables. From the door, they could see three of the camera crew seated at one of the far tables, while Gina and Tommy, the fourth crew member, were in a booth halfway down the right side.

It was a good-sized crowd but not too loud, probably seventy-five people, most of them guys but fifteen or twenty women as well, and almost everyone was watching the game on the television. There were a dozen or so over customers in their fifties, most likely from the immediate neighborhood. Everyone else seemed between twenty-five and thirty -- there for the companionship and the game and not just to drink. It seemed to be, Kate thought approvingly, a group that took their sports seriously. Gina had delivered exactly what she had requested.

Marcus led them toward the back of the room, stopping first at the booth to confirm that there'd be a space there for him and handing off the second camera that he had brought with him. "Why don't you wait here," he said to Kate, "while Janice, Daniel and I check with the guys in the back," as he quickly continued to thread his way past the clusters of people at the bar.

Kate took off her winter parka and slid into the booth next to Gina. "Do you mind if I leave my coat here for safe keeping. I have a feeling I'm going to need it later, especially if I don't have anything else to wear."

"Oh," the assistant replied, "now I'm tempted to misplace it. Wouldn't that be fun?" she said with a devilish grin.

Both women were then distracted by some cheers from the bar patrons as the home team sunk a three-point shot. Kate looked up at the television and noticed there were four minutes left in the game.

"Jeez," she said, "not much time left. I think I need a beer."

Gina reached across the table and pushed Tommy's beer in front of her. "Want to get another one?" she smiled across to him. "We're confiscating this one."

Kate took a quick gulp and looked gratefully at the assistant. "Thanks," she said as Gina nodded in reply. "And thanks for everything. This is just what I was hoping for when I described my idea to Marcus."

"No big deal" she replied, projecting a kind of "it's all part of the job" attitude. She looked down at some notes she had scribbled on a napkin and quickly went over the major points with Kate. "Okay, we'll have one video camera here and one down the end. Daniel will be floating around with a still camera. You don't have to play to them directly but make sure you're never too far from the video cameras. If you can't see one of them, then just stall for a few seconds." Kate nodded.

"Also, I've talked to the bartenders and the bouncers and they're cool with everything. We don't have a permit to shoot and technically what you're going to do may be a misdemeanor," Gina continued with a shrug of the shoulders, "but they're not worried. They're friends with the local cops so there's not going to be a problem. And besides, two of them dropped by earlier so they won't be back again tonight."

"Sounds good," the sportswriter nodded. "This may sound like a stupid question, but how exactly do I get up on the bar?"

"All set on that too. One of the bouncers will grab a little stool from the back room -- I guess they use it to get glassware down from a high shelf -- and he'll bring it behind the bar at the far end there," she said pointing to the back of the room. "After the game's over and you're ready, just head down there. The owner will make an announcement, and then he'll turn things over to you."

"Sounds like you've thought of everything." Just then, another cheer went up from the crowd as the home team scored two more points. "Uh oh," Kate said, "doesn't look like it's going into overtime," as she took another long gulp of her beer. "I better make a quick trip to the ladies room."

"In the back left," Gina said with a quick motion of her hand, then suddenly looked at Kate with a real look of concern. "You're okay, right? Not going to back out."

"Well, other than the fact that my stomach is doing belly flops and my legs are kind of unsteady, I'm fine. But don't worry, I'm not backing out. In fact, the scary thing is I think I'm really starting to enjoy this."

The assistant smiled. "I think we all are," she said with a school-girl giggle.

Kate took advantage of her trip to the bathroom to do a visual inspection of the actual bar top. She estimated that it was a little over thirty feet in length. It had a dark wood surface that was a little over two feet deep, which meant she was going to have to be careful that her shoes didn't slip on any wet spots. But she decided that the low heels she had on should be fine, and besides, she wouldn't be wearing them for long.

By the time Kate returned, Marcus had joined Tommy and Gina at the booth along with an older man who stood up when she arrived. "This is Len," Marcus said introducing him. "He's the owner."

"Looking forward to this, Miss Rossi. I read your stuff all the time, so I had heard about your bet. Figured there was some loophole somewhere but Marcus here says you're really going through with it."

"Looks that way, doesn't it," she said glancing around the bar. "And thank you for allowing us to shoot here."

"Hey, no problem," he said with a hearty smile. "These guys offered some additional compensation for the use of our space. But I figure once people know that this is where you delivered on your bet, we'll see an increase in business anyway. And besides," he added with a grin, "my regular customers -- I think they're going to enjoy this."

"I hope so. I like this place; they seem like good people."

"They are," he reassured you. "So, just let me know when you're ready."

"We will," Marcus assured him, and Kate nodded. They went over a few more details and then he left. There was less than a minute left in the game.

She could feel her nervousness building and she dealt with it the best way she knew how. She started mentally composing the paragraphs for her story that would describe this experience. "So, here I am in a strange bar in an unfamiliar part of the city with close to a hundred people I don't know. And I'm about to pay up on my bet. That's because I decided I not going to pose in lingerie or sexy clothes that I'd never wear in real life just to deliver on Ronnie Simpson's wager. I'm going to settle this on my terms and surrounded by my people. In just a few minutes, I'm going to get up on this bar and strip naked in front of them, and I hope that they love it. And all because of an intercepted pass...oh, and because sometimes I just can't keep my mouth shut."

"Damn, that's good," she thought to herself. "Hope I can remember that all tomorrow."

Just then, a cheer went up from the crowd -- the game had ended with a victory for the home team. Some folks were gathering up their coats and seemed to ready to head out the door. "Well, it's now or never," Kate whispered to herself. She reached over and squeezed Gina's hand. "I'm ready."

The two of them slid out of the booth; Kate worked her way to the back of the room while Gina said something to one of the bartenders who in turn motioned to Len. The owner stood up on a chair at the back of the room, put his fingers in the corners of his mouth and whistled loudly.

"Ladies and gents, if I can have your attention." He waited a few seconds as the crowd in the bar started to settle down and then whistled again. "Listen up, please. We have a visitor here tonight from out of town. Some of you may recognize her, but she wants to tell you something now."

The bar grew very quiet; the people who had been making their way toward the front door stopped and peered back over the shoulders of others, craning their necks to see who Len was talking about. "Here," he said, leading Kate by the hand, "why don't you get up on the bar so everyone can hear you?"

Now things got completely silent. She carefully climbed up on the stool and then stepped onto the bar. She realized the televisions had been turned off, and she could swear she heard her heart pounding as she moved cautiously along the wooden surface toward the center. She looked out across the crowd, realizing that from that height, she could see virtually everyone in the place. "Which, of course," she thought, "means that everyone can see me."

"Hi," she began. "My name's Kate. I made a bet on the Super Bowl, and wouldn't you know it, my team lost." (A few people could be heard muttering "aww" but there clearly was not much sympathy expressed by the crowd.) "Anyway, I don't welsh on bets (now a few cheers from the crowd) so I'm here to pay up tonight."

At that point, someone in the back of the room called out, "Hey, you're that sports writer, aren't you?" A few others chimed in, "yeah on the radio show."

"Yep, that's me," Kate said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You said you'd get naked if your team lost," someone else called out.

"I did," Kate said as she felt the excitement growing in the pit of her stomach. "And that's exactly what I'm going to do tonight."