An Artist’s Eye

“Hello, Paul. How’s it going?"

"Let's see: you're Dana, right? The ad art director?"

"That's right."

"Lots of new names to remember this week," Paul said.

"Do you feel settled in the new job yet?"

“I'm getting the hang of it. The fundamentals of buying are the same, but I never bought men’s clothes before. So it’s pretty much like I’m starting over: new markets, new wholesalers, new lingo. “

“New people to deal with up here in our department too. Do you like the ads so far?”

“That’s what I came up to talk about. The big menswear spread for Sunday’s paper looks terrific. Especially the Dockers page.”

“Good. I know Sid and Karen worked really hard on it. Shall I call them in and let you tell them yourself?”

“Wait a minute, Dana. I’m not done yet.”

“Oh, is there a problem?”

“Well, yeah, there is. Did you look at this Jockey page?”

“Sure, I saw it. It’s a basic Back to College Stock-up-for-School ad. Why?”

“Did you look closely at the art?”

“No, I can’t say that I did.”

“Well, do, and tell me what you think.”

Dana said, “It looks okay to me. What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know how to say this. This didn’t come up when I was buying for the home store. Look at these briefs, will you? Does it look like there’s a man in them? No. They look like little boys’ briefs.”

“Did you meet Gloria the other day?”

“No, I don’t think I met anybody by that name.”

“You’d better meet her and tell her yourself. Gloria is our oldest artist on staff. She’s a little, uh, different. Her makeup is always too bright, her wig crooked. I’m not sure she can see very well any more. She used to be one of our best. Bad marriage a long time ago, bad health--she really needs the job. She’s got to get it right, but go easy on her, okay?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“Then I’ll buzz her. ‘Gloria, will you please come in here?’”

“Do you need me for something, Ms. Danforth?” Gloria asked meekly.

“Hello Gloria. Thanks for coming so quickly. You’ve met Paul here, haven’t you? The new menswear buyer?”

“I saw him last week when he brought the samples by,” she replied.

“He thinks you need to, uh, put a little more, uh, man in these briefs. This is a College Club ad, not a boys’ ad.”

“Whatever you say. I’ll do them over tonight,”

…

“Do you think she knows what we want?” Paul asked.

“Didn’t you see how red her face got? She knows.”

“But can she do it?”

“We’ll have to see.”

…

“I think you’ll like these better,” Gloria said enthusiastically. “I sat at my window last night with my binoculars, watching that apartment house across the street. You were right. There’s a lot more man in there than I remembered.”