Rants and Plans

Chapter 3

It's three years ago that I decided I would study journalism in the passenger seat of my Dad's highlander. Now I'm 19 in 200 lvl at BIU, Benin doing just that. I like it. It's a thrill studying Journalism. I still go to my fashion school though, at least I used to. Right now I don't have a job per se but like more of a side hustle so at least money comes from there. I paint, it's amateur but it's something. I put a painting of a dress I designed in my work space at the school, no one complained so it stayed that way. Then someone saw it and insisted I could paint her if I could do that. I laughed and said I couldn't in a rush. She laughed too and said I was underestimating myself. The next Saturday I was painting her. It came out OK. It was not exactly a masterpiece but it wasn't bad to look at. Her visitors would probably approve. Honestly that day I impressed myself. She gave me 10,000 naira. I smiled, maybe this would be a constant thing I thought. I remember when I first started drawing. It was drawing first, I developed my painting later and hardly even do it. Drawing is more of a breeze for me. It was Miss Evelynn, the neighbour lady and her fashion sense. I was 8 and quite frankly dumb. I played in the rain and fell sick. My Mom could only take me to the hospital later in the day and so watching Disney in Miss Evelynn's house is what I found myself doing. I don't know why but that day I just sort of noticed her more. The way her clothes were the perfect fit, how she always looked good in them and the way she carried herself in poise. I doubt I knew what poise was at age 8 though. Later that week I found myself drawing Miss Evelynn and her dress during break time at the back of my Home Economics note. I guess it was the little things like playing in the rain and a very dressy neighbour that just made the bigger things. From then on I drew, mostly dresses because frankly they intrigued me. I learnt to draw other things too from watching YouTube videos and then I learnt to paint by myself.