Sketch Pad - Chapter One

Sketch Pad

Written By: Len Monde 

  Chapter One

 It is a buzz in the boardroom at Massive Media Branding Incorporated’s office in a rainy Pretoria, South Africa, with every media executive asking the boss, Nick questions, while Brent looks around admiring the wall of fame with all the framed advertising awards. Today is his big day he thought to himself.  “Ok guys, let us start…!” Nick says in a commanding voice to bring order in the meeting while Brent shifts his chair closer to the big long dark-wood table. Everyone scuffles around looking for their spot while Brent look at Nick’s face which tells a story of over thirty years of media and advertising experience.  “Listen up…” Nick brings everyone’s attention “we have a new client if we can pull this one off. They want their brand to be changed and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to show them what we or shall I say Brent is capable of. Today is your day to go Solo my friend.” Nick says while looking at Brent and before Brent could answer, “You have to come up with ideas and designs to bring back Black Bear Beer to their full glory again, and I want it tomorrow morning first thing, because I see the client at ten in this very boardroom and it better be good. Are you ready for it?” Nick asks. “Yes sir, but…” Nick interrupts his moment of executing an excuse, “No buts, tomorrow I want to see what you have learned at college and for the past year with this company. I will see your presentation for a new branding for Black Bear tomorrow at eight and you better shine….”without even listening further he tosses the file over the shiny table towards Brent and excuse himself for he had another meeting lined up. Brent opens the file while he could feel every eye is on him with envy and with a smile he also excuse himself and went to his office. Knowing everyone is gossiping about the responsibility he just received he carefully goes through the file and eat up the history of this well know company that once was the biggest brand for beer drinkers until the imported beer got them into a competitive situation, losing over twenty percent in revenue.    There is a nimble knock on his door and without looking, “yes?”, the door open and an angelic voice fills his office “Congratulations.” Knowing that voice for a year and admiring this stunning envy of every man in the company; he looks up with an introverted face “Thank you…” he says with a hostile voice. “So I presume you will be working late with this presentation?” she says as if she had other things in mind for them. With a recovered voice, “yes…”, He paused for a while to drown in her turquoise eyes and she saves him, “well, other night then”, she says as if she planned a night out together, turn around and close the door as she walked out without any explanation. Staring at the door and still sensing Michelle’s perfume Brent pick up the phone and dial the reception, “Bekky, I am going to go out to my flat to work in private, will you please make a note of that and also take messages for me?” he ask knowing she will do anything for him. Bekky affirm with “Can I come over to your flat tonight? I will make you dinner while you work.” Nick still in a daze, “No it is ok, I will just grab some take-away on my way home.”, and put the phone down. He grabs his Sketch Pad and drawing pens and stuff them into his artist bag and leaves his office as if he was in a hurry to get starting on this big project.   It is bucketing outside, and Brent has to run across the road that turned into a tributary, to the parking garage across the street from his office. As he leaped to jump over the stream his bag fell off his shoulder and land in the strong watercourse. “Dammit!” he shouts and start to pick up the soaked bag, then find shelter across the street as he enters the parking garage run-walk towards his 1967 Volkswagen Beetle dripping wet. He drives down an old narrow street and stop in front of a very old established Chinese shop. He enters the dusty filled establishment and get this welcome feeling as the door-chimes fill the air to notify the old Chinese man of his presence. Brent walk towards him and ask “Do you have any Drawing paper or books here in the shop” and without saying a word the old figure with a long white beard takes him to the shelf in the corner where no light shines nor any client must have seen, because when the Chinese shopkeeper lift up the Sketch Pad he dusted it off and said in his broken English “These is you look for?”. Brent knot positively with his head in gratitude and also grab some more drawing pens from the shelf and paid at the till that must have been a 100 years old.  Next door he hops into a bottle store and grab a six pack Black Bear Beer and some “Biltong” for a snack to eat and after he settled his debt he held onto his new purchase with dear life to make sure it does not get wet again and jump into his Beetle. After a few cuss words trying to start his precious antique car, he drove towards his apartment.   In a hurry he drops everything on the kitchen-counter and rushes into the bathroom to dry his hair and to put some dry warm comfy clothes on. He opens the Sketch pad and place it on his drawing board that makes up for part of his two pieces of furniture in his lounge area, next to his couch. For inspiration he looks at the beer-can and takes his first sip and his mouth gets a spasm because of the bitter taste it had to endure for Brent’s inspiration. He organizes his drawing tools on the board and then start looking at the empty A3 Paper in front of him realizing he needs more inspiration, so he empties the can and gets another one out of the fridge. Again he sat staring at the white paper realizing he has designers-block. He has nothing, no idea of what to start with. He picks up an old magazine and start browsing through it for ideas. Gazing at a picture of a bear in the woods on page 24, he realized he has got it…”Nature” he says out load and then started to draw the can with the bear in the woods with the slogan reading “nature’s own”. “I am good…no, I am brilliant” he barked out and finishes his second beer and followed it up with the third before he started to complete the whole picture with color pens. Satisfied with his illustration, sitting on his couch with his 5th beer in hand and the accomplished project on the carpet next to his couch he started to doze off. The beer-can fell out of his hand and landed on the sketch and the beer that is left spilled over Brent’s artwork.   

To be continued…