1

"Zoey! Come here at once," The voice of my boss boomed from the room in front of me.

Clutching my camera bag, I rushed towards the big wooden doors.

I burst in through the doors to find Mr Ozero sitting with a sheaf of papers in his hand. He was squinting at the paper was giving one of his tight lipped smiles.

"Da ser," I greeted him.

Seeing me the smile disappeared. He cleared his throat and adjusted his blue pinstriped suit.

I could see my reflection on a large silver globe set on the mahogany table.My unruly hair was falling over my forehead again.

I immediately tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

My boss, Mr Ozero was very particular about the appearance of his employees.

He beckoned me forward.

Nervously I edged towards him wondering what has caused him to call me early in the morning.

I work for 'Fashion Roles' a weekly publications which follows fashion trends and celebrities in Russia.

I am a photographer. I had joined a year back and since then I had met over twenty celebrities to enquire about their life and style. They were all not so popular.

Which popular star would care to give photos to a budding magazine like ours?

I like my job. Photography is my passion. But I hate the way most people behave with us. They treat us as if we are invisible. The celebrities are all so vain and conceited.

I don't like their superior attitude. And yet I had to do my job to be independent.

The most important thing about working here is that I had to learn a bit of Russian. I use it to converse with people my team interviews.

I stared at the flowers on the table. Anywhere except the task at hand.

"This is the address where he stays. He has agreed to meet only one person so we can't send a team. You are the one I have chosen. You will be fit for the job. Just go and interview him. Photograph his daily life. He has given you time at 5.00 in the evening. You have three hours in hand. Go and prepare."

My boss stared at me for a split second before picking up the phone and dialling numbers.

I was preparing to leave when suddenly he said, " I trust you."

I was left dumbfounded.

Somehow I was able to whisper, "Spasibo!"

I had never got any indication that he trusts me. What had happened that he was suddenly being so nice to me? Was my task that difficult?Well it was difficult.

Interviewing a celebrity alone is like standing before a booing audience in the spotlight. I didn't know what to do. I had always accompanied the team as a photographer, but interview, speaking to a celebrity was a new experience. Suddenly I had a strange sensation of butterflies in my stomach.

"Don't thank me. Thank him that he has given his precious time to us. Don't let me down Zoey."

"Can I ask you something? Who is he? Why didn't you tell me his name? It will help me prepare."

"No it will make you biased. You have to prepare a list of general questions about his life and passions. So you will meet him at the very time. Now go. Khoroshego dnya"

Have a nice day. Well it will surely be the most frightful day of my life. Yet in a corner of my mind I was excited to see who the man was. I was excited to do something I had never done.