Venetian Disguises

1

Lynn Blake didn't feel the cold, the icy wind of a foreign city.

She was a genuine California girl, born and bred on the sunny west coast of America. Lynn lived in Los Angeles, spent her summers surfing, and knew the most upscale shopping areas of Beverly Hills like the back of her hand. But now she stood on St. Mark's Square in Venice and felt as if she were in a dream. The magnificent buildings from centuries long past bewitched her.

The cold, wet wind from the lagoon tousled her strawberry blond bangs. It was an unpleasant February day. Lynn's boss had insisted that she put on winter clothing before her departure. Arno Leonardi didn't understand fun, even if he was otherwise generally unconventional.

You have never been in Europe, Lynn. The dark season can be really frigid. You're going to need warm clothing unless you want to be slowed down at work with chattering teeth.

Lynn wore a stylish three quarter length coat and a cozy red wool scarf, but it was not because of her outfit that the frosty temperature didn't bother her.  Rather, this magic place had cast her under its spell.

Lynn's encounter with Venice was love at first sight.

Could you imagine a bigger contrast than the charming, old-fashioned city on the lagoon and the feverish, hypermodern Los Angeles? Of course, Lynn’s impression of Venice was from television and books. But the strange smells from the restaurants, the songs of the gondoliers, the quiet gurgling of the water in the canals, and the mysterious atmosphere of the splendid buildings couldn't be captured on a screen. Those had to be experienced firsthand, and that's exactly what Lynn was doing at this moment.

`Whoever doesn't feel his heart beat stronger when he stands on St. Mark's Square, he should be buried, because he is dead, irrevocably dead'.  That was said by Franz Grillparzer, and in fact almost 200 years ago. When I look at you, Lynn, I see that nothing has changed.

Arno Leonardi spoke these words with a subtle smile on his lips. Lynn turned slowly to her boss, who stood at arm's length from her. They were in the midst of travelers from all over the world who filled St. Mark's Square. The square was so extensive that it didn't feel crowded.

Who was Franz Grillparzer?

An Austrian poet. By the way, you can see the Doge's Palace there in front of us. The Doge was the ruler of Venice when this city was still an independent republic. You see the power and the wealth of past centuries everywhere here in the form of impressive buildings. But you do know why we even came here?

Lynn nodded, having remembered something her boss had said.

It's not because of the buildings, but because of the people, right? Okay, Mr. Leonardi. It's obvious to me that we need live models for our fashion shoots. And the city is like a stage, on which you let the women perform. In the meantime, I understand why you chose Venice out of all the European cities.

Venice during the Carnival, stressed the star photographer. And the place should really just set the stage, be the background for our photo spread. I want to work with amateur models. Young women, who simply came to celebrate - fresh faces, fresh poses.

I get that. Lynn had listened with only half an ear. To be sure, she liked her boss and had already learned an incredible amount from him. She had begun with him years ago as an intern who knew nothing and had become an irreplaceable assistant. Her job was multifaceted and demanding because each day was different. She had handled the most diverse things for Mr. Leonardi. But at the moment, she found it difficult to concentrate on her tasks. Lynn had never before been in a place like Venice.

It was as if she were suddenly dropped into a fairy tale.

Arno Leonardi smiled with understanding.

Most people feel this way when they step into Venice for the first time. Although, stepping is probably the wrong expression. Here you mainly travel by water. But you would know that.

Why, Mr. Leonardi? I mean, why would Venice have been established on islands and pilings as a city in the middle of a lagoon?

Good question. I am not a native Venetian. I’m originally from Milan, although I have spent half my life in the states. But as far as I know, these islands have been settled since the Roman times. Back when the Empire was declining, people from the mainland saved themselves from the attacking Goths on these inaccessible islands. And because of this Venice gradually developed.

Lynn nodded wordlessly. She looked up at the Doge's Palace. In the alcoves and between the columns of the magnificent building she discovered gloomy stone animal heads and mythical creatures; they seemed to stare at her threateningly. Suddenly, the young woman felt a cold shudder run down her back. Lynn was usually not so easy to impress, but the sculptures almost seemed to be alive.

I don't want to cool my heels the whole day on St. Mark's Square.

Arno Leonardi's voice now betrayed a slight impatience. Lynn tore herself loose from the impressive building with a heavy heart. She didn't want any stress with her boss, who had brought her with him to this impressive city. Besides, Lynn loved her job. Many women dreamed about working in the atmosphere surrounding the fashion czars and their world of glamor. As the assistant to the star photographer Arno Leonardi, Lynn had access to these circles of money and beauty. But to stay there, she constantly had to prove she could perform.

She turned to the photographer.

What have you planned?

Now we check into our hotel. I took you to St. Mark's Square first so that you could get a feeling for Venice. But we have a lot of work waiting for us. Before we start looking for amateur models, I would like to buy a few accessories.

What kind of accessories do you mean?

Arno Leonardi turned around. He pointed wordlessly to a few people celebrating in colorful costumes. A woman in a floor length taffeta dress and a faux fur had a black half mask covering her eyes. A man was dressed in a white costume, which reminded her of an ancient clown. He had a pointed hat on his head, and his face was completely hidden behind a mask.

Masks, fans, and other things, which are typical for Carnival. Let's start looking, and we’re bound to find something.

Anxious to start, Arno Leonardi headed towards the boat landing. Lynn followed him. The photographer could have been her father's age. Although he frequently made compliments about her beauty, he had never made a pass.

I'm not looking for a lover, but a capable assistant.

With these words, Arno Leonardi had made their relationship clear two years ago.  That was fine with her because she wasn't interested in somebody with gray hair. Normally she was just interested in guys her own age, but Lynn's love life had been in the doldrums as of late. Whether it was her hectic job or her high standards, it was usually pure craziness between her and her latest admirer after a few days. Lynn would then end the relationship very quickly, using SMS if she had to. But there were few hours when she felt alone or even lonely. Usually, she had more than enough to do.

Lynn and Leonardi went aboard a boat.

These boats are like busses on the water. They're called vaporettos. You can reach any part of Venice with them. For me, they are the best means of transport here. Gondolas are romantic, but not for everyday transport. And water taxis are usually not nearby when you need one.

Lynn listened inattentively to the explanations of her boss. She looked over to the small island of San Giorgio. Somehow the ancient buildings over there looked familiar, but that was impossible because this was her first time in the lagoon city. The boat started up and rode slowly past the small island. Lynn was in a strange mood. On the one hand, she was utterly curious about this city which represented an unknown world. But on the other hand, she felt foreign and unmoored. Perhaps Venice hid secrets, about which it would be better to know nothing.

Now don't flip out, Lynn said to herself. She was annoyed because she had been thrown off track just from the sight of a few old ruins. But Lynn was feeling sentimental, and she knew herself better than anybody. Other people, especially guys, often considered her cool and aloof. That was absurd. When somebody was really interested in Lynn, she opened her heart. But her admirer had to be patient because she didn't show just anybody how emotional she could get. And so far, hardly anybody had been able to be this patient with her.

Lynn suppressed her feelings of confusion and tried to concentrate completely on her job. She took Arno Leonardi as her example.  He was shooting one photo after the other with his cutting-edge mini camera. However, he did not direct his lens toward the gondolas, which the boat rode by. And also not at the splendid residential buildings, called palazzi in Venice. Lynn had read that in her travel guide. No, her boss was photographing young women, who were well suited for a fashion shoot. Usually, he would press his business card into their hand and add a short explanation.

Many of them reacted enthusiastically. But Lynn knew from painful experience how difficult it was to work with amateurs. Correctly posing for the camera was backbreaking work. And after several hours of modeling, the good mood of most of these girls went down the drain. But for the camera they still had to appear casual and enthusiastic ...

After the short passage to the Rialto stop, the famous photographer had already made contact with a half dozen amateur models, all good possibilities. Lynn was always amazed how quickly he could make contact with people. She herself was more restrained, although she had lost much of her shyness from collaborating with her boss. But perhaps it was also because Lynn was only 22 years old. Leonardo simply had more than twice as much life experience as she did.

The photographer was speaking just then with a young woman. He motioned Lynn to come nearer.

May I present my assistant Lynn Blake. I would be lost without her.  She tracks all the details and takes care of everything. And this is Sophia Martino, if I understood your name correctly. She is exceptional in this city because she is a native Venetian.

Sophia laughed. Lynn found her instantly likable. The dark-haired Italian was naturally pretty, but not excessively made-up. Lynn estimated that they were about the same age.

Venice is overrun by tourists, particularly at Carnival, said Sophia. However, we don't like to complain about it because most Venetians live on tourism. She turned to Lynn.  And your boss is a real photographer?

Lynn nodded.

You can search for his name on the Internet. Then you'll see which glossy magazine covers are from him.

I would be interested. At the moment, I'm waiting to study in Rome, but that doesn't start up until April. In Venice, there isn't a lot to do in the winter unless you work in the hospitality industry.

Call us tomorrow, Sophia, then we'll make a date for a trial shoot, said Arno Leonardi. He