ANDERSON, Indira R.

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full name indira rosa anderson. date of birth 09.03.1993 (21). home town chicago, IL. current city new york, NY. education high school drop out. occupation waitress, balthazar. ________________________________________ I was a very naive teen.  At fourteen, I was offered a modeling contract. This is after I had been scouted whilst on a rare shopping trip to the mall - rare, because my mom didn't like me hanging out with kids my age, and of course the mall was a mecca for teenagers at the time. But my sister Eleanor had decided to take me, and if it weren't for her encouragement, I'd never have taken that man's card. I almost wish I hadn't. Because modeling was a whole new world for me. Fourteen and more sheltered than you could believe, being home schooled meant I barely knew another person my age, nevermind spoke to boys or wore make up or had even the smallest taste of freedom. From my first shoot I was hooked. It was such a rush, and though the attention was hard to get used to, I loved it. It was when I first truly got a sense of the person I wanted to be. But I was very naive. A photographer invited me back to his apartment for a private shoot and I was flattered, rather than alarmed. He told me to come alone, so I lied to my parents about where I was and got the bus there. He told me if I wanted to get anywhere in this industry I'd have to get comfortable with my own body, and he showed me all these big, glossy books of beautiful women tastefully naked... I was so stupid. It hurt, I was embarrassed, I ended up going home crying and hating myself and not really understanding why. And that's how I found myself pregnant at fifteen. I already felt so bad about the minor lie I'd told my parents that I immediately told them everything, and though they were initially so disgusted they could barely speak to me, it was still the best thing I could have ever done. Being very conservative, there was no question of my having the baby. But my parents went out of their way to protect me, and for the first few months my mom told everyone she was pregnant. When things progressed and I was starting to show, we moved town... I had Athena, and my parents have been raising her as my little sister ever since. It was really the greatest gift they could have given her, and me... I can barely hold myself together, nevermind a baby. People who say retail is hell obviously haven't worked in catering. It's much the same, though you go home with the smell of cooked garlic in your hair, and all these little burns on your fingers. Not to mention an absolute hatred of rich people. I moved to New York the minute I turned eighteen-- literally on my eighteenth birthday, in fact. By then Athena was three years old and calling my mom and dad her mom and dad, and like I said, that was the best solution for everyone, but... it hurt. I couldn't stand it. I'd been working in a restaurant back in Chi, so I took what little savings I had and moved to the big city. Like everyone in this god forsaken place, I thought I'd make it. It took me a year or two to get my old body back after I had A, but by eighteen I'd gotten there, and I thought for sure I'd get a new modeling contract as soon as I got to New York. I knew I'd have to get another job waiting tables to make bills at first, but I figured I'd be living in a model apartment in no time, saving money by not eating and looking forward to fashion week. You're allowed to laugh, laughing at my own stupidity is the only way I get by. Of course it hasn't panned out that way. Instead I live with my douchebag of an ex boyfriend, I eat leftovers from the restaurant so frequently that the thought of another sirloin steak is enough to make me sick, and I have absolutely no prospects in life whatsoever. I guess it's true what they say about teen moms, even deadbeat ones like me. ________________________________________ your name lex. play-by hailey c. member group resident.