Page 12 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

“It’s okay. It’s just a mug.”

But it’s not. It’s representative of my life’s downward spiral.

There’s one more workday until Desdemona leaves for Cannes and nothing interesting to fill it with now that Jason has turned us down.

I have to avoid my boss for the moment, since she’s ultra annoyed that I suggested a path that embarrassed her.

Besides, I need to plan my route home, pack some things.

Decide who I’m telling I’m headed to Alabama, if anyone.

I wave at Jester. Desdemona is holed up in her office, trying to finagle some other way to “discover” Jason, even though he’s already filmed that bad sequel. She really wants him. Probably Jacobs already filled his head with superhero dreams. We were too late.

When I step outside, even the sunny California day fails to brighten my mood.

I park my car a quarter of a mile away at a cheap lot since there’s no dedicated space for me here, but our office is only a few blocks off Hollywood Boulevard. Desdemona pays a ridiculous price to be close to it.

This funk calls for The Walk.

If I go a little out of my way, I can stroll along the stars embedded in the sidewalk and soak up the energy of the buskers singing and playing, and the endless array of people in costumes working the tourists for tips.

Today, I need that pick-me-up.

The call of the silver screen brought me to LA. I was practical about what I could accomplish, focusing on behind-the-scenes skills rather than aspiring to be the talent in front of the camera.

I interned for free during the day, mostly as a gofer, and worked nights at a coffee shop known to be a favorite for studio interns and bit players. I listened to gossip and tried to figure out any way to break in.

When Desdemona’s former assistant quit, then the new one snapped within a few weeks, I heard all about it.

I sized up what I had gleaned about the young women who hadn’t lasted and determined I could manage.

I went on a mission to impress the casting titan with what I knew about the people she worked with. I scoured the receipts for names to drop, connecting it with industry gossip and who was going where.

I used it to fill in the application, liberally tossing in tidbits that I thought would appeal to a casting director like her.

And it worked. I got the job.

I wouldn’t have to go home like so many dreamers who ran out of resources and hope. I was determined not to crawl back to Alabama.

Dad still lives on the farm, of course. My oldest brother, Cal, and his wife, Katie, stay there with their kids. Sid and Vanessa come andgo, working with Dad when they wind up adrift. The baby, Alana, is in college.

Part of the reason I stuck with Desdemona is that she’s never out of work, and therefore, I’m not, either. I won’t wind up back in the barn, smearing Bag Balm on cows and mucking stalls. I’ll put up with a lot to avoid that fate.

I reach Hollywood Boulevard and start the trek along the shops, dodging tourists and keeping an eye out for paparazzi, a sure sign that someone famous is nearby.

A woman sings “Rolling in the Deep” at the top of her lungs, her upturned hat at her feet. A few yards down, a man rocks out on a set of drums made from buckets, scarcely noticing passersby.

A set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles takes pictures with kids near Bruce Lee’s star. I find the juxtaposition of the original martial arts hero and the turtles completely fun and satisfying, like something in the world makes sense.

Unlike Jason Venetian turning downLimited Fate.

The street in front of the famous Chinese Theatre is thick with tourists and buskers. I wave off Willy Wonka and Captain Jack, walking until I spot an empty rose-granite star and wonder who might one day be embossed in gold on it. Jason Venetian?

Not if he doesn’t listen to me! His agent is a mid-lister, and possibly reeling with interest for his new acquisition. People in this position often make short-term decisions. Not everyone can see the big picture.

This is one thing Desdemona is good at, and why I knew how to make her approach Jason aboutLimited Fate. But casting for that picture will go on as usual without my perfect pairing.

I sure could see the two of them reading the beautiful lines. Love stories like that movie don’t come along very often, particularly not with a decent budget attached.

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