Third Time Is a Charm

by Ed Nelson

“It’s much worse than that; the production company has gone broke.”

  “How did that happen, I thought money was in escrow?”

  “A lot is, but it covers future expenses like your salary for the movie. Carrols tour would come under advertising which is not included.”

  “So what happens now?

  “The movie is cancelled, it will go into bankruptcy, the judge will order escrowed commitments paid. Everyone else will have to haggle for anything they can get.”

  “So I make money for doing nothing?”

  “Consider it lost opportunity money. You could have been making another movie. Remember you had points in this. They are worth nothing now. Luckily your points were in lieu of salary so they are a debt to you and not considered part ownership, or the debtors would be coming after you.”

  “Well this is a kick in the head.”

  “Rick, don’t whine, think of all the production crew which thought they had a job. They aren’t under a contract so they are out.”

  “Sorry if I sounded like that, this has taken me by surprise.”

  “Me to, I think the accountants are going to uncover some fraud. This happened too quickly, like the money disappeared overnight.”

  ‘Okay, please keep me posted on what I should know.”

  “You should talk to your lawyers. You may want to sue some people just to protect yourself.”

  Now that was just plain crazy, but I made a mental note to talk to the company lawyers about that. Then I had a thought.

  “Should I turn this over to Mr. Baxter as my agent to be my front man?

  “Good idea Rick, John will be like a pit bull, it’s also his livelihood.”

  Now I had a law suit against me for flying an airplane to save us all; and facing another to protect myself from other people’s bad decisions and possible theft. What is the world coming to?

  After our goods byes and hanging up I headed down to LAX. I had to be quick about all of this as I had a full day ahead.

  Of course, I had time to stop and talk to the nice police officer who let me off with a warning about going too fast. I even took the time to sign an autograph, to Ponch from Sir Richard.

  After that interruption to my day I slowed down a bit and went to the commercial pilot’s school at the LAX airport. I noticed some work had been started by McKee construction in the center of the terminals. I wondered what it was.

  After I drove around the terminal twice I figured out I was in the wrong part of the airport. Another nice police officer gave me directions to the civilian side of the airport.

  There I found the school I was looking for. I had to ask at an information desk about who I needed to see about lessons. They seemed reluctant to give me the time of day.

  Finally, a pale looking young man came out of an office and talked to me in the lobby. When I explained what I was looking for he made a face and informed me that it would be very expensive, in the hundreds of dollars and unless my parents were paying I should wait until I grew up.

  Maybe if my day had been going better I would have been more of an adult about it. However, the day hadn’t been going well. I pulled out my money clip and counted out five one hundred-dollar bills.

  “Will this cover it?”

  He blushed clear from his throat to his hairline.

  “Yes, I am sorry Mr.?”

  “Jackson, Sir Richard Jackson.” The day really hadn’t been going well.

  “Come this way, Sir Richard.”

  We went into his office, which was the smallest in a short row of offices. There he rummaged in a mess on his desk and pulled out some forms.

  “You want multi-engine training. Is there a specific purpose in mind?”

  “Yes, I am taking delivery of a new Cessna 310c early next year and I want to be able to fly it. Oh, by the way, I paid cash for it.”

  Maybe later I would feel like an ass, but not now.

  “Okay, these are the forms you need to fill out and return. You will need a copy of your current physical, your log book and your pilot’s certificate; we require two hundred dollars down, the rest will depend on how many hours you need to qualify.”

  I was starting to feel embarrassed about how nasty I had been, so I thanked him profusely and got out of there.

  I mellowed a bit by the time I got to Katin’s. I had my checkbook along so I wrote out a check for the swim wear and Corky’s sponsorship money.

  I explained that I was on a tight schedule so moved along.

  I went as quickly as I could, keeping out an eye for motorcycle cops up to Hollywood and Mr. Baxter’s office. I was taking a chance on his being in. I got lucky.

  The receptionist directed me to his office immediately. From the look on his face I knew he had heard all about the movie being cancelled.

  We exchanged a few pleasantries and got down to business.

  “Rick, how do you feel about this?”

  “I think upset, but I’m not emotionally involved. I think other people have more problems with this than I do.”

  “I know, but you have points in this movie, so someone might try to say you own part of the movie and should share in the losses.”

  “What does my contract say?”

  “From that point of view you are in the clear, but some idiot will sue over anything.”

  “I know that well, did you know I am being sued for landing that 707 without the proper training.”

  He looked at me as if I was crazy, or at least what he was hearing was crazy.”

  “You’re kidding, is it a passenger, or a concerned citizen?”

  “A passenger.”

  “You save his life, and this is how he pays you back?”

  “Yep.”

  “Mr. Baxter, I have a question, this is on the spur of the moment, and I haven’t thought it through, but I would like to ask anyway.”

  “Go ahead I’m always intrigued about how you see things.”

  “After your percentage how much money is in escrow?”

  “It should be a little over twenty-thousand dollars.”

  “The way I see it, it is found money for me, the only things I have done so far, besides getting a good tan is learn to surf.”

  “That’s one way to look at it, so what do you have in mind?”

  “There are a lot of people who were depending on that movie for next year’s living that are now in trouble. I would like to help them in some way.”

  “There are about fifty people involved, some who can afford the setback, and others who will be devastated.”

  “I wouldn’t want to give money where it’s not needed, and I don’t want to do just charity.”

  “So how will you get the money to those who need it?”

  “I could hire those who need a job, giving first preference to those who are out of work because of the movie failure.”

  “What would you have them do?”

  “That’s the hang up, I don’t know.”

  “Well if there is anything I can do to help, let me know.”

  “I will, and thanks for listening to my thoughts.”

  “Rick, it will be interesting to see where your thoughts take you.”

  Chapter 5

  Returning home, I found out that I had missed the lunch layout. In the kitchen the cook was helpful as I made a small sandwich, well she kept laying out items, and I kept piling them on. Before it was over I had a real Dagwood. That and a Coke would tide me over until dinner.

  Wondering what to do with new found leisure I took the elevator to the tower. There was no sign indicating ladies sunbathing, but I was cautious as usual having learned my lesson well.

  Sitting there I realized that my life was out of control right now, things had changed and maybe I wanted to re-evaluate where I was headed, and how I was going to get there.

  Not having a movie to do gave me a lot more time on my hands than I had planned on. Hmm, I wonder if that meant I was unemployed, could I draw unemployment, I knew some actors that di
d. Nah, I didn’t need it, and I would be so embarrassed. I could just hear Mum and Dad now. And lord knows what Mary would write.

  Did I want to find another movie? Not sure about that.

  What about school? Eleventh grade was going to be tough as I would have been in Hawaii for that time. If I didn’t get involved with another movie it would be a real snooze. I wonder how my credits stand, could I maybe do twelfth grade before next summer?

  The family wanted me to keep to a grade level close to my own age so that I would socialize with people my own age. That ship had sailed.

  No movie and I would be able to bang out my multi-engine training.

  So after high school what? I knew I would be going to school and it would be as a major in engineering. Mechanical or Electrical was the decision, or maybe a double major?

  Then a Master’s in Business. I don’t know what good a PhD might do me, but I didn’t need to make a decision on that for a long time.

  I would also have time to finish up my unarmed combat training, Marine Corp style. I’m not sure I needed the Black Belt level, but it sounded cool.

  The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of finishing up High School instead of working in a movie.

  After all that deep thinking it was still the middle of the afternoon so I drove over to the studio, looking out for motorcycle cops all the way.

  When I got there, neither Mr. Danson nor Miss Sperry was at the school house. I returned to the front desk and asked when they would be in. I was informed they were working in offices down the hall to the right, second door on the left. I found the green door, and now I know what’s behind it. Two teachers, not what I had pictured.

  They were performing a teacher’s favorite pastime, grading papers. They welcomed my interruption.

  “Rick long time no see, what’s up,” inquired Mr. Danson.

  “I would like to know if it is possible that if I doubled up and took some extra courses if I could graduate by next summer.”

  ‘Hmm, let me look at your record.”

  From a stout wooden file he extracted a folder, which I assumed was mine.

  Leafing through it nodding as he went, he smiled then frowned then grimaced. Trying to read something into that was impossible.

  He then silently handed the file over to Miss Sperry who went through the same process, including the facial gestures. They were driving me nuts!

  “It’s doable Rick, it’s not the total credits that are an issue; it’s the extra courses. You would need to add a semester of solid geometry, another of trigonometry, a year of physics, English, and American Civics. This is required curriculum by the State of California. All this on top of Chemistry, English, American History, and Plane Geometry which you would have to be taking starting in January.”

  “One thing going for you, you don’t have to worry about electives such as music, art, typing, driver’s education or even study halls.”

  “I can do all those, remember no movie. I will have the time to be a full time student if needs be.”

  “What do your parents have to say about that?”

  “Before I talked to them I wanted to know if it was even possible.”

  “With most students I would say no, but you have shown the self-discipline that is required, so if asked I will support you.”

  Miss Sperry added, “I will also Rick. Will the studio let you continue here if you aren’t making a movie? The State School Board normally only lets child actors attend the studio schools if they are working on a movie.”

  “Ouch, I hadn’t even thought of those hurdles, I’m still going to try for it. I am still an employee of the studio so that might help.”

  “I’m not sure about that, all the regular employee’s children attend local schools.”

  “Oh, I may have more of a problem than I thought. Thanks for your help.”

  Closing the misleading green door behind me, I headed towards Mr. Monroe’s office. He was in a meeting, but it would only be another hour. I arranged for a runner to be sent for me, as I headed to the archery range.

  “Hi Rick, time for some practice.”

  “Mr. Bell I was hoping you would be here. I have an hour to kill and wondered if you would help me on my long range bow work.”

  “Your lucky day, I have an hour.”

  My gear was in a locker in the workshop, so it was only a few minutes to be ready. Mr. Bell had me shoot several arrows at a target one-hundred yards out to warm up. After that I worked with butts at two-hundred yards. There was really something cool about the swishing sound of an arrow as it flew to the target.

  “Rick your form is good; the only way you can get significantly better is to be out here several hours a day. There are some exercises you could perform so you don’t get carpel tunnel, but then again you don’t use the bow that often. The archers in the middle ages were prone to it. Many of them took up juggling to use a different hand motion to ease or prevent it.”

  “Juggling would be cool.”

  The next thing you knew I had several leather bean bags in hand learning to juggle. I was able to keep three moving for several minutes, but would lose my concentration and they would go flying. I had seen guys on Ed Sullivan make bowling balls and ten pins look easy. It gave me a new appreciation of what they were doing.

  If nothing else it made time fly. The runner showed up in what seemed minutes, but was really an hour and a half. Mr. Bell gave me the leather bean bags to take with me.

  I found out that Mr. Monroe’s meeting was going to run very long and he wouldn’t be available until Friday. I made an appointment for Friday morning. Then I returned home.

  My parents weren’t back from Boeing yet so it was just us kids. Without saying anything I started juggling. Fortunately I didn’t drop the balls immediately so it looked like I knew what I was doing.

  Mary was the first to notice. Her eyes got big as saucers.

  “Rick, teach me how to do that, oh please teach me.”

  This got Denny and Eddie’s attention. The next thing you knew they were taking turns. Like me the first few attempts had leather balls everywhere.

  Impatient Denny found three baseballs to practice with. He was handling them pretty well.

  Eddie went on a search mission because Mary wouldn’t share. He returned from the basement with three pool balls. Now what could go wrong? I barely opened my mouth to stop him when there was a crash.

  We were in the small dining room and a pool ball had just taken out a glass window in a China cabinet. Everyone froze.

  Denny had the presence of mind to yell, “No chips on windows.”

  Mary said, “Rick you’re in trouble.”

  She was right. I had been left in charge of the kids.

  The sound of glass breaking brought several people to the room, Mrs. Hernandez leading the pack. She quickly took charge of the cleanup, banishing the children outside so they wouldn’t get cut.

  “Mrs. Hernandez, do you have any idea how I can get this glass replaced?”

  “There will be a glass replacement business in the yellow pages, look it up.”

  I found one and called them, I was told to bring the door in and they would look at it. Luckily the door came off easily with a few screws. I took it along with a large glass sliver to them.

  A mere fifty dollars later I had returned home and reinstalled the door. I hope that would mitigate the chewing out I was certain to get.

  Mum, Dad, Popeye, Sybil arrived home. There was a great hubbub as everyone tried to talk at once, while Denny and Mary were demonstrating their new found juggling skills. Eddie was wisely refraining from joining in with his pool balls. In fairness, practicing outside he was getting the hang of it.

  I was hoping to skate through the broken glass incident, but of course Mary spilled the beans. She told Mum how she had a new Rick story. I got the evil eye from Mum with a promise of talk later.

  Dad and Popeye thought it was great about the juggling and immediately had to g
ive it a try. It probably would have gone better if they hadn’t started drinking Mexicali Delight immediately.

  It seems Dad already knew how to juggle. He quickly graduated from leather balls to full beer bottles; handing his second half-empty bottle to Popeye.

  “Hold my beer and watch this.”

  I must say Dad did very well for the first several rounds. Then he lost concentration and beer bottles went flying. In trying to catch the one that got loose, all three ended up smashing on the kitchen floor.

  Mum and Sybil looked at each other, grabbed a beer and left the room. Maybe my talking to, about being responsible would be put off.

  I also decided I wouldn’t bring up my school situation tonight.

  It was a quiet evening at Jackson House. Well almost quiet. The adults were playing Canasta. The threats and groans were loud and often.

  In my room I thought about tomorrow’s business meeting. Did I have a vision for my businesses or was I going to be an absentee landlord, letting others manage them completely.

  That didn’t mean that I would possibly try to run the operations, I didn’t have the skill sets or frankly the desire. It was the higher level directions that were my concerns. The movie falling through reminded me how fickle life could be.

  Just because a company was big didn’t mean a thing, look at Ford’s Edsel. What a fiasco.

  Besides my business direction I thought about how I could help the other people who were losing out on the surfing movie not being made.

  A few things became clearer, others less so, I gave up and went to bed.

  Chapter 6

  I woke up Thursday with no sudden revelations. The same mice were running around the same race tracks in my head. They even continued with me on my morning run. It was nice to have company. The trip went faster that way.

  At breakfast Dad had some cheerful news. The law suit that had been brought against me had been thrown out of court, literally and figurably. The Judge summarily dismissed the case as being beyond stupid; his words not mine, and then had the Bailiff remove him from the courtroom.

  Looking serious in good suits and ties, Dad and I were driven to the office in a limo. I had seen the vehicle around so much I wondered if we now had a car and driver. Before I could ask, Dad brought up a subject.