Exit Hollywood

By Chris James

Chapter One

Los Angeles is a vast metropolitan and urban area that covers some sixteen hundred square miles in the valley...the Los Angeles Basin. A mega-city, the second largest in the country, is actually many cities and towns rolled into one. Each of them adds a distinct flavor to the culture and people, all sixteen million of them.

It is a city of barrios and beaches, rivers and canals. The most prominent features are the mountains since the hills seem to cut the valley in half. Santa Monica, Crenshaw, Silver Lake and San Pedro claim the higher elevations, looking down from above at the city and the ocean beyond.

The entertainment industry is located north and west of the city's center. Burbank was home to much of the early television industry, and just a few miles beyond sat Hollywood, the most famous name in town. In the early days a handful of studios bought up viable farm land and those orange groves evolved into vast enclosed studio spaces for the production of films.

But that was back when the Hollywood Hills was a rural setting, now it is worth millions, and a square foot seems more precious than gold. The demand for films enabled the studios to expand and soon the top three film production companies became the top twelve, with more on the way.

MGM Studios moved west towards the end of the silent film era and Culver City became a boom town. Thousands of films and millions of dollars later the boom went bust and Sony Pictures took over. By then the tracts of studio land had been sold off and the big back lot locations were a thing of the past.

Like many production companies, the Curry Production Studios leased space and equipment to use in making films. Their focus was on the artistic end, the scripts and casting...and of course the investors. Lawyers and agents, bankers and brokers, these were the new stars in Hollywood since everything is corporate, and there is lots and lots of money in play.

None of this meant anything to either Dennis or Ted as they drove into town on the 5 all the way from Sacramento. They took the exit below Glendale onto the Ventura Freeway only to discover that they were on the wrong side of the Santa Monica Hills.

"Who is it can't read a map?" Ted said.

"I thought that was you," Dennis laughed.

"Hello...I'm driving here, you're the navigator."

"Okay, there's a sign. The Hollywood Freeway is ahead, take that south."

"Where are we going?" Ted asked.

"Once we get through these hills we can get off on Hollywood Boulevard and head west to...uh, no that doesn't work either...more damn hills get in the way."

"I'm taking the freeway, you better figure this out," Ted said.

They had taken Ted's car, the Nova. It was roomier than the Dennis' Volkswagen and they didn't know if they would need two cars. Mr. Cavanaugh had said that parking was always at a premium so they would have to wait and see what things were like at the condo.

But first they had to check in at the studio office. The months of waiting were over and the summer internship with Curry Production Studios was about to begin. They were excited and still a little intimidated, neither of them had done anything like this before.

It was now two o'clock in the afternoon, the end of a seven hour trip from Sacramento and they had plenty of leeway to make the office by the appointed time. Now all they had to do was find their way south to Venice Boulevard in Culver City.

Dennis finally figured out the map and they exited the freeway on Sunset Boulevard heading west. Ted was paying close attention to his driving while Dennis gawked at the sights. This was really happening...they were in Hollywood, and in the hills to the north lived some of the most famous people in the world.

"La Cienega, that's the street we're looking for," Dennis said. "We'll cross under the Santa Monica Freeway and the next major intersection is Venice Boulevard, how easy can you get?"

"I hate all this traffic," Ted said.

"It would have been worse if we had stayed on the freeway. At least like this we get to see a bit of the town."

"You get to see it, I'm driving....there's the turn." And fifteen minutes later they were on Venice Boulevard where they pulled into the studio parking lot. A security barrier blocked their way and a guard left his little booth.

"We have an appointment at Curry Productions," Ted said.

The guard nodded. "This is parking with a permit, but you can take one of the visitor slots over there."

"How do I get a permit?"

"If you work for the company they'll issue you a permit. Have a nice day, gents."

Ted pulled into a visitor's parking space and they locked up the car.

Dennis looked around the street in front of the building. "Hmm, they have a Donut King across the street, that's good to know."

Ted sighed. "I'm afraid there's a whole lot we don't know. I really don't want to look like an idiot."

"Hey, give it a chance," Dennis said. "We had to start somewhere, and everyone in this company works for the same man so at least we start on equal terms."

Ted laughed. "I suppose if you look at it that way we might even be ahead of some of these folks, he's our friend."

"There ya go...now where is the front door?"

The block was taken up by the building which looked pretty plain from the street. A sidewalk led off the parking lot towards a canopied entrance with a single glass door. They approached while looking at their reflection in the mirrored glass, and discovered the door was locked.

"Ring bell for admittance," Ted read off the sign, and Dennis pushed the button.

"Yes, may I help you?" A voice said from a speaker beside the door.

"Ted Cavanaugh and Dennis King to see Mr. Curry," Dennis said.

Without another word the door lock buzzed and they pushed through into a broad lobby. A receptionist's desk sat to one side and on the other was a gallery of backlit movie posters, each of them a product of Curry's enterprise. The woman behind the desk put down her phone and stood with a smile.

"Ted...Dennis? Hi, I'm Stephanie, we've been expecting you."

"Thank you," Dennis said.

"Barry will be up here in a moment to take you back. Is this your first visit to Culver City?"

"It is...we parked in that visitor's space, I hope that's alright?" Ted said.

"That's fine, we'll get you a parking pass set up...oh, there's Barry."

From the double doors across the lobby a young man came striding towards them. Dennis smiled since the man was wearing long board shorts and a flowered shirt, but it was the red hair that set him apart.

"Barry Neil," The guy said, holding out a hand in welcome. Dennis took the hand and introduced himself. Barry nodded and shook Ted's hand as well.

"Ted...you and I will be working together, it's nice to meet you both. So let's get the ball rolling, first up the security requirements. Thank you, Steph...and right this way, guys."

They followed Barry through the double doors and down a short hallway to an office. Inside was a uniformed guard surrounded with flat screen monitors.

"This is Vince, our security man," Barry said.

"Gentlemen," Vince said. "Will one of you sit in that chair and smile for the camera?"

Ted took the seat and looked up with a smile. This was just like the Department of Motor Vehicles...well almost. A flash and Dennis was next. Then they each had to place their right hands on a screen.

"Finally," Vince said as the machine spit out two identification cards. These were laminated and clipped to a lanyard to be worn around the neck.

"A word of explanation. This is a photo ID to be worn inside the building and on any production stage or set. It's also a key card to get through the security doors in our most secure areas. Those also require a palm scan, but the security program will tell you what it wants to see."

"This is pretty intense," Ted said.

Vince smiled. "Everyone says that, but we have a lot to protect here. Wear the badges at all times and let me know if there are any problems. Otherwise, welcome aboard. I'll be watching." And he pointed a finger at his bank of monitor screens.

They walked back out into the hall and on towards the rear of the building.

"We have had some small amounts of industrial espionage, people trying to sneak in and see what we're doing. But Vince's little security program can tell if someone isn't wearing that badge. I don't know how he does it but I'm glad he does."

"Your badge is blue, ours green...what's the difference?" Ted asked.

Barry laughed. "It's totally random I think, but there are some places I can't enter. Okay, Jim's office is down this way."

"What are all these offices?"

"Oh, the front is all accounting, legal, personnel...this isn't the production section, that's back here," Barry said. "It takes a security check to get through."

Another double door, only this one was locked. On the wall was a glass plate with the outline of a hand etched on it. Barry placed his hand on the glass and a green light flashed.

"The doors won't open unless all three of us are scanned and passed," Barry said with a nod towards the camera mounted on the wall above the doors. "Big Brother is watching us."

Ted and then Dennis had their palms scanned before the door clicked, and they could push on through. The quiet front of the building gave way to the buzz of voices and familiar music.

"Oh Lord, Paul is playing soundtracks again," Barry said.

"I thought that sounded familiar," Ted said. "Lord of the Rings."

"His favorite, he's just upset that Jim didn't get a hand in that project, but we don't do CG...yet. Shh, that's a secret. Okay, stop here and look at this floor plan." There was a building layout tacked to the wall.

"I don't want you to get lost. Production team is in yellow, data in blue, technical in red and this spot in green is where you want to go. That's Jim's office which we call the fish bowl."

The building was laid out like a giant letter 'H' and the designations looked pretty easy to remember. Barry led them straight into the green zone which turned out to be one wide open chamber filled with cubby holes surrounding a large glass enclosed office.

"Veronica, these are the two PA's, Ted and Dennis," Barry said. "Miss V is in charge of all the production assistants."

Miss V was an attractive middle-aged woman, with a no nonsense, super-efficient look about her. From her desk there was a clear view through glass walls into Jim's office where several people sat around a conference table passing papers. Jim was on the phone but when he saw them he waved and motioned them into the room.

"Stop back when he's done with you," Veronica said. "I have some paperwork and a set of keys for you. That's a production meeting for Come Next Tuesday. You'll be working on that team, Ted." She gave him a smile. "And since there are three films in the works at the moment we're glad to have you aboard."

Barry opened the door to the office and led them in just as Jim hung up the phone.

"Dennis...Ted, glad to see you made it," Jim said. He came around the table and gave them both a hug, unexpected but nice. He turned back to the three men and two women at the table. "Okay, boys and girls, the new blood has just arrived."

They were introduced to the people at the table. Marie Post had written the original book and Steve Osterman the screenplay. Mark Coglin was the production designer responsible for the scenic elements of the film. Karen Perkins was the production administrator and Bob Ware was the cinematographer.

"Barry you already know, he's the lead PA at the moment," Jim said. "What you see going around the table are script revisions, round three. You want to explain that, Marie?"

"Jim didn't like the first two write-ups, he believes something is missing," Marie said. "So when a big kid like Jim doesn't get what he wants we change it." She smiled. "He's the boss."

"You'll get a chance to read it later," Jim said. "This is the first thing I want you to work on and maybe you can tell me what I'm missing here." He grabbed two blue folders and handed one to Ted and the other to Dennis. "Sit down and listen to what we have so far."

The blue book was all marked up and filled with revisions. The final script would become the blueprint for shooting the film and contain both dialogue and direction for how the lines should be dramatized. Ted opened the book and went straight to the synopsis at the beginning.

Come Next Tuesday was a film aimed at the young teenage demographic. It was all about this crazy teacher who was planning to take down the internet and the group of high school geeks who were determined to stop him.

It didn't take much reading for Ted to discover that Jim was going to play the part of the villainous teacher. He was obviously passionate about this film and just a look through the first few pages of the script gave Ted the concept. Jim was going to play a Jekyll and Hyde role, something he would be very good at performing.

Ted had read a high school director's stage directions overlaid on the script of the murder mystery The Mousetrap in which Dennis had a leading role. And he had seen the large stage manager's book in which Dennis had incorporated every aspect of the musical Annie Get Your Gun. But this screenplay was tiny by comparison, just over sixty pages.

Dennis read the synopsis and nothing else as he tuned in to the discussion.

"We have several schools to choose from," Mark was saying. "I even have permission to use TechMills data processing facility as a backdrop for the sabotage scene...we just can't touch anything."

"CG lab can handle that," Bob said.

"We will have to make decisions on the various computer graphic effects, they drive up the cost tremendously," Karen said.

Jim turned to Dennis with a grin. "See, all these people want the best film we can possibly have without spending any money."

"I take it that's not an option," Dennis said.

"Absolutely not," Jim replied. "Just so you know, this isn't a film about me, I don't want that. I'm going to hire exciting young actors. I want the five kids in the geek squad to steal this film and they have to do just that for it to work."

Jim got up from the table and began to pace up and down the room. "This isn't a movie about superheroes or super villains, it's about five ordinary kids who discover a sinister plot and set out to stop our villain. The audience won't know until the last ten minutes if they will succeed or not."

He stopped pacing and laid his hands on Marie's shoulders. "I saw the book two years ago and thought it was just something my daughter had brought home from the library. I couldn't put it down until I knew what was going to happen. But what endeared the story to me was the way Marie built the ending.

"Think about what they did in Star Wars and that awful scene where the cast gets paraded around at the end until the film just grinds to a halt. There are dozens of films that do the characters an injustice by making them something they have never been throughout the film.

"But our geeks don't see themselves as heroes, they just have to do something and realize they are the only ones who can. And then they walk away, filter back into the crowd, take a math test...their lives are normal."

Jim smiled and resumed his seat at the table. "Normal is good. The kids who come to see our films are normal. I want them to identify with our characters. This is going to be an ordinary slice of life with a twist...at least that's my concept." He looked across the table at Ted. "You are going to tell me if I'm right."

Ted's eyebrows went up since he had no idea what Jim was alluding to...but he would soon find out. The staff meeting broke up and Jim looked at his watch. "Give me an hour and we'll leave together. I'll take you by the condo and get you set up, and then we'll do dinner if that's okay."

Dennis nodded. "That's fine."

"Barry, take them on a quick tour of the production studio until I'm done."

"Sure thing," Barry said.

Everyone was filing out as Barry led them back to Veronica's desk. She handed over two large manila envelopes and a set of keys for the condo.

"The envelopes contain some information you'll need. Staff lists, the monthly schedule and parking passes...all kinds of stuff. If you need anything else just let me know."

Barry led them down to the yellow zone, a fact noted because all the identification signs for various rooms and offices were in yellow. "The signs tell you where you are," Barry said. "It was something Jim ordered done because he kept getting lost when we first moved in the building."

He opened a door with a sign on it that read simply: PA. "This is the team room; you will share an office space here."

"I didn't know if we would be working on the same projects," Ted said.

"You probably won't," Barry said. "You and I may spend most of our time chasing our tails for the next few weeks, but you'll need writing space for your reports. Dennis will need space for Jim's special projects, either in here or wherever he lands."

The team room was filled with several work tables and white boards covered the walls filled with handwritten information. There were six office spaces on either side with a small kitchen at the end. At the moment the whole place was empty.

"End of the day, at least in here. Most of these folks are still in the building...just like I am," Barry said. "Jim runs a productive company and we don't watch the clock...time of day means little here. Let's sit down for a moment."

Barry took a chair and smiled at them. "We've had interns before, but they usually come to us from film school or other production companies. You two are the first young guys without that background. I know Jim expects you'll learn as you go along, and it's your youth he counts on for the feedback he wants.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that you bring a certain amount of uncertainty to the PA staff, no one is really sure what you can contribute. I've read Ted's column from the newspaper and you have an insightful approach to writing. You and I are tasked with going out and talking with hundreds of excited kids about this film and listening to the feedback. We have to ask the right questions to give Jim what he wants..."

"Ah, that's the assignment, and you don't know if I am up to the task?" Ted asked.

"Oh...no, I'm not saying you can't do this."

"Barry...stop for a moment...I understand," Ted said. "You've been given an assignment and you understand the job, you just don't know me." He smiled. "I imagine Jim can be pretty intimidating at times, he seems demanding.

"As I see it we'll have to absorb the final script and understand the way it's going to be filmed. These kids we'll meet will be naturally curious about the industry, this film, the cast, and every other detail Curry can provide. I think it helps that I'm just as curious."

"I'm sorry," Barry said. "Yes, I'm worried we won't do this the right way. Jim has always relied on focus groups for the answers and now he wants the opinions of ordinary kids."

"And he sees focus groups as a problem," Ted said. "Perhaps it's because a captive audience gets caught up in the Hollywood glamour and they tell him what he wants to hear."

"Exactly, the opinions are not candid. I wasn't sure how we were going to come up with anything different."

"We need to use the right methods," Ted said. "Kids are rarely accessible these days, except maybe at the mall...or the movie theatre. Do we have a budget?"

"Sure...this is a pretty high priority project. What are you thinking?"

"I wonder what it costs to rent out a movie theatre."

"What's on your mind?" Dennis asked.

"To get kids together we offer a free film...throw a party if we have to, and then we get to ask them questions. Parents should be welcomed for the younger bunch...and to be sure of different opinions we could do this in various locations."

"Oh...I like the sound of this," Barry said.

"Jim has some big hits we could show the kids, we should let him pick the films. We could advertise through various community groups and...no, I have an even better idea..."

They were still hashing it out when Jim dropped in to take them to the condo. Barry had written a bunch of ideas on one of the walls outside Ted's office space.

"What's up, guys?" Jim asked.

Barry was all smiles. "Just forging a team here, Ted has some great ideas. But we'll bring all that to you once it's solidified."

"Great, let's go...I'm getting hungry," Jim said.

The condo was within walking distance of the offices, but they drove over to leave Ted's car in the parking lot. Jim's driver led them on the most direct route to make it easy for them to remember. Neither of them had considered that Jim didn't drive himself, but at least the car wasn't a limo.

The apartment was on the top floor of a three story building. Three bedrooms, a huge living room, and a balcony with a view of the local Catholic Church across the street.

"Gets a little noisy on Sunday mornings when church is in session," Jim laughed.

"This is very nice," Ted said as they carried their suitcases in through the front door.

"I used to flop here when the studio first opened, but now I go home. Somehow there are always late meetings and parties that demand attendance, but those are usually closer to home than here. Let me show you a few things."

The kitchen cabinets were stocked with canned goods, the closets filled with sheets and towels. "We have a service, they shop and clean every Thursday. You'll find an order sheet on the kitchen counter and you can ask them to pick up anything you want at the market. I have an electric car down in the garage, gets about eighty miles on a charge and you're free to use it...the key is in the kitchen drawer."

Jim looked around and nodded. "That's about it. What I was going to suggest is that you ride home with me so you can see where I live, have some dinner and then Raul will drive you back when you're ready to leave."

"Isn't that a lot of trouble?" Dennis asked.

"Not at all, we need to talk about the summer and what I have planned."

"Good to go...I'm starved," Ted said.

Jim's SUV was like a travelling office suite. Roomy if you didn't count the space occupied by phones, computer and television screens. Raul was a dapper young man, all smiles and yet very quiet, something Jim admired since his mind was generally preoccupied with other things.

Raul took them north towards the mountains beyond Beverly Hills and Hollywood, climbing into the foothills area known as Bel Air. The large homes they could see through the windows of the car gave way to the truly huge estates of the very wealthy.

The roads twisted and turned, climbing ever higher past walled and gated properties. Dennis was sure he would never be able to find this place again, but Ted just nodded.

"There's a map at the condo, we don't want you to get lost," Jim said, understanding the situation. "I bought the house because it's big enough to entertain a crowd, that's a requirement in my business, even though Susan thought it was too big..."

Jim's thoughts wandered away after that mention of his former wife. Neither Ted nor Dennis would ever think to bring up the subject of Jim's divorce, but they often wondered if his kids would come to visit.

Jim pointed out the sights. "That's the estate which once belonged to President Reagan...Nancy still lives in the community behind walls and her security people," He said. "I can't live like that and I won't be a recluse just because of the fame."

The car soon pulled up into a driveway and through a pair of stout iron gates set in a high wall. No matter what Jim said, this was still his private little kingdom. Trees and shrubs filled the space along the short driveway which quickly gave way to a well tended lawn and half an acre of gravel that could handle dozens of cars.

The house was an old architectural monstrosity but it looked perfectly well kept. Dennis remembered the magazine spread his mother had shown him, it made Jim look like he lived in a museum.

"Betty Compton and her first husband used to live in the house across the road, that's how I came to know of this place," Jim said.

"It looks really...well, I thought it would be huge," Ted said.

"It is pretty big, too big, you just can't see it all from here," Jim said.

Raul pulled up to the front door and they got out of the car under a canopied entrance much like a hotel. There was no doorman to meet them, just a nice looking woman in a dark suit.

"Nina, this is Ted and that's Dennis," Jim said and they shook hands with the woman.

"Nina is my..." And here Jim laughed. "What are you this week, Nina?"

She smiled. "I am your assistant, housekeeper, valet and next week I cook while Bernice is away on vacation. Welcome to Casa Curry, gentlemen."

Her dark eyes flashed with amusement and then led them into the house. Raul followed along and gave Nina a kiss before heading to the back of the house. "They're married," Jim said, and that answered Ted's thoughts.

"Would you like a drink before dinner?" Nina asked.

"No...go ahead and set the table," Jim said. "I'll give these gentlemen a quick tour and we'll be up in twenty minutes."

Nina gave him a nod and hurried away down the hall. Jim clapped his hands together and smiled. "Follow me."

The front part of the house consisted of the entry, a sitting room, kitchen and dining area, but the hallway ended at a door that led to the wing occupied by Raul and Nina. Upstairs there was a long hallway flanked by four bedrooms. Jim said they were used for guests.

"This was all built eighty years ago, just your traditional hillside home. Mervin Pickett and his wife built it, they were minor silent movie stars, but this was still far out in the country back then." Jim led them past the dining room to a wide staircase. "And this was the first of many additions."

The house was built on a terrace and they stepped down into a vast open room filled with comfortable furniture and card tables. Off to one side sat a billiards table, on the other was a wall of glass that led out to a broad patio and the swimming pool beyond.

"Oh wow," Ted said.

"Yeah, this is my favorite room in the house, except for one," Jim said. He led them across the broad space to a door and then down a flight of steps. "This is my room."

They stood at the entrance to what could only be the finest museum in Hollywood, it was all here. The walls were covered in swords and guns, movie posters and paintings. The shelves were filled with books and movie scripts. A suit of armor covered a mannequin, while still others were covered in cowboy outfits, clown costumes and there was even one wearing an old tuxedo.

"Um...I've collected a few things," Jim laughed.

Ted and Dennis wandered the room, quickly realizing that each piece displayed a small brass plaque identifying the item, and what a treasure trove it was.

"Oh wow, this tux belonged to Groucho Marx...and the cowboy outfit to John Wayne," Ted said.

"This armor was worn by Errol Flynn," Dennis said. "Someone has his mind set on old film stars."

"That would be me," Jim said. "All the weapons were movie props, but the real gems are in those scripts...they make good research material."

"And the clown suit?" Dennis asked.

Jim grinned. "That's mine...It symbolizes who I was before all this fame and fortune began. I'll tell you about it someday. So...let's head back upstairs and eat."

Dinner was served in the kitchen at a large round table. Nina, Raul and two young boys joined them for the meal. Dennis began to see that Jim had adopted the family and the boys treated him like a kindly uncle. It was a poor substitute for the family he'd lost in the divorce.

By nine o'clock Jim could see his new employees were tired and he decided to put off any discussion of the summer's events with them. It had been a long trip for the boys, too much to absorb in one day. Raul led them away to the car and Jim returned to his small office, knowing he would be up until the early hours of the morning.

He was glad to see Ted and Barry getting along since it would take a strong team effort to get the answers he needed before finalizing the script. But that was only one film in the pool of work his people were attempting.

Come Next Tuesday wouldn't begin filming for another few months, he had to finish Partial Payment first, and what a pain that had become. Jim wasn't satisfied with several of the major scenes and knew they would have to be reshot. What he planned to do was fire the director and take over the fixes himself.

Producing demanded too much attention on a variety of details. Jim had people hired to make decisions but they all felt like they had to involve the boss at the same time, he was being buried in the trivial needs everyone had. And then Dennis came to mind.

Jim had not been sure why he wanted Dennis involved with the company this summer. At first it had been something Betty had encouraged but the idea had grown into a fill blown concept. Jim saw Dennis as his young self twenty years ago.

It was apt that Dennis had noticed the clown costume. In the beginning that was the persona Jim first embraced. He had been a quiet little boy who was shown how to play small roles in films where he met famous people and slowly came out of his shell. But child stars grow up and Jim was carefully encouraged to return to a normal life, if there could be such a thing after such a grand childhood adventure.

Jim became the class clown in school and his mother blamed herself for his misadventures in those early teen years. But in high school Jim returned to performing, this time on stage as a singer and dancer in the musicals. Hollywood was in his blood and the boy set his mind on returning to the glamour and bright lights.

In all those years he'd maintained a steady correspondence with Betty Compton who willingly played the role of fairy godmother to a boy she knew would someday return as a prince to the movie screen. Her attentions were well received and so when Jim began to show promise in his college years Betty began to push his career in the right direction.

Her efforts allowed Jim to meet all the right people and garner that all important inside track for auditions and casting information. At first he accepted minor roles, but they gained him screen time and taught him the ropes in studio work. None of these small parts would make him famous, but that didn't matter, Jim had his sights set higher...much higher.

By the time Jim had been a member of the actor's union for three years he was considered a flexible performer. He could sing, dance, juggle and swordfight. With his resume growing all the time it seemed that what he needed was the right part, and then he met Orlando Deveraux, one of the well placed directors in Hollywood.

The industry had become mired in tawdry action films caught up somewhere between the splash of Star Wars and downright B list horror films. Some famous names had been cast in roles they would regret later in life and Jim was well aware of those failures. He was standing on the sidelines watching Hollywood stars bleed to death when Orlando approached him with a part.

They had met at a Mike Stone cookout, just one of those simple backyard affairs in the hills above Hollywood which attracted dozens of the right people. Mike was halfway up the ladder to fame and fortune, but he had been aware of Jim Curry for quite some time thanks to Betty. Jim had been invited to meet Orlando and hopefully accept a part in the newest Mike Stone film.

The project was unlike anything Jim had considered before, and yet here he was being pitched the secondary lead in a far reaching drama by an award winning director. He couldn't say no, it was a plum. Two weeks later Jim read the script and knew he could be up for an Oscar if he played this the right way.

After a long five months of shooting the film at a gruesome pace, and then sitting around awaiting the final cuts, Recompense opened, and received a gala Hollywood embrace. Mike Stone and Jim Curry were the two names on everyone's lips for months.

Jim felt the pleasure would be fleeting and immediately began chasing other roles. It was odd that an actor who thought of himself as the consummate funny man should win an award for drama, but it played well on his resume. Six months later he was nominated for an Oscar, and even though he graciously accepted the win in a supporting role he was only twenty-five years old. This was the break he had sought, and so Jim began polishing his star for a leading part.

Jim's wife Susan was a studio marketing consultant. They first met on the set of Anatomy of a Clown, Jim's first leading role, and were married before the film was wrapped up. His first comedic part led to further fame and Susan was there to share the spotlight throughout the years.

Jim felt he had it all in those days, his wife and the growing family meant everything. But he was probably the last to see the marital problems develop. Susan felt he was more in love with Hollywood than her.

She wasn't the first wife of a famous actor to be eclipsed by a husband's star power. The marriage succumbed to the time and effort Jim needed to maintain his position, his responsibility to the job seemed endless because now he was producing as well.

It was Betty who consoled Jim during his time of loss, and she helped him stay focused in what could have been a disaster big enough to derail his career. It was this sweet and loving old star who spoke of Dennis as the new generation who would take over when the old folks were gone. Jim had never considered his position quite like that, but he knew it all had to end someday.

Meeting Dennis and Ted had lifted a veil from Jim's perception of life. There was more energy and focus in these two boys than he had imagined possible, and deep inside Jim knew he had to be a part of their lives in some way, if only to assure his own immortality.

Ted was quickly developing vast skills in communication, and that allowed him to approach people with an energy that could not be denied. Dennis was quieter, and yet his mind was focused and constantly absorbing details that would allow him to solve greater problems.

Jim envied their youth and their chances at life. It was this curiosity that mandated he bring them aboard to see how their lives would develop. The future belonged to the young and there was no reason they couldn't start the journey with his assistance.

"This is bigger than we thought," Ted said as he lay in Dennis' embrace.

They had returned from Bel Air and gone straight to bed. They were both tired, but managed some affectionate love-making before snuggling in for the night.

"I'm still not sure what Jim wants from me," Dennis said.

"Barry and I are developing a plan and I'll enjoy working with him. I think Jim means for you to observe and evaluate. I'm afraid you'll be following him around for a while."

"Yeah, I get that. What did you think of Jim's comment this afternoon...'You are going to tell me if I am right'...do you think he really means that?" Dennis asked.

"I do. All those people we met work for him, and like Barry they are afraid for their jobs. We don't have that problem."

"That's what worries me...I don't want to lose the friendship. I can be objective in relating what I see, but I certainly don't have the experience to validate my observations."

"Dennis, I think it's the inexperience Jim is counting on. Our point of view will be different and that matters," Ted said. "Remember what it was like the first time you played a role in front of an audience? Before they came to see the play the only reaction you got was from the director. Then all of a sudden you had hundreds of people reacting to what you said and did, couldn't you feel their emotions?"

"Yes...it was like a feeling of electricity in the air."

"So in keeping with your analogy, Jim must feel the electricity all the time from those around him...what he needs from us is to be grounded."

Dennis smiled and gave Ted a kiss. "That makes sense...this is going to be a lot of fun even if it is hard work."

"Um...just one thing," Ted said. "I'm not sure how we can bring this all to a conclusion by September. Remember that other life? School, parents...we do have other commitments."

Dennis stared up at the ceiling knowing Ted was right. The swirls in the stucco on the ceiling caught the light through the drapes. Los Angeles was a big town, someone always had the lights on and there was a constant background of noise.

"Commitments...yeah. I'll add that to my list of problems to solve," Dennis said. "Good Night...Teddy Bear."

Ted poked him in the ribs and Dennis jumped. "Good Night, my love," Ted giggled, and they were both soon fast asleep.