Chapter 49

On April 23rd I found a letter from Carnegie Mellon University in the mail that had been forwarded by our post office at home. I had already been accepted at USC but CMU was my first choice and I nervously opened the letter and read it quickly. They were informing me that my grades were acceptable but that I must come to the college for an interview as the second part of the process. I showed the letter to Mom and we decided to talk to Mr. Bacon about clearing the day when I was scheduled to be at the college in Pennsylvania.

*****

Mr. Bacon agreed to shoot around me on the day of the interview and Mom made arrangements for us to fly down to Pittsburgh. I worked extra hard to complete the scenes that I was in, so that I wouldn't be missed on the day that I was to be away.

On the day of the interview a private jet took us down to Pittsburgh where a hired limo met us at the airport and took us to the campus. The driver was familiar with the campus and drove us to the building where the interview would be conducted without having to stop and ask for directions.

We arrived about two hours early and checked in so that they'd know that we were there. We were asked to have a seat for a few minutes to wait for our student hostess. Five minutes later a girl about two years older than myself came rushing in.

"Miss Ramsey, I'm Lana Troy. I'll be your student hostess, today. I can't tell you what an honor it is to meet you. I've become a big fan of yours since I saw you in 'Open Spaces, Closed Hearts'. I loved the book and the first movie. I certainly hope that you're going to make the rest of the story."

As Lana finally paused to take a breath, I said, "Thank you, Lana. This is my mother."

"How do you do, Mrs. Ramsey? It's a pleasure to meet you also. You must be so proud of your daughter. She's one of the best actresses to come into the business in years. I can't believe that someone who hasn't had any formal training in acting can be so wonderful. It's a natural gift that's what it is. I hope that I can someday be half the actress that she is. I study and work and work, but I don't come across as natural as she does, and her without any training at all."

"I've had training," I said, "even though I haven't been to college yet, Lana. Adam Tucker, the actor and director, has trained me. He's one of the best for my money."

"I don't think that I'm familiar with him. Does he teach in New York City?"

"No, he's the director at the Community Theatre in my home town."

"Oh. A community theater actor. How interesting."

I smiled to myself at the unintentional put-down. "We have a couple of hours before the interview. We'd like to look around the campus."

"Of course. That's what I'm here for. Come with me."

With Lana as a guide we received a tour of the Purnell Center for the Arts, and many of the other nearby buildings on the campus. Mom hadn't insisted that I wear ultra tight clothes today, but I still stood out on a campus where jeans and tee shirts appeared to be the prevalent form of clothing for both sexes.

Lana was a good tour guide, as she knew the campus well and never stopped talking. In between describing points of interest, Lana quizzed me about my career. She had seen 'A Promise of Spring' when it had come out, but hadn't paid particular attention to me. After seeing 'Open Spaces' she had rented a copy of ' A Promise of Spring' and watched it again. She said that she couldn't believe that I was the same person in both movies.

"In 'A Promise of Spring' you were such a 'lump'. You were so totally different in 'Open Spaces'."

"I was playing a 'lump', as you call me, in 'Promise'. I was supposed to be an introverted young girl, who had had a string of boyfriends that had abused her and destroyed her self worth. In 'Open Spaces', I was playing an extroverted young shrew. You wouldn't expect the characters to be portrayed the same way, would you?"

"Nooo… I wouldn't."

"Well, that's what we do as actors. We become different people based on what the script calls for. If I looked the same in two totally different parts, I wouldn't be much of an actress."

About fifteen minutes before the appointment time we left the snack bar and went back to the Purnell Center. We were welcomed to the school by the secretary of Mr. Keones, who was the Head of the School of Drama, and escorted to a rehearsal hall where the interview would be conducted. Mom was invited to wait for me outside the hall. Lana stayed with her.

Mr. Keones welcomed me and introduced each of the interviewers on the panel as soon as I was seated. He told me that most of them were familiar with my work, and while that was in my favor, they still had to determine that I was the right person for one of the, only six, available positions that were being filled in the Directing curriculum. I had been on so many interviews over the past two years that my nervousness dissipated quickly as we started. They asked me about my goals and experiences but most of all they wanted to make sure that I was sincere about attending the school, and staying with the program. I assured them that CMU was my number one choice although I had been accepted elsewhere. I told them that if I were accepted here, I would inform the other schools immediately that I was declining their offers.

Lastly we talked about the new movie that I was currently engaged with. Since the Directing curriculum required that each student take two years of acting instruction, one of the interviewers asked how I would feel about taking basic acting courses after having been a highly successful actress already. I was ready for that question and replied that I was sure that there was still a great deal that I could learn about the craft regardless of the course level. They seemed satisfied with the answer and one of them suggested that I might be excused from some of the basic courses based on my previous experience.

At the end of the interview they said that they would get back to me as soon as a decision was reached. I requested that the decision be mailed to me at the movie location so that I wouldn't have to wait for it to be forwarded by the Post Office. Mr. Keones told me to leave the address with his secretary and then I was excused. I thanked everyone and left.

There was another candidate waiting outside in the hall with Mr. Keones' secretary. The secretary asked me to wait while she went inside to see if they were ready. When she came out she told the other candidate to wait until called and I followed her back to her office so that I could give her the temporary mailing address.

With the interview complete Mom, Lana, and I went outside. I thanked Lana for being our hostess for the visit and wished her luck with her career. She told me that it had been her honor to show us around and asked for my autograph. I wrote a very nice message in her autograph book about our afternoon together and signed it. We said goodbye, climbed into the limo and returned to the airport. We had a two-hour wait before the private jet would be ready for the return trip so we settled down to talk and kill time. Naturally the conversation centered on the interview as I told her everything that had happened.

"So how do you feel about how you did?" Mom asked.

"I don't know. Everything went smoothly. There weren't any awkward silences. I think that I'm being seriously considered."

"You said that there's only six positions open?"

"Actually the literature says about six positions. I suppose that there could be five or seven as well."

"And they didn't give you any sense of how they felt towards you?"

"They seemed to like the idea that I was already in the business."

"Well, every school likes to brag about the success of their graduates. There wouldn't be any question about whether you'll be a success or not, since you're already established."

"Is that good? I was a success before I began classes here. Maybe they'd want to be able to say that the success was the result of their teaching."

"The important part is that you have the talent to succeed. No one will really remember that you were successful before you started college if they include your name with their honored alumni."

We continued to discuss the school and the interview until they called that our plane was ready for boarding and two hours later we were landing in Maine.

*****

Not expecting to hear anything from the college right away, I turned my attention fully back to the movie. The weather continued to improve as we moved into May and the time came to begin shooting the riding scenes and the romantic scenes under the large Scarlet Maple that had actually been transplanted to the property where we were shooting. I was happily surprised on the day that the stuntwomen arrived. The stuntwoman hired to sub for me was none other than Sharon Oberson. I knew that she had been hired, and had even recommended her, but I hadn't known exactly what day she would be arriving. I was beside myself with happiness when I looked up and saw her standing there. I jumped up from my chair and hugged her.

"Oh my God, Sharon, it's so great to see you. I've tried to get in touch with you every time I've gone to LA but you're always away."

She smiled widely. "It's great to see you too, honey. I've missed you. I'm glad to see that you're doing so well. I was excited when I was offered the job to stunt for you."

"Pull up a chair and tell me everything that you've been doing for the past year."

For the rest of the day Sharon was never very far away. She stood on the sidelines when I was in a scene and we sat together and talked when I wasn't.

*****

The next two weeks were wonderful as Sharon and I spent all of our free time and meal times together. It hardly seemed like work when she was around. She even talked me into pulling several practical jokes on my fellow actors. Nobody got hurt or offended, and everyone seemed to have a good time, and the fun became infectious.

On the last day of work for Sharon, she confided in me that this would be her last job for a while. She had just learned before coming to the location that she was pregnant. The father was her former boyfriend, Roy. They had worked together on her last picture and after a little too much partying one night they had slept together. She had stopped taking the pill because it was making her ill and she wasn't having an affair with anyone anyway. It was the wrong time to get together with her ex.

After Sharon left, I grew a little despondent for a few days. I guess that I got over it by throwing myself into my work. We were spending a lot of time shooting the romantic scenes under the Scarlet Maple tree now, and I seemed to spend most of my time in Greg's arms. The nicer weather had brought out the locals to watch the filming so we often had an audience for the outdoor scenes, even if they were kept quite a ways back and had to watch with binoculars to get a good look.

*****

It was almost exactly 30 days after my interview at CMU that the letter arrived from Mr. Keones. He opened his remarks by thanking me for my interest in their college and curriculum and then thanked me for coming for the interview. Then he said that he regretted that he must inform me that I was not selected for one of the six available positions in the Directing program. I felt totally crushed and I immediately felt the tears forming at my eyes and running down my face. I had been counting on getting into the program more than I had realized. My grades were good enough so I must have failed in the interview.

Mom came out of the bedroom and saw me standing there crying just as I finished the letter. She came immediately over to me and said, "What is it, honey?"

I sniffled and said, "A letter from CMU. They rejected me."

Mom took the letter from my trembling hand and read it, then wrapped her arms around me. "It's okay, baby. It's only one school. You were accepted at the other three."

I broke down completely once Mom tried to comfort me and I cried into her shoulder. She just stood there, held me, and tried to comfort me with words, but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts and feelings of depression over failing to achieve something that I had really wanted.

After a few minutes Mom gently moved us over to the couch and we sat down together. She held me until I got the crying out of my system, and then got up to get a package of tissues. I took several from the box and dried my face and blew my nose as Mom patted at her soggy shoulder.

"Feeling better now? A good cry is very therapeutic."

I nodded and spoke as I sniffled. "I'm okay now, but I'm still sad about not getting into CMU. I thought that the interview went pretty well. I secretly thought that I was in. I had talked myself into believing that they would love to have a successful actress in their program."

"We may never know why you weren't accepted. Perhaps they don't really even know why they selected someone else over you. Try to find some comfort in the fact that there were only six positions to fill. The competition must have been incredible. They couldn't very well take everyone that applied. I know that you're terribly disappointed right now, but things will work out. Maybe we'll find out that it's all for the better."

I sniffled out, "I don't see how it could be for the better that I wasn't accepted."

"That's just one of those things that we only know when we look back. We don't always get everything that we want… and that's one of the things that's often for the better. It makes us better appreciate the things that we do get. You've been wonderfully successful with your acting. You've made it financially possible for you and your sister to get first class educations, plus accumulated enough to make you financially secure for many years. A few more years of work, and proper investing, will enable you to enjoy a modest lifestyle for the rest of your life. You'll be able to follow whatever career path you choose without worrying about financial considerations. Now go wash your face and we'll go to dinner."

"I'm not hungry."

"Then you won't order very much, but you still have to eat something. You only had a cup of yogurt for lunch and I don't want you getting sick. Now go clean up and get ready to go."

I walked to my bathroom and looked at my face. My eyes were red and the area around them was puffy but I washed up and fixed my makeup.

I only picked at my dinner while Mom did her best to cheer me up, but a large disappointment can only be overcome by time.

*****

I'm afraid that I wasn't very good company over the following week. I managed to put my mood behind me when the cameras were rolling, but as soon as Mr. Bacon yelled, "Cut", I slipped back into the morass. I guess that Mom had explained my sullen mood to everyone and they either gave me a lot of room or commiserated with me. I continued working with my tutor to prepare me for my final exams. In spite of my rejection by CMU, or perhaps because of it, I intended to finish High School with the best grades that I could.

*****

A week later I had grown tired of feeling sorry for myself and I determined to change my mood. I made an effort to smile at everyone and to seem like my old self. I had only eaten in my motor home for the past week, but now I rejoined everyone in the cook-tent and had lunch one day with Greg in his motor home. We only had about two more weeks of shooting and I had resolved to have everyone forget my week of melancholy.

*****

A lot of the last weeks of shooting involved tender scenes between Greg and myself. He commented more than once that it was good to see the old Crystal back. The weeks, since the letter, had served to deaden the pain that I still felt, and I was able to conceal my true feelings.

I had sent a letter to USC accepting enrollment at the college, and sent letters of to the other schools declining their offer while thanking them for extending them. At least there was a positive side to all of it. I would be at the same school as Carol once again.

*****

My tutor administered my final exams to me during the first week of June and sent them off to my teachers. She said that she had reviewed my answers before sending them and she felt very confident that I had done well. I thanked her for all of her help and her patience with having to work around the shooting schedule. With her work done, she left the next day. I intended to graduate on stage with my classmates if the shooting was done early enough.

*****

We completed shooting the next week and celebrated with a huge wrap party that evening. Mom and I said a tearful goodbye to Jill and thanked her for all of her help. She would be around while the final arrangements were cleared up and the site restored as per the original agreement with the owners. We had plane reservations for the next afternoon. Before going back to our hotel I went around and said goodbye to everyone that I had worked with. I expected to see many of them again. That's the way that it is in this business.

*****

Carol was home when we got there and we had a joyful reunion. She had opened the house and done the grocery shopping so we had fresh food in the house, and the phone was never free during our first day back. Either someone was calling or we were returning phone calls.

Brad was home from college and I called him to say 'hi' when my turn rolled around. He had made arrangements to go to my Prom already, as we had discussed in our letters. I had a week to get ready. I planned to wear the dress that Barbara had made for the NYC premiere. The picture hadn't appeared in the paper, so no one had seen it except the people at the New Year's Eve party, and I knew that none of them would be at the Prom, except Brad.

When my second turn to use the phone came around I called Debbie. She wasn't home, so I left a message before calling Jenny, then Barb and Diane from school. Only Diane was home so I used what remained of my hour talking to her and telling her about the new movie.

*****

I spent the next days getting re-acclimated to home. I had completed my studies and the movie so I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands. I spent the five days before the prom either at the Mall with Carol and our friends, or at one another's houses. At night I went out with Brad and usually doubled with Carol and Vinnie. As long as we were going to a friend's house I didn't have to wear my disguise, but I did wear it when we went out in public.

*****

On Friday, Brad came to get me for the Prom, and we left after Mom snapped a few pictures, about a roll and a half, of us. Our picture was taken again at the school when we emerged from the limo. The photographers were not students so I supposed that that they worked for the local paper. I wondered, perhaps vainly, if they were there just to shoot me.

When we entered the school and stopped to show our tickets at the door to the auditorium, I was amazed to learn that my name had been placed on the ballot for Prom Queen. I hadn't asked to be listed but someone had submitted my name. I guess that it was understandable since I was the most famous person in the school, and possibly the city. Brad checked my name on both ballots and we went inside.

Brad led me to a table where we found several of the guys from the football team and their dates, two of whom were cheerleaders. Two of the players had graduated last year, like Brad, and were here because their girlfriends were seniors. I knew everyone at the table. Like almost always, I wound up talking with the girls while Brad talked football with the guys. The girls wanted to hear everything about Gregory Crowne. I was careful what I said so that Brad didn't get angry or embarrassed.

In spite of being back with his football buds, Brad was attentive and we danced as much as not. I think that it may have been, partly, to get away from the constant crowd of visitors to our table. Each time that we danced, the crowd would dissipate, and then begin to grow as we sat down again. When the time came for announcing the Prom King and Queen, a member of the committee announced that Garret Jaeger was the king. As soon as he had been crowned, the announcer called my name, as I had been elected Prom Queen. I smiled and walked up to the stage with Brad. He stayed at the foot of the stairs while I climbed up and was crowned. The photographers that had been outside earlier were in here now and they must have taken about two dozen pictures of Garrett and me, in addition to the yearbook photographer that was snapping away. There was also a cameraman from one of the local television studios and he blinded me with his light as I gave a short acceptance speech and then again as I danced the required dance with Garrett. After that, he and the photographers left us alone.

Once I had rejoined Brad, we had a steady stream of visitors congratulating me and asking about the new movie. At times it seemed like the entire group of Prom attendees were gathered around our table. Since I had completed my exams while still in Maine, I hadn't been around at school to feed the rumor mill and thus take the 'edge' off the news about the new movie. Tonight was everyone's first opportunity to hear about it.

After the Prom we went for pizza and a large group of friends followed us. Like last year, we almost took over the pizza parlor, pulling all of the tables together to make one very long table that snaked around the room.

Because Brad dropped me off with the limo we didn't spend more than a few minutes kissing when he brought me home at one o'clock. I was still seventeen and one o'clock was my curfew even though I would be eighteen in a couple of months.

*****

On Sunday, I officially became a high-school graduate. I sat in the stands and listened to the speeches with my classmates and then filed up onto the stage to receive the empty folder that they hand out so that they don't give the wrong diploma to someone. I celebrated with my classmates by hugging and cheering, and then with my family, and Brad and Debbie. Aunt Jessica had come over for the weekend to attend my graduation also, but the big surprise had been Dad showing up.

After the ceremony Carol and I invited our friends back to the house for a little party. Most of my schoolmates were going out with their parents or home to their own celebration, but Brad, Heather, Sheri, and Vinnie came over to the house. Mom had bought a cake and filled the refrigerator with soft drinks and the party lasted for several hours, until the other kids had to leave to get home for dinner. Brad was the last to go and he gave me a graduation kiss that lasted for a couple of minutes to go along with the beautiful bracelet that he had given me earlier.

*****

Dad left after dinner on Sunday night, Aunt Jessica left about an hour after that, and life in the house returned to normal for a short time. I began to relax and enjoy my summer but I quickly grew restless in the absence of meaningful activity. You can only visit the Mall so many days in a row before it starts seeming old.

On the last Monday in June we got a call from Mr. Daniels at the agency. He had set up interviews for me in California and wanted us to come out right away. We had told him several months ago that I would be available for any work that he could find so we prepared to leave on Tuesday. Carol wanted to stay at home, so only Mom and I would be going. It made it a lot easier by not having to close up the house, stop the paper, and other things.

*****

I went for the first interview on Wednesday. It was for a movie; a comedy to be shot in Mexico about some tourists who have their tour bus hijacked by inept banditos. The producer, Mr. Feldman, and the director, James Tisch, were there, and both were familiar with my role in Oliver On Board, as well as my movie roles.

Mr. Feldman, after thanking me for coming out to LA to meet with them, said, "Miss Ramsey, we don't need you to read for us. Your television work showed us that you have a good sense of comedic timing, and your movie roles have shown us that you have range. We think that you might be perfect for this part."

"What is the part, Mr. Feldman?"

"Tour Guide. You know, the person who makes sure that everyone is on the bus before it goes, and then describes interesting points of interest along the way. You'd be the person in charge of the group and would act as intermediary between the tourists and the banditos."

"You're aware that I don't speak Spanish?"

"Yes, your bio just lists three years of French, but that doesn't matter. The entire movie's in English, except for a few words or short phrases here and there that everyone recognizes. You know, like 'gracias'. What we're looking for is someone who can be funny at times, even act a little ditzy, but who also shows that there's a brain underneath that mass of beautiful blond hair and who can save the people that have been entrusted to her care. We think that you can pull it off."

We continued to talk about the movie for almost an hour. It almost felt as if I had been cast already rather than that I was just being interviewed for the role. Mom was still waiting for me in the reception area when we had finished and I had said goodbye to the people in the meeting.

We returned to the condo and I spent the afternoon out at the pool. Neither Bud nor Chet showed up but there were a few other residents catching some rays, although I didn't engage anyone in conversation other than 'hellos'.

*****

On Friday I went for the other interview. This was also for a movie, but it was a sci-fi flick that was to take place aboard a star-ship in deep space. I was given a script excerpt and time to prepare before being asked to read. I managed to pronounce all of the technical terms, some of them sounding really phony, without tripping up. In this movie, the actress would play an ensign, and a recent graduate of a space academy, who ends up alone in an escape pod after the vessel's propulsion system goes critical and the order is given to abandon ship. The ensign is eventually picked up by a cargo ship, which then comes under attack by space pirates. The captain is killed in the initial attack, and because of her military training, the ensign is asked to take command of the ship.

The executive producer, an assistant producer, a casting director, and several other people were there for my reading. The assistant producer read the other parts. As on most interviews, I was told, when the interview concluded, that the movie company would be in touch. Mom and I drove to the agency building to meet with Mr. Daniels afterward. I was surprised to see a very large portrait of me mounted on the wall of the corridor leading to the executive offices, along with the others of top stars represented by the agency.

"Well, how did it go today?" Mr. Daniels asked as we were escorted into his office.

"Same as always; they'll be in touch," I said.

Mr. Daniels chuckled at the way that I said it and the expression on my face. "That’s always better than just 'Thank you for coming'. It usually means that you're still under consideration in 'casting talk'. What we have to do now is get you a publicist."

"Why do I need a publicist? The agency seems to be doing fine for me."

"You've outgrown what we can do in that area. We'll still promote you and represent you, but a publicist is a specialist in getting your name on the lips of America, and the world. Now that you've had your first leading role in a major motion picture, it's time to spread your fame and build a demand for your pictures. We want to get to a point where producers will be climbing over one another to get you in their movies."

I giggled at the thought.

Mr. Daniels smiled. "I'm serious. Someday, we'll have them waiting in line for a chance to have Crystal Ramsey in their picture or television series. A good publicist will make that day come much sooner. They do things like getting your picture in newspapers and magazines. They help create the demand to see your work."

I sat there digesting what he said.

"Now here's a list of top notch publicists. You should speak to them and select one to work on promoting you. The sooner you get one, the sooner you'll start gaining better name recognition, and that translates into movie roles. Every producer wants 'names' in their pictures, even if they aren't the leading roles."

We returned to the condo after the conference. Mom agreed that we should hire a publicist so we called and set up interviews with those in the LA area. There was also one in Chicago on the list, and four in New York City.

*****

During the following week we met with all of the publicists that we had been able to contact. One of the people on the list was out of town for several weeks. We decided that since I would be entering USC in the fall, it would be better to hire a publicist that was based in that area. Mom and I settled on Jennifer Blythe. Her name suited her perfectly. She was cheerful and animated from the first moment that we met her.

We signed with Jennifer and she immediately began working on developing my case file. We had a couple of afternoon meetings where we just talked, so that she could learn about me and the work that I had done in my short career. Mr. Daniels approved of our selection and said that Jennifer had always worked well with the agency.

Because we had stayed a week longer than originally planned, we had missed the July 4th celebrations back home, but we didn't miss out on seeing a fireworks extravaganza. Chet invited us to a special event put on by him and some of his special f/x buddies. About two hundred people gathered at a secluded spot on the edge of the desert to watch them light up the sky for almost an hour. The finale was some really major explosions on the ground. We could feel the force of the blasts from almost a quarter of a mile away, and it took several minutes to begin to get our night vision back after it was over. It certainly wasn't the usual 'Fireworks in the Park' kind of show!

*****

When we got back home, Brad had left for college already. The football team would have been practicing for about six weeks when school started again. I was sorry that I hadn't been here to see him off. It was unlikely that he would be home before Christmas.

Carol had taken a message from Mr. Tucker asking that I contact him as soon as possible. I called him and he asked me to come down to the theatre in the morning so that we could talk. We agreed on a time and said goodnight.

*****

Mr. Tucker wasn't there when I arrived so I made a pot of coffee for him, then joined Marge and Barbara for a cup of tea. A couple of men were building the sets for the new play and faint sounds of electric saws and hammering reached us in the makeup room. Mr. Tucker came in about ten minutes later and we went out to the backstage area so that Mr. Tucker could get a cup of coffee, and then we walked to a prop room to get away from the noise.

"Crystal, my precious prodigy, thank you for coming down this morning."

"I'm always happy to visit with you, Mr. Tucker."

"Well… this is more than just a visit. I have a favor to ask."

"I'll be happy to help you with the new production. I'm free until school starts."

"The favor that I'm going to ask is a bit more than that."

"More? You want me to act in it?"

"It's more than that. I want you to direct it."

"What? Direct it? Me?"

"Yes, you."

"I can't do that. I wouldn't know where to start."

"Of course you can do it. You did wonderfully when you were my assistant director, and since then you've starred in a television series and had major roles in three motion pictures. You've had a chance to be directed by some excellent directors so you've picked it up even if you haven't used it yet."

"But why? Why aren't you doing it? Have you gotten a job that will take you away?"

"I wish that that was it. The fact is that my mother is failing. The doctors say that she has just a few weeks left. She can't feed herself anymore and is totally bedridden now. I want to spend as much time with her as I can while she's with us. Can you help me out."

I put my hand on his. "Of course. I'll do whatever I can."

"Thank you, my dear. I'll be eternally grateful. I didn't want to just walk out on the company. The casting is all done, the costumes are ordered, and the sets are being made. We started rehearsals the day after the fourth but we've only scratched the surface."

"How many in the cast?"

"Twenty, eleven men and nine women. My notes are all in the computer. If you'll come by at six tonight, I'll make the announcement, introduce the actors that you don't know, and turn over the production to you."

"How many newcomers?"

"Nine, but only two of them are large parts, and from what I've seen they'll do okay, but it'll be up to you to shape them."

"Shape them?"

"Yes, just like you did with Regina last year. She credits you with enabling her to turn in the performance that she did. She has one of the larger parts in our new play."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I think that you can help her even more. She's good but she lacks confidence in herself. Boost her ego a little and she'll give you a good performance."

"Okay, Mr. Tucker."

"And stop calling me Mr. Tucker. We're colleagues now. Call me Adam."

I paused to make the mental adjustment. I had never even considered calling him anything other than 'Mr. Tucker' before. With a warmth of feeling, I responded, "Okay… Adam."

"That's better. I have to run. Here's a copy of the script. I'll see you tonight."

"Okay Mr… Adam.'

I walked back to the makeup room. Marge noticed the expression on my face and said, "What's the matter, honey."

"Mr. Tucker's mother is fading. She only has a few weeks left. He wants me to take over the production so that he can be with her as much as possible."

Marge and Barbara looked at one another before Barbara said, "And you said what?"

"Among other things," I said with a wry grin. "But I also said yes."

"Wonderful," Marge said. "I'm sure that that will relieve the stress on Mr. Tucker right now. I guess that we should start calling you Miss Ramsey now to start showing the proper respect."

I knew that she was kidding and I said, "Don't you dare. I'm feeling strange enough right now."

"Look, kiddo," Barbara said, "just do what you did when you were the assistant director and you'll do fine. Don't let the title get to you. You're a professional now, and you know more about acting than anyone in this company outside of Mr. Tucker."

"Thank you, both. I'll need your support and help to get through this."

"You have it, honey," Marge said. "Anything that we can do, just ask."

I went home after I finished my tea and broke the news to Mom.

"Well, I guess that we won't be seeing very much of you for the next two months. Good luck, dear. Break a leg."

"Thanks, Mom. You don't think that it's too much for me do you?"

"Do you?"

"I don't know. It seems like such a large responsibility."

"You can handle it, dear. It's what you've wanted. It's what you want to go to college to learn. Here's your chance to get first hand experience. And Mr. Tucker will be nearby in case you have a problem that you can't resolve. Although he won't be actively involved, he'll be there with advice if you need it."

"Okay, Mom, and thanks." I gave her a hug and added, "I'm going up to my bedroom to read the script."

"Okay, dear. I'll call you when dinner is ready."

 

(continued in Chapter 50)

I want to express my grateful appreciation to Lynn Jennings and Debbie Cybill for their very helpful suggestions and proofreading on this series.

 

 

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