The Hollywood Guy (23 page)

Bobby once turned up with an astonishing girl from acting class whom he was mad about. Pete desperately tried to impress her and when she started to show some interest, Bobby ushered her out. Samantha was humiliated by his behavior. After the divorce, Bobby took revenge for that evening by sleeping with Sam. The girl from acting class later won an Academy Award and merited several pages in Bobby’s photo album. Years later, Pete ran in to her on the arm of Warren Beatty at a Hollywood party. She didn’t remember him at all.

Pete sips his drink, staring at Barbara who looks bored. She was a better cook than Samantha, adventurous, loved to try different recipes from Alice Waters to Madhur Jaffrey. Pete ate organic everything long before it was fashionable. Barbara’s stews were grass fed, her grains biblical. He especially loved her beet, walnut and watercress salad and the roast chicken with oranges and pears. Simplicity, harmony, and an element of surprise were the hallmarks of her cooking. Near the end, she closed the kitchen.

“I thought you stopped drinking?” Barbara stands next to him.

“This is a special occasion.”

“Order me a Bloody Mary.”

“Remember the summer that’s all we drank?”

“Always with the memories.”

“I don’t want to lose them.”

“Pete, you have to let go of the past.”

“I’m trying to.” He hands her the Bloody Mary. “I love the color of your dress.” They touch glasses.

“To marriage,” she says.

“May it last.”

“Forever.”

They drink.

“I was thinking.” He looks directly into her eyes.

She doesn’t turn away. “About marriage?”

“About what a great cook you were and how nothing can replace the time we had together.”

“More memories.”

“Have you reopened the kitchen?”

“David and I eat out mostly, we’re in an ethnic phase, currently South Indian in the Valley.”

“You take him to that rib joint we loved near Leimert Park?”

“I never take him to one of our places.”

“How can you be with him?”

“He takes me seriously and respects what I do.”

“How does he fit in with the shrink crowd?”

“David is a very sensitive man. You underestimate him.”

“And the sex is good?”

“He’s not obsessed and insecure like you.” She turns and walks away.

Pete orders another drink.

P
ete sits at his assigned table next to Soong Lee who is taking David’s pulse while across the floral centerpiece, Barbara listens to the four men of God swapping stories about faith. From time to time she looks up and directs a wry smile at Pete who sips his drink. A short bearded man seated next to him thoughtfully observes their byplay.

The lights in the hall dim. A large screen has been set up and a documentary style video about the newlyweds begins. The music is romantic, the images sentimental. It begins with a montage of cute baby photos of Priscilla and Jeff, followed by parallel home movie snippets intercut of the two kids growing up, segueing to the lovebirds goofing around on an empty beach, arms linked around a Palm Tree. The video climaxes with Priscilla and Jeff bungee jumping off the Rio Grande Bridge.

A perfect metaphor for marriage, Pete thinks as the lights come up and the newlyweds make a grand entrance to the strains of the original version of “Love Will Keep Us Together,” the evening’s theme.

Everyone cheers and claps.

The rabbi yells, “Mazel Tov!” The Armenian priest intones in a deep voice. The Baptist minister tosses in a rhythmic, “Amen.” The monsignor makes the sign of the cross, blesses the newlyweds in Latin as Priscilla and Jeff step on to the dance floor. They’ve practiced, but there’s still awkwardness, she being taller and something of a klutz. Hubby doesn’t notice, so in love is he. When Jeff dances with his mother-in-law and Priscilla with her father-in-law, it’s a signal for the rest of the guests to join in.

Pete watches Barbara and the putz dance. Are they a good fit? He turns to the bearded man. “That’s my ex-wife and my agent, they’re an item.”

“You in show business?”

“Used to be.”

“Exciting life.”

“Not as exciting as marriage, that was a roller coaster ride.”

“Never been, too many issues to work out.”

“I tried three times.”

“Children?”

“A daughter, with her.”

“I saw you talking before. I sense there’s still a spark between you.”

“You could see that?”

The man nods knowingly. “Have you tried to work out your differences?”

Pete hangs his head. “I deserved my walking papers.”

“Forgiveness makes us better human beings.”

“She found another man.”

“Your agent.”

“The putz.”

“Why does he still represent you?”

“David is a very good agent. What do you do?”

“I’m a therapist but I write children’s songs on the side, play guitar. Think David would be interested in me?”

“Possibly.” Time to refresh his drink. Pete stands.

“Perhaps I might facilitate a conversation between you and your ex?”

Pete shakes his head in disbelief. “What could you possibly know about marriage? Work out your own issues before giving advice.”

Pete takes his drink outside to check in on the ballgame on his phone. The Yanks scored a run in the bottom of the second, another in the third, and are up 2-0. He takes a roach from a matchbox, lights up and watches the dancers inside. David and Barbara definitely don’t go together.

“I need a hit of that.” Bobby has found him.

“You said before….”

“Fuck what I said before, my daughter just got married and I feel very emotional.”

“Yankees 2-0.” Pete hands him the roach. “I’ve been married three times and each time I said ‘I do,’ I meant it. I really did. I certainly was madly in love with Samantha and Barbara.”

“You once told me Heidi was the love of your life.”

“On the day we married I felt that way, but the moment passed quickly and it ended badly. They all ended badly”

“You were immature. Soong Lee and I are ready.”

“She said yes?”

Bobby nods. “I want you to be my best man.”

“O Wise One, why did you get away with everything and I got away with nothing?”

Bobby slips into his guru persona. “My son, you were a married man who cheated on his wife. Marriage is sacred. An unmarried man can not cheat on his wife.”

“But you encouraged me.”

Bobby puts his hand on Pete’s shoulder. “It was a test that you failed.”

Back inside, guests finish their salad as a videographer captures the newlyweds circulating among the tables. Pete follows Bobby toward Jeff and Priscilla who are hugging friends and posing with family. Mr. Confidence is tongue-tied in his biological daughter’s presence. She hugs him. Bobby stutters, “I’m so happy for you.”

The groom may be short, but he has a powerful handshake. “I used to do my homework watching your show, Mr. Fields.”

“Pete here was the man responsible.”

“Wow!” The groom is impressed. “
Nasty
, you?”

Priscilla holds out her hand, another impressive grip. “What does responsible mean exactly?”

“The concept, the characters were mine, but a lot of people wrote on it.”

“He created the show, the man is a genius.”

“I got lucky.”

“We have this incredible idea for a reality TV series set in a wireless store.”

“That’s what we do.”

The videographer zooms in tighter.

“Sell cells,” quips Pete.

Jeff grins. “He gets it, hon.”

“We’re calling it,
Wireless
.”

Pete is uncomfortable as the videographer swings to him for a reaction. “You guys have great chemistry.”

“We met at the store. Cell phone salespeople lead adventurous lives.”

“I proposed on the Gorge Bridge before we jumped.”

“We’re thrill seekers.” Priscilla playfully jabs Jeff in the ribs.

The groom turns to the video camera. “It was amazing to leap into space with Priscilla.”

“The ultimate rush.”

The videographer moves closer.

“And we’re both Pisces,” Jeff confides to the camera.

“
Wireless!
” Priscilla proclaims and gives Jeff a big kiss - great moment. The video director cuts, time to move on. “Really nice meeting you.” Priscilla hugs Pete, so does Jeff.

“The guy at our table with my ex-wife is the man you need to talk to.”

Bobby jumps at the opportunity to be useful. “David, our agent, let me introduce you.”

But Jeff persists with Pete. “After we get back from the honeymoon, can I give you a call, kick around some ideas?”

Pete is about to ask why would I want to do that, but Bobby interrupts. “He would love to.”

“I’d love to,” says Pete, shifting gears.

Priscilla hugs Bobby again. He blushes as the music starts up and the newlyweds return to the dance floor.

Pete sits down to eat his salad, grumbling under his breath, “I don’t give a shit about Reality TV.”

Bobby hovers. “That meant a lot to them.”

“And don’t call me a genius any more.”

“I have a copy of the review that said
Nasty
was a work of staggering genius.”

“The network paid for that.”

“Anyway, thanks.” Bobby goes off with Soong Lee.

Pete sips his drink contemplatively, looks for Barbara in the crowd. There she is doing the funky chicken with the Baptist minister. If she loves him, why can’t he see any evidence? Everyone says it’s obvious how they feel about each other.

David sits down. “Don’t hate my guts. We go back too far.”

“Who hates your guts?”

“Barbara is an amazing woman, be happy for her.”

“Why? Because she’s with you?”

“She helped me to self-actualize.”

Pete suppresses the urge to grab David by the throat and choke him to death. “Who did you turn out to be?”

“A man who wants to help people.”

Pete’s anger dissolves. “You?” He bursts out laughing.

“It’s not funny. I’ve made a lot of money, I want to give something back. I’m setting up a foundation.”

“To not pay taxes. You can bullshit Barbara but show me some respect.”

“Because you can’t be trusted, you don’t trust anyone. I feel very sorry for you.” David walks away.

Pete’s cell rings, his daughter again. He steps outside.

“Daddy.” She sounds shaky.

He’s calm. “What’s up?”

“I played the demo for Annie who thought it was totally retro. She didn’t get the roots thing at all, but my friend Gary and his boys, they were totally down.”

“It takes time to appreciate something different, even Dylan and the Beatles sounded strange at first, people got used to it.”

“Exactly. Have you seen Mom?”

“You knew she would be here?”

“Dad, I think she wants you back.”

“Annabeth, your mother is with that putz.”

“Dance with her.” She hangs up.

Pete met Barbara at a party in a gallery at Bergamot Station. The local art scene offered sexual opportunity and he was looking for companionship. He was in the midst of a meaningless conversation with a tattoo artist when a mysterious woman arrived late, wearing a man’s fedora and sunglasses. He surmised she was there to cherry pick a lover. Dancing alone, he fell in step with her. No introduction, all communication was through gesture, he picked up her moves, her style, didn’t try to lead. They never stopped dancing, first parallel then closer and closer, brushing legs and thighs, butts bumping. Finally he took her in his arms. They were so comfortable together, sharing a special internal rhythm, the last to leave the party.

When Pete returns to the wedding, the main course has been served and a toast by best man Phil is in progress. He slips into his seat and goes to work on the prime rib, stares at Barbara across the table seemingly enjoying the toast. It was true that dancing connected them. Once they rented tuxedoes for a Writers Guild Awards Dinner. They made a stunning couple. When the band played a Mambo, Barbara followed Latin Pete into an intricate routine of turns and spins, breaks and pauses, two tuxedoes tripping the light fantastic. How could Barbara love David? Does she actually believe he’s going to start a foundation and give something back - to whom? Absurd. David, the killer agent, wants ten percent of everyone.

Bobby jabs him in the ribs, whispers frantically, “I can’t do it.”

Pete is confused. “What?”

“I can’t speak…. make the toast for me.”

“Toast?”

“To Priscilla and Jeff, please, everyone is waiting.” Bobby pushes Pete to his feet.

He stares at a sea of blank faces. Who is this guy, they wonder? Not the biological father, Bobby Fields, the famous Hollywood actor. Who is this unknown, standing in for the star? The bride and groom look expectantly. Barbara and David, holding hands, stare at him.

Pete stammers, “I… My friend… Bobby asked me to…” He focuses on the radiant newlyweds waiting for the alleged genius to speak. Polishing off his second double bourbon, Pete starts to improvise. “Priscilla and Jeff, when you kissed under the chuppah, when you kissed.” He pauses, not for affect but because a rush of unexpected emotion swells inside him. His voice breaks. “Your love filled me with hope.” He takes a beat here, deeply feeling it. “On behalf of my best friend, Bobby Fields, I want to offer a toast from a failed romantic who still believes in love and still believes in marriage. It starts with the vows you took today. ‘For better or worse.’ Anyone can marry for better, but it’s the hard times that will test your love.”

Bobby takes Soong Lee’s hand and repeats, “It’s the hard times that will test your love.”

Pete continues passionately. “Sickness and health, for richer or poorer - rich and healthy, no problem, sick and poor requires commitment.”

“Tell it like it is, brother,” shouts the minister.

“That’s what the vows are all about, commitment.” His eyes lock with Barbara’s. “That’s what marriage is all about, commitment.” Pete raises his glass. “To sharing the good times and overcoming the bad. To forgiving one another’s failings. Priscilla and Jeff let your love grow to perfection!”