CHAPTER 1
Born pretty and improving like a ripening peach, Satin Jones wandered along Main Street in despair. She had $1791.67 to her name and $1327.00, her one-third share of the month's rent of, was due next Tuesday. Should Satin fail to stump up with her share of the rent, her two roommates would surely ask her to pay what she could and then leave so they could replace her.
Three years ago Satin, daughter of a dressmaker mother and shoe store manager father, had left home when her parents decided to split. She'd nowhere else to go apart from asking either of two aunts to take her in. However their kids had left home and she thoughtfully assumed they'd not welcome having her taking up residency and in need of financial support to upset their new routines.
She really would have to find a replacement job and find it quickly. The company she'd worked as a kitchen appliance sale assistant had folded, leaving her adrift in a tight job market. Although possessing some skill, she believed she lacked the experience and dress sense and hip sway to be a successful hooker. But she was facing financial crisis.
Satin noticed a film crew ahead of her interviewing people on a snap poll.
The 22-year old blonde former college beauty queen stood and watched people being questioned about the chances of a contender attempting to unseat Mayor Walt Pearson at the upcoming election.
Some of the comments were predictable such as, 'They both have a chance' or 'My thinking is one of them will win'.
It was pathetic.
Suddenly she was bathed in camera light and a microphone hovered on a boon above her head.
"Young lady, what's your name?"
"Satin Jones."
"No I mean your real name."
"Shove off you jerk. I was named Satin Jones within an hour of my birth."
In Orion Film's studio a mile away the woman watching the monitor called, "Rebecca quickly, take a look at this."
Rebecca came running and shrieked, "Omigod" and grabbed her phone.
The sidewalk interviewer apologized, and said, "Who do you think will win our mayoral contest?"
"My hope is Jed Wilks will unseat Sam Pearson who who's done next to nothing for this city in his third term in office. He's run out of ideas and is just cruising. We need new blood."
The interviewer grinned as said, "Thank you Satin. You have delivered a strong opinion."
The camera focused on someone else and a woman wearing a headset appeared beside Satin and said, "Please take this call miss. It really is for you."
Wondering what this was about, Satin took the phone and said, "What do you want?"
"Satin my name is Rebecca Florence and I'm a casting agent from Chicago. I'm in your city on a scouting visit. A car clearly marked Orion Films is on the way to collect you. It should be there within ten minutes. Ask Fiona, the woman who handed you her phone, to confirm who I am. Note Fiona is wearing a vest with Orion Films named on it and she is wearing an ID that states she is Fiona Smith of Orion Films. My hope is I can offer you work."
Work?
Satin handed the phone back to the redhead woman and checked her ID card on a neckband to confirm she was Fiona Smith.
"Who's Rebecca Florence?"
"She's freelance casting agent from Chicago who's looking for a fresh face for a leading advertising agency."
"Does my face look fresh?"
"You look pretty good to me but those people look beyond 10-second appeal... you know hair, eyes, chin, length of neck, smile and the hidden elements of the mix."
"The mix? Like what?"
"Allure I suppose."
"Do I possess allure Fiona?"
"I have no idea but if you would like fame and fortune, even for a brief period, Rebecca Florence might be your meal ticket."
"So what do I do?"
"Walk away or go to her and gamble you have what it takes. It's your call. Mrs Florence is not your keeper."
Satin decided in an instant she needed a meal ticket and waited for the vehicle to arrive.
Mrs Florence watched Satin approach and heard her mutter, "Omigod, the body as well."
Satin had no idea what 'as well' referred to.
They talked.
"So I test and if accepted I walk into a shower nude, pick up a bottle of hair conditioner, apply it to my hair keeping my face clear of my arms and look down just to the left of the camera and say, 'I feel beautiful'. A voice-over will add product description and for that brief work I'll get two grand?"
"That's about it although there will be several takes to get everything right. You'll have no agent's fees because you don't have an agent but you'll have to join Actor's Equity otherwise the film crew and support crew may refuse to work with you."
"Oh if I'm to go to Chicago I'll need a loan. I'm flat broke."
"I'll drive you there in the morning. Here's a couple of hundred to buy a half-decent dress and shoes. Give me the address where I can collect you at 10:00."
"Um don't you want me to sign a contract?"
"Not today. You can't look like you do and be untrustworthy."
Satin took a cab home and in a daze told Jess and ZoΓ« she was off to Chicago to make her fortune. They listened to her in awe and Jess warned Satin she might have been recruited as a drugs courier.
That thought had occurred to Satin but Mrs Florence looked like what Satin pictured a casting agent would look like and so she trusted her. She laughed and said was sure Mrs Florence was genuine and apologized for leaving without much notice and settled her share of rent.
Mrs Florence arrived in a red current model Mercedes coupe and invited Satin to drive. She said Satin should call her Rebecca and chatted away, complimenting Satin's driving ability and mention she was forty-four and had retired from stage acting six years ago.
"I was a better actress than I am a casting agent but I was aging. I left acting when finding I was no longer winning the sexy women roles that had become my specialty. The only work on offer became motherly roles. My god."