Thanks for your patience everyone!
*****
When someone (or me for that matter) would get overly anxious about something I'd tell them they were jumping to conclusions and that it was the only exercise they ever got. It was usually good for a laugh. Now it was Roger Sullivan's turn to use that line on me. The major shake-up at my old employer, Artists Unlimited, had gotten to me for some reason. I had no real connection to the company anymore, I'd moved on with a new employer, Jackie Morrison, Hollywood's newest power broker, one who'd been very generous to me so far, so why was I concerned?
"You're being completely ridiculous about this, you know." He said to me.
"I know, I know, I just can't help but wonder..."
"Oh, geez, about what?" he asked, in weary voice "That place was hemorrhaging talent and money ever since Walter Murphy died. Biggest mistake Chuck ever made was not accepting Jackie's partnership offer, and you know it. The company would've been ten times more powerful."
He was right, I'll give him that. Jackie's offer was generous and between her business expertise and Chuck's contacts and drive we could've done amazing things.
"Yeahhh...OK you're right" I said in the same weary tone as his "One thing I've never been able to get a clear answer on was, well why did Chuck get fired in the first place? I know he'd had his problems with New York but that can't be the only thing, right?"
There was a long silence on Roger's end.
"OK, I don't have all the info either but my sources say he had some nasty encounters with a few actresses."
"Any names?"
"If there were, I never heard any. But if it's what I think it is, AU had to take care of it very quietly."
"What does that mean?"
"It means the company paid off more than a few not to talk, and paid some big bucks to them too."
"A settlement?"
"Right, and a couple of them might've worked for an escort service too. So there's an element of blackmail as well. I even heard from one that the LA Times was about to do a big investigative piece on him. So the company decided to cut their losses."
"By cutting him?"
"Right."
An escort service, that meant only one name to me, Laura Austin. If there was anyone who knew the dirty dealings of the rich and powerful, it was her.
"Well, look, just for the heck of it what do you think will happen without him?"
"Jeff will probably look to liquidate whatever's left there."
"And that's the end of it?"
"Unless he's got some secret weapon up his sleeve, that's the only thing I can think of."
That sense of finality hit me. The company would be no more.
"Geez, I wonder what Chris would've said about this?"
"He'd say go to Disneyland, Hollywood. And that's what I'll say to you. Now, I'm due in court, talk to you soon." It was Roger's way of ending the conversation, and it always worked.
One thing I'd never done while living in California, and being around all the glitterati, was go to Disneyland. Maybe it was because I never went as a kid (plus I grew up on the east coast) and now as an adult the idea of being around a lot of screaming kids and frazzled adults didn't excite me much. No, make that at all. Sure, I had a curiosity about it, and what it could've been like but I just filed it away in the "what if" file in my mind and moved on. Jackie Morrison had other ideas, the producers of an animated series that ran on the Disney channel were looking for a big production deal on their next series, and she knew that any dealings with Disney could mean blockbuster revenues for all involved. She was eager to close a deal.
"I don't think I need to tell anyone here how a deal like this will raise our status in the industry" she said at a staff meeting "I've been trying to get in the door with the Disney people for five years and this is the perfect opportunity."
"You're not gonna try and buy the company are you?" I joked.
"Far from it, James" she replied, not looking up from her notes "That company will never be bought at any price. I think it's an unwritten rule in this town. But there's no rule that says we can't go after the talent associated with them. And that's what I plan to do." It was another sign of her fierce determination "I plan to meet with their top people this week and close the deal by the weekend. If this goes as planned, we'll all have a free day at Disneyland. How's that sound kiddies?"
Those on the staff with kids were naturally pleased. Jackie turned things over to Mark Walker, who handled aspects of the TV division and was a skilled dealmaker in the industry and another talent that "the Jackal" had poached from a top law firm on the east coast. Though I didn't know him well, he seemed all business.
"The deal we're working on is with the producers of a series called "Sofia the First", anybody know it?"
I sheepishly raised my hand before anybody else did. It's a little embarrassing to know the show, but even more that I did this before the ones with kids could! After all, that's their target audience, not a single guy who accidentally put it on while trying to reset his TV remote.
"Why James, you continue to surprise me every day." Jackie said, making the others chuckle.
"Well, when you're trying to fix your remote, you end up on channels you never expected."
"As I was saying..." Mark continued "...the producers are planning to launch a new show on the Disney Channel. We have a chance to represent them in negotiations. It's pretty cut and dried, standard deal with Disney we've seen it before. But the timing is very opportune for us, they'll be celebrating the launch of a new season of Sofia at the park and we could announce the deal at that time."
"Good idea." Jackie said in her firm, all business voice "Alright, people. That's all for today."
At the end of the week an email was sent informing us all of Jackie's success closing the deal, we were off to the "happiest place on earth" as V.I.P. guests. Since I didn't have kids and all my nieces and nephews were on the other coast I was more curious than anything. The day of our trip was classic California weather and rather than a bus ride with everyone else I drove myself down there, I wanted some measure of "grownup freedom". The drive down the 405 highway gave me a chance to clear my head of the week's work and my iPod was loaded with all my Tom Petty songs. Once I got there I knew I'd made the right decision, it was pretty chaotic getting in even for V.I.P.'s like us. We were given special badges on lanyards that would get us in to any rides or attractions there without having to wait. As well as a special tram bus to get to the entrance. This was one time I didn't feel guilty getting special treatment. So I started to freely wander the park. And I gotta admit, "Uncle Walt" sure knew what he was doing when he built this place. There was just an epic scale to everything I saw, especially Cinderella's castle. Near the castle I spotted from behind a short brunette girl in tight denim shorts and an electric blue t-shirt with two companions. She bore a striking resemblance to...Laura Austin?
No way!
What would she be doing here?
The girl turned and from the front I instantly spotted a generous rack, whoa, maybe it was her? The sunglasses were certainly the type she'd wear. But I couldn't get a good look at her face or hear her voice. And I still wondered what she was doing here? She certainly didn't seem like the Disneyland-type. But then again, suddenly turning up when I'd least expect it was something she enjoyed, she'd done it before. Then again, maybe this was one of those times when simple coincidence played a role. Not some kind of ulterior motive, although she had plenty of those. She walked away with her friends and I started to follow her, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. But I soon lost sight of her in the sea of tourists. Oh well, if we're destined to meet again, we will. Maybe the spirit of a certain Mouse had something to do with it.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text message from Jackie. We were all to meet at the Tommorowland Theater where the big announcement related to our companies deal would be made. Jackie was tying this in to a screening of the first episode of the new season of "Sofia the First" for guests of the park and the entertainment press. Once everyone was seated, Jackie and a Disney rep came onstage and began talking up the new series called "Sofia's Princess Academy" that would be premiering in the fall.
"So...we thought if we were going to have a Princess Academy, we needed a real princess here..." the rep said. Jackie joined in "...so please give a welcome to Sofia herself...Ariel Winter!" This made all the kids scream like when the Beatles first came on TV. I had to admit, I was pretty excited too. I'd met Ariel once before, and had a little tryst with her on the beach in Mexico. Since I was in the front row along with the other reps from the company I obviously got a good look at her. And just like in Mexico, she looked great in a flowery sundress, her brunette hair flowing around her and a beaming smile. She gave a short speech about how happy she was to be there, the new season of Sofia, the upcoming spinoff series, etc. before introducing the new episode. She came down off the stage and sat next to Jackie and the other Disney reps as the program began. At first I was tempted to make a discreet exit. I mean, do I really need to watch a kids cartoon on the big screen? But common sense got the better of me, for all I knew "the Jackal" might have spies in the theater watching the audience's (and her employees) every move. I'd better stay, I thought.
The screening ended and Ariel was back onstage excitedly asking the audience's opinion of the show before doing a Q&A session. Most of the kids in the audience wanted to get selfies with her which she gladly obliged. When that was over, she came down to meet all the Disney reps as well as our group. I was amongst the group looking for a quick meet and greet with her. Hey, I'm only human. I definitely flashed back to the last time we met, but I knew there was no way she'd remember that. I also thought it was a lousy idea to bring it up in front of your boss as well as hers that you fucked her on some beach in Mexico. And anyway, what were the chances of her remembering me in the first place? Sure enough, when she got to me I introduced myself and she happily greeted me like the others but her eyes narrowed a little and her head cocked to the side slightly.
"Have we met before?" she asked in that sweet voice of hers.
"Um, well, uh..." I stammered.
Before I could come up with an answer a Disney rep jumped in with another person for her to meet. As she was led a few feet away she looked back at me with that same "have we met before" look on her face. I was more relieved than disappointed. What if she didn't remember me and thought I was some stalker?
Yeah, you did the right thing Hollywood.
Ariel soon disappeared into the crowd of reps and hangers-on and I decided to head back out and explore the Magic Kingdom some more. I gotta admit it was pretty fun checking out the rides on my own and I didn't mind the crowds. But the food was soon calling my name and I zeroed in on a pretzel cart, been a long time since I gorged on a big pretzel. I ended up gorging on 3! Walking it off seemed like the best idea now. I ended up at a place called the Mint Julep Bar and got a large signature drink but as I was paying for it I noticed the girl in the denim cutoffs and pink shirt again. This time I was gonna find out for sure who it was. She was with 2 other girls and they were laughing as they sipped their drinks. I quickly paid for my drink and quickly walked out in pursuit of this denim-clad beauty. I got closer and closer to her until she stopped at an entrance to another attraction. I came up behind her.
"Hey, Laura what're you doing here..." I said before realizing who I was confronting "Whoops! Oh my god, I'm so sorry I thought you were somebody else!"
It was Ariel!
She was clearly startled but before I could finish my apology, she spoke.
"No, no, don't be!" she said excitedly "I remember you now!"
"You do?"
"Yes! I met you down in Mexico! It was at that beach resort, Villa something or other."
"Villa del Sol?"
"Yes! That's it! I was there with a friend. I met you on the beach. You're Jim, right?"
"Uh, yes...I remember it now too."
Ariel turned to her companions now "Jim works for one of the photo companies or something, right?"
