Let’s go back a ways in my writing career to an excerpt from my second novel The Famous One.

Rumors

DIARIES OF DESOLATION

Up in the air … seems like you should be able to see clearly—be an overseer, you know? But the truth is you look out and see a perfect blue … you look in and see a perfect black … and I’m reminded that I HATE THIS!!!

Monica was right about the script. He sat alone with it on his bed, the nightstand lamp the only light in the dark house. He’d already had three beers and decided to start on some bourbon. He poured himself a glass and set it on his nightstand as he paced back and forth in the room with the script in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and his hair falling in his eyes.

“Wow,” he murmured as he read through to the outstanding ending. He laughed in surprise. “Wow!” At 4 A.M. he fell asleep sprawled out on the top of his bed.

At 6 A.M. the telephone shocked him awake. He knocked the phone off the nightstand trying to answer it and fell off the bed reaching for it.

“Joey?” He could hear Monica’s voice. Finally he grabbed the phone. “Yeah?”

“Look, they moved up the time to eight this morning. Alright?”

“Yeah, alright. What time is it?”

“Six.”

“Oh. Yeah, okay, eight then?”

“Right, Joey. Call me later.”

“Alright.”

Joey stayed on the floor, rolling over on his back. Another headache greeted his movement. He cussed and slowly got up, making his way to the bathroom.

The director Martine Pomella greeted Joey with a nod, looking over his reading glasses at the actor.

“Rough night?” he asked in a gravelly voice with a smirk on his face.

Joey looked down for a moment and smiled. “I’m finding they’re all rough nights.”

Martine laughed. “Ain’t that the truth,” he agreed. “Well, let’s do this, shall we?”

After the audition, Martine stared at Joey for what seemed like five minutes but was actually only 30 seconds. “Perfect,” was all he said.

Friday came and that evening Leah found Joey asleep on the couch in a dark house. She was exhausted herself so she wheeled her luggage into their bedroom and just put away the essentials before getting in the Jacuzzi tub. It wasn’t long before Joey joined her in the steaming water.

Three weeks later, Joey was on his way.

“Gotta go,” Joey said regretfully as he held and kissed Leah again.

“It’s been good, Joey.”

“Yeah. When you gonna marry me anyway?” he asked, standing back and holding her shoulders.

“When you get back, we’ll talk about it.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

“I know,” she smiled, reaching up to kiss him passionately.

“You’re making this difficult on purpose.”

“Yeah,” she grinned.

“In that case,” he smiled and unbuttoned his shirt.

“Joey! Your car’s waiting,” she giggled.

“And it will continue to wait,” he said, starting on her blouse.

Later Joey was on his way to Rome. He would return briefly for the premiere of the film he’d made with Leah. This time he wore an Armani jacket with a black shirt but no tie, and he substituted a black Fedora for his trademark scarf. His sunglasses remained on throughout the event. Leah shimmered in a slinky silver gown.

The following day the tabloids published headliners such as “Couple Puts on Brave Front but Rumors Say They’re Finished.” Other quotes read, “Joey Parr outshines girlfriend in film but not on the red carpet.” “Engaged co-stars look dazzling together—but what about rumored split?”

Once again the critics were impressed with Joey Parr, one of them calling him “the possible King of Unique.” One well-respected film critic wrote, “It’s been a long time since I watched an actor—especially a young one—with this kind of rare talent. I find myself looking forward to his next picture set to debut in just a few months. I haven’t seen an actor reach down to this uncharted depth in years. Joey Parr just may be the best thing on the silver screen to come along in years.”

Joey had to endure two interviews early the following morning. He was a half-hour late for the first one with Brenda Cummings, and she wasted no time hitting on the hard questions.

“So, Joey, how does it feel to have all the gossip magazines saying that you and Leah Constantine have split up?”

“Well, I guess they have to sell their rags somehow.”

“Usually, though, even the rumors have a little basis in the truth. Can you tell me how all of this got started?”

Joey began to smolder a bit. “I suppose they figured it can be a little difficult to conduct a relationship over long distances, which it is, or maybe they just like their___controversy instead of the truth.”

“So even though Leah was seen out on the town with her British co-star while you were filming in Italy, you’re not concerned?”

“Leah has a lot of friends in the industry. I don’t expect her to sit home and knit while I’m away working.”

“Are there any plans for the two of you to work together in the future?”

“Not that I know of, but we’d welcome it if it happened.”

“So, how would you define your role in this film?”

“Uh, my character has a lot of pain going on underneath the surface, but he can’t communicate it even to the woman he loves. So everything in his life becomes a major struggle of expression for him.”

“How much of his makeup is in Joey Parr?”

“Oh, a fair amount, I’d say. Yeah, some.”

The questions concluded shortly afterward, and Joey had to go immediately to his next interview with a man named George Richardson who wrote for the men’s magazine One Man’s Opinion.

“First off, Joey, probably every man who reads this article is going to wish they were in your shoes—or should I say your bed?—having the lovely Leah Constantine as your fiancée.”

Joey laughed. “Yeah, probably.”

“What was it like to do this acting gig with her?”

“Well, you know I had no idea who was going to be in the film when I went to the audition, but the director had Leah there for me to read opposite of, and it was kind of love at first sight, you know? We clicked right away and just played off each other real well.”

“And still do?” George asked with a grin.

Joey laughed again. “Well, yeah.”

“So, Joey, where’d you come from anyway? It says here you were discovered singing with a band.”

Joey told the story another time for George.

“I read where the respected film critic Paul Fisher called you a ‘rare talent’. How do you perceive yourself?”

“Wow. Well, uh, hmm. Hey, I just figured out this is my occupation, you know? I mean, uh, I’ve had the privilege of working with really great people.”

“How do you choose your roles?”

“Uh, they kind of choose me, you know? I can’t imagine doing certain things like maybe others can. I don’t know. I guess the character has to have some obscure things going on with him.”

“You made a movie with Anna Rivkin.”

“Yeah, wow. What an amazing lady, the absolutely most phenomenal actor. I learned so much from her.”

George continued the interview for 20 more minutes and then shook Joey’s hand and thanked him for being so candid. (George Richardson would interview Joey Parr several more times over the course of many years, establishing a friendship with the actor.)

Interviews drained Joey. He hated being in the spotlight and having to talk about himself—he always had. When he got home, Leah was packing.

“What’s up?”

“I just got the call I’ve been waiting for. John Malton gave me the role of Verna in his film,” she explained excitedly.

“Oh yeah. You’ve really been waiting for this. Congratulations,” Joey said abstractedly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, stopping her packing.

“So when are we getting married?”

“Joey, you know you have a bunch more work to do in Italy. You’re not even close to being done. I bet we finish up at about the same time because mine is just a featured role. It won’t take too long—they want to shoot all my scenes first.”

“Then how ‘bout meeting me in Italy? We’ll get married there.”

“Wow. You think we can get our families together over there?”

“Hey, we can have some kind of reception or somethin’ back here. C’mon, Leah. Let’s do it.”

She closed her suitcase. “I’ll call you as soon as I get to Winnipeg. We’ll make plans.”

“Alright,” he smiled, taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately.

“Oh no, you don’t! My car’s been waiting. I love you,” she said, grabbing her bags. “Talk to you soon.” And she was out the door.

Joey stood there and stared at the closed door.