Scottlander

by Samantha Liddell

  Your carriage awaits buddy. It read.

  I didn’t bother to text back, I just met him at the top of the path. I hopped in the van, and said, “You call this a carriage?”

  “Yeah, of course buddy,”

  Okay, what was up with all this buddy talk? He has never called me ‘buddy’ before.

  I replied, “Okay buddy, if you say so.”

  It had just become very awkward in the van. Neither of us talked for a few minutes. I needed to put some music on to avoid this air of silence. Scott must have been thinking the same thing as we both went to touch the power button on the stereo, resulting in our hands touching. It reminded me of the whole headphone episode we had had on the plane over. I pulled my hand away first and said, “Oh, sorry. You go ahead,” and so he did.

  The touch of our hands caused goose bumps to form all over my body, from head to toe. His hand felt warm and clean, his whole body looked like it was just freshly washed, including his hair. He had even shaved for the occasion. Even though he looked amazing, being freshly shaved, I think I still preferred a bit of stubble on his chin. Anyway, I did not have the right to tell Scott not to shave, he wasn’t my real master, nor was I his, even though we joked about it. I decided I needed to break the ice.

  “So, what’s the plan Stan?” I asked.

  “Well, we go to the kitchen and load the food into the refrigerated trailer.”

  “Roger that,” I replied, and then added, “I do want to thank you for giving me the chance to follow my dream of meeting my idols. If it wasn’t for you and this job it would never have happened. Plus, it will give me a chance to save up some money so the girls and I can take a trip to Dubai before heading home to Australia.”

  A frown appeared on Scott’s face, it was like he’d forgotten that the kids and I would be heading home in five months and one day. I had to stay that extra day to prove to everybody that I made it past six months. His frown must have made me frown too, because Scott quickly turned his frown upside down and presented me with that beautiful smile of his, a smile that I had now grown accustomed to.

  “Oh, aye,” he said. “Glad to be at your service.”

  ‘There were other ways you could be at my service,’ I thought. Oh my God Letticia, just stop it. You’re not looking to get serviced anymore.

  Once at the kitchen, we attached the trailer to the van, loaded it with the food supplies and continued driving to the set. Before I knew it, we were heading down a dirt road – they were filming at the Ridge location today. All craft services, makeup and dressing rooms were located at the local community hall that was just down the road a bit from the Ridge set. This is where we will set up for the day. There will be cast and crew coming in and out all day, depending on where and when they are needed on set, and as there are a total of three hundred expected, we would need to keep the hotplates clean and full throughout the day. They would be up for morning tea first, at around 10.15am, if their filming stays on schedule. Right, well it’s only 6.30am, so we have a few hours to go yet.

  We drove for another five minutes, then I could see in the distance the lights of the community hall shining bright. It was already buzzing with action as cast and crew arrived for a day of work on set. We were only providing a light breakfast this morning, consisting of a variety of cereals and milks, toast and spreads, and fruit. I remembered Scott saying tomorrow they had requested a hot breakfast due to filming starting at 6am and that there would be three hundred and fifty cast and crew needing to eat throughout the day.

  ‘The team back in the kitchen would be flat out today,’ I thought.

  We pulled up at the hall, and Scott backed the van and trailer into position so we could unload it easily straight into the back door of the hall. There was a little kitchen located in the back corner that had a sink, two cupboards full of old plates and cups, and a big Zip for boiling water. Great, that will come in handy for the coffee. What had Scott said before? Coffee and water always and forever.

  As I checked out our corner of the hall, I noticed what a great job Scott had done yesterday with the setting up. He had divided the area off with screens as if to make it into a private restaurant. The screens had his logo printed on them. ‘Nice touch,’ I thought. The tables all had green tablecloths – sticking to his colour theme. Another nice touch. Each table also had a vase in the middle holding a Scottish thistle. It all looked very inviting and cosy. The vases reminded of another significant vase!

  So, Scott also has an eye for design. Was there anything this guy couldn’t do? My mind moved on to my idol, I could just imagine seeing him sitting at one of these tables in a few hours’ time, having a coffee and a scone with jam and cream. I wonder if he’ll put jam on first then cream, or the other way around. Does he even like scones with jam and cream? Or coffee? I shall keep note, it is very important information that I will need to know. Also, should I be calling him ‘Jamie?’

  As I was contemplating how to address my idol, the other hot Scottish guy Scott turned up, carrying trays of quiches. I had to compliment him on his great work in turning this eating area into such an inviting, cosy and trendy place for the cast and crew to use. I also said I might need to try it out first, and make sure it comes up to standard. Scott laughed, “By all means, once we get the breakfast and morning tea food unloaded, we will sit down before the rush and enjoy a scone and coffee together.”

  “Deal: it’s a date,” I said. Oops, that came out wrong, so I quickly said, “Not that kind of date.”

  “It’s okay Letticia, calm down. I knew what you meant. Now, on ya feet soldier and go help me unload the rest, I’m not paying you to stand around in ya boots looking all bonny.”

  “Oh, you think I’m rather bonny do ya?” I gave him a little punch in the arm, and walked off to the van before he could answer.

  We had left the lunch and dinner food in the refrigerated trailer as it was now hooked up to a generator, and we would just go back and forth throughout the day and unload the food when needed. By now though, all the food for breakfast and morning tea was out and we had thirty minutes up our sleeves until people would start coming in to eat.

  Scott announced, ‘Well, time for that date, that’s not a date, is it?

  “Yes, it sure is. I am ravenous,” I said.

  “So am I,” Scott replied with his perfect little wink. “Oh, you meant food, well then, I will go to the kitchen and find you something yummy to eat.”

  “Ha-ha, how many times have you watched it?” I asked. “You seem to be able to refer to it very well.”

  “Only once, I have a mind like a sponge though,” Scott answered.

  “Only once! I wouldn’t be calling you a real fan just yet then, sorry to say.”

  “Oh, you play a hard game,” he said.

  “Yes, I like to play it hard.” That came out totally wrong but I went with it, he was a little taken aback but went with it too.

  “Well, milady, one scone with jam and cream and a cup of hot coffee coming up.”

  I sat back on my chair and watched Scott getting our food and coffee ready. I couldn’t remember the last time a man had brought food to me at a table. I decided to just enjoy this moment and relax with Scott as we delve in to our scones and drink our coffee.

  He returned to the table and said, “One scone for you my Master and one scone for me. Oh, and can’t forget your coffee, coffee is always and forever.”

  “That’s for sure,” I replied.

  We sat at the table eating and drinking, forgetting that time was ticking by. We were in our own little world, one that only included Scott and Letticia. We laughed together as we looked back and talked about our stakeout, and our entertaining flight over to Scotland. He even had to bring up the part when I thought I was dying on the park bench on Princes Street again, and how he saved my life by administering a cup cake into my mouth.

  We were laughing so much we had tears rolling down our faces, and were still so involved in our own little world that we forgot
to even look at the time, until we heard a voice, a familiar voice that I had heard before. Although it sounded different somehow, that voice belonged to my idol. I mean the actor of my idol. I mean one of the two. It sounded different because he was standing right in front of me and not in a little box in my living room. I looked up to see my idol, along with another actor dressed as a peasant. They’d been talking to each other as they waited for us to take notice of them.

  The peasant man said, “Sorry to interrupt you two, but is the food area open now? Where are the caterers? I’m ravenous.”

  “Oh well, please let me go to the kitchen and get you something to eat then,” I said using the reference Scott had just recently used.

  “Aye,” he said. “I see you are another crazy fan then?”

  “Aye,” I replied. “How did you guess?”

  “I can just tell; you have it written all over you!”

  “Do I really?” I said as I examined my body front to back. “Well, I guess you could call me a fan then. Okay, fine, you can call me one of those extreme, crazy fans, who is now in charge of cooking your food. So be careful, I may have added a love potion into your lunch,” I said, looking at my idol shyly.

  “Hahaha, thanks for the heads up, but I’m pretty sure he will be safe. You seem to have already used your love potion on somebody else,” he informed me, looking over at Scott. I was about to say, ‘Oh no, no I haven’t, we are just friends, that’s all,’ but they had been dragged away by somebody that looked important, and were going over a document of some sort.

  The next Scottish accent I heard was from a well-known actor from another show. His name is Alistair Wilde, and he too is up there with my Scottish idol. He was on set for the next month or so with his co-star Tammy, who is his love interest on his show. Their character names are Ewan and Leuruna. They are here on set to learn some chemistry tips from my idol and his on-screen wife, who seem to have it down pat in that department. If I was being truthful, Ewan was my second all-time favourite Scottish actor or should I say Alistair? Here I go again, completely confused on what to call them in my star struck mind.

  Ewan, I mean Alistair, plays a Scottish explorer who travels

  Scotland uncovering the country’s history and secrets. He too was a tall and well-defined man with a rugged look about him, with wavy brown hair that dangled over his ears, and piercing blue eyes. He also wore a kilt on occasions in the show, but depending on the scene, would often wear long cargo pants that made him look just as sexy. Tammy played his love interest, a lass who knew a secret from her family’s past that could change Scotland's future forever. What that was we didn’t know yet as we were only into series two. Ewan had caught my attention just by his amazing acting, Scottish accent and sexy Scottish looks, so much so that I was hooked from the very start of the show which had made me binge watch the first two series within two days. Now here I was on a film set cooking for my two dream husbands. Could life get any better? I think not!

  Scott and I got to our feet and started taking the lids off the hot plates and catering burners. People were slowly coming in, and five people had dished up by the time ‘Jamie,’ – I mean what's his name? ‘Get it right now,’ I thought – and peasant man came back with a plate each.

  “Sorry about before, that was the producer needing us to look over something. Anyway, thanks for the toast,” the peasant man apologised.

  I said, “No worries, sorry it’s so boring. I do intend to have a word with the boss.”

  “No, not at all. You still have morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner to make a comeback. We’re here all day, we still have time to try everything.”

  ‘Oh my God,’ I thought. ‘Little do they know it’s all completely boring.’

  And with that, they went off to sit with some other crew and cast members at a table, while I just stood there staring

  Scott brought me back to reality by saying, “Earth to Letticia! We need to get more bread for toast, on ya feet soldier.”

  “As you wish Master,” I replied, and went off to toast some more bread, thinking to myself, ‘Wow, I just talked to my idol, not just in my head, but I actually talked to him in real-life!’ And he was just as sexy and just as nice as I had imagined.

  How on earth did I get to be on this film set, serving food to the cast and crew? Just over a month ago I was living in Brisbane, in a rut with my husband, watching him eating spicy tomato flavoured chips and dropping crumbs all over the floor, and working at ‘First Class Catering’ with a tidal wave of a boss, living each day the same as the last. But somehow I broke free and followed my dream, with no real plan, and now look at all the doors that have opened and the people I have met along the way. I wouldn’t change a thing. I had just needed to find the self-belief and the confidence within myself to just leave, and look at where I now find myself – in a community hall in Scotland, down the road from where they are filming my favourite show, serving my food to Scottish stars. And I now have a boss who is a great friend and is just as sexy and nice as my idol. ‘I made it,’ I thought. ‘I made it to the end of my dream. Where to from here though?’ I decided to just ride this wave for a while and see where it takes me. Right now, I have breakfast to serve.

  Chapter Seven

  Morning Tea Service

  Scott and I cleaned away the breakfast service and closed the food area for thirty minutes while we got the morning tea service ready. I did a little tally and noticed that we had gone through about fifty loaves of bread and fifteen boxes of cereal, and the coffee also went out the door. We had a coffee machine where you pressed buttons and just like magic, your coffee is poured out. ‘Not the kind of coffee these well-paid actors and actresses were used to,’ I thought. ‘But it was coffee nonetheless, so they got their caffeine fix. I bet everyone is looking forward to an actual hot breakfast tomorrow.’

  Scott announced, “Well, that’s breakfast done, are you ready for round two?”

  I replied, without thinking, “Oh Scott, I’m always ready for round two.” Yet again I just went with it after I realised what I had said. Scott turned a shade of red, but did well to just go with it too.

  “Well then let’s open up again.”

  We had mini quiches, sausage rolls, and more scones with jam and cream for morning tea. The sight of so much food was starting to make me feel a bit ill. I just continued drinking the coffee.

  “Free coffee always and forever,” I said to Scott as I lifted my cup in a ‘cheers’ motion and took a big sip from it. Mmmmmm, perfect.

  “Oh, so you have found a place on ground level where you can get free drinks now, have you?” Scott laughed.

  “Sure have. My shout, can I get you a coffee Scott?”

  “Yeah, why not?” he said.

  More people started to pile in, mostly the people that had missed out on the breakfast service. I saw two familiar faces appear, making their way up through the line. Was it? Could it be? Yes, it was! It was two more of the main stars. Oh my God! I had totally forgotten about the other actors, actresses and characters I would see on set, all my focus had been on my idol. I was standing behind the table just in case people needed help, or needed to order the special dietary requirement foods that were put away separately out the back.

  They were now standing right in front of me, “So you must be Letticia,” one of the actresses said. I looked down to see if I was wearing a name badge; I hadn’t remembered putting one on but that didn’t mean I wasn’t wearing one. These things can slip the mind of an unfocused person such as myself. Nope, no name badge.

  “Yes, that is me,” I said. “But how did you know my name?”

  “Oh, another co-star said to me once he came back on set, ‘Finally, it only took four seasons to get a catering company with a bit of flair, and life and fun in them.’ He said, ‘Letticia is great, a real person, and there are actual places to sit and eat your food. Go check it out for morning tea.’”

  “Really? He said that?”

  “He
sure did.”

  “Well, I can’t take the credit for the décor, that was all Scott’s doing,” I said, pointing to Scott who was behind the coffee machine, refilling it. He gave a little wave. “But, the scones, quiches and sausage rolls I will take the credit for,” I told her.

  “Well in that case, I shall try a bit of everything. I need some carbs to get me through the day, I have a love scene coming up.”

  “Well,” I said. “If you need a break and are looking for a stand-in, you know where I am. I would be more than happy to take over for you.”

  “That’s great to know, I will be sure to tell the producers.”

  Oh my God, I was only joking! Did she think I was serious? It’s so hard to tell with these actors, if they are for real or just acting. Surely she knew I was joking. Although it wouldn’t be too much of a bad thing.

  She was still standing there while I had gone off into my little fantasy world. “You okay?” she asked.

  “Who me? Yeah, totally. I do have a question though, are you known as your character name or by your real name right now, standing in this food area?”

  She replied, “Well, I’m not on set and I’m not acting, so I am myself, so please use my real name.”

  “Right, thanks for clearing that little fact up. So, now I know to call you all by your real names, when you are here getting food. One of life’s many mysteries has now been solved.” I however, did find this task impossible and could not do it.

  My idol never did show up for the morning tea service; he missed out on my world-famous scones! He did, however, show his face for the lunch time service. After he finished his lunch, he came up and got a bottle of water, he probably saw me staring at him. He gave me a little smile. I served him like a nervous little school girl with my first major crush.

  Next in line was Ewan or was it Alistair?

  “Wow the food looks great. I've been so busy observing and taking notes all day, I've missed out.” He then introduced himself as

  Alistair.