by Ed Nelson
“What image?”
“Thug.
“Thugee would be better but yeah, what do you need?”
“It is a single scene with no dialog, you will be attacking the young lady and our hero will knock you down and save the day.”
“Sounds like fun, what about makeup and costume?”
“Just highlights and what you have on will work fine.”
I was wearing a pair of chinos and a polo shirt.
“Okay, but if they get ruined you have to pay. What about the paperwork, I don’t work for free you know.”
“Ah Rick, you’re getting all mercenary on me, I’m over budget as it is.”
I almost relented when I saw him break into a smile.
They had me made up in under half an hour which had to be a record for me. There was a walkthrough of the scene. Basically, I would grab the girl by the arm, our hero would run up and jump on my back bringing me to the ground and they would run away.
The scrawny hero ran up and jumped on my back while I stood there. He moved me a couple of feet but that was it.
“Cut, damn it, Rick, you are supposed to fall down.”
“Oh, I thought he was going to knock me down.”
The next time when I felt him hit I fell over. They ran away. This was done three more times before Ron Dodge was satisfied. He thanked me. I got a copy of the paperwork giving me the standard day rate and headed out. I ask for the names of the girl, the hero or the movie. I never had any feedback on my role so it may not have been released. Or more likely my face was never on the screen, just my back.
After that interlude to my day, I went back to the stunt area and still no one had shown up. I left the studio and headed towards the beach. When in doubt go to the beach. After an early lunch stop at a drive-through, I stopped by Katin’s. The latest news on Corky was that things were going great. He had come in second in a tournament in Australia.
I wondered how I could tie his success into Jackson Enterprises. I had sponsored him anonymously, but maybe if the corporation did it he wouldn’t think of it as a charity. With it being a corporate sponsorship it wouldn’t put me in the limelight any more than I was already.
I was thinking about the new relationship I had with the Australian government. Anything that made the company look good worked for me. Since Nancy Katin was the one handling the arrangement with Corky I asked her if there was anything else we could do for him.
“He called the other day. It has been more expensive than he planned. He is eating light, and sleeping in rental cars or with friends he has made on the road.”
“Do you think he would mind being sponsored publicly by my company, Jackson Enterprises?”
“I suspect if it got him a meal he would welcome sponsorship from the Devil himself.”
“We can’t have that, do you have a contact number for him in Australia?”
“Yes, I do.”
She gave me the number of the friend he was currently staying with. It was six in the morning there so I didn’t feel too guilty and I had a good chance of catching him.
Someone answered the phone and got a very sleepy sounding Corky for me.
“Corky, it’s Rick Jackson.”
“Rick who?
“Rick Jackson, do you remember that movie that went bust.”
“Oh, hi Rick, what’s up?”
“I’m with Nancy Katin. She was telling me things are tight financially on the tour.”
“That they are.”
“I have a company, Jackson Enterprises, and it would be willing to give you a full sponsorship, this includes expenses for food travel and lodging plus five hundred a month for incidentals. That does not interfere with what you are getting through the Katin sponsorship.”
“Are you for real man?”
“Yes, my company does a lot of business in places you travel to so we want to have our name in front of the locals in a positive light.”
“How do we start this?”
“Why don’t I wire you a couple of thousand through Western Union today and then follow up with a formal contract and payment method?”
“Wow, that must be some company you have.”
“It is a large business. Last month I was with the Prime Minister of Australia so this is the real deal. Because of that, the contract that you will be asked to sign will have a personal conduct clause. This will be like the one I have with Warner Brothers. Getting picked up for speeding is okay, underage girls not okay.”
“Got it and I have no problem with that.”
We chatted for a few more minutes while he grew ever more effusive about the sponsorship. I finally got him off the line.
I filled in Nancy on what was going on and how it would affect our silent arrangement. Then I looked up the address of the nearest Western Union office in the Yellow Pages.
At Western Union, they weren’t anxious to take a check. It took a phone call to my bank and giving my safety phrase to the bank before the bank would guarantee the check and Western Union accept it.
On impulse, I upped it to five thousand dollars. I didn’t know how long it would take to get things settled at this distance. Even by airmail, it would take weeks. In the meantime, he would be off to Tahiti.
When that was done I headed home for dinner and exciting night at Jackson House. Tonight Professor Plum did the deed with a knife in the library. Mrs. Hernandez won.
I asked Mrs. Hernandez if she really liked Mexicali Delight beer or just the people who made it. I think that was the only time I have ever seen her blush. She didn’t answer me. Dad glared so I shut up.
Sunday was a surfing day. Eddie was off on a camping trip so Denny and I spent the day at the beach. It was a fun time, with us catching some pretty good waves. We had lunch at a little hot dog stand across the road next to Katin’s.
There were a couple of girls there that looked to be Denny’s age. They checked each other out. He went over and introduced himself. After half an hour of sweet-talking, one of the girls was sitting real close to him and twirling the ends of her hair. Way to go little brother! Now if I could only meet girls that easy.
Of course, he didn’t have to worry about them chasing him for his fame or fortune.
The next thing I knew I was driving Denny and two girls to one of their homes. He had volunteered my services as a chauffeur. Both girls sat in the back seat with him.
When we got to the house where both girls were going there was a father waiting outside. Apparently, they had been gone past their time and he was getting worried. He didn’t look happy that his little girl of about fourteen was riding around in a car.
He came up to me, wanting to know who I was and why I had his daughter in my back seat. I told him to ask her, I had just given the two girls and my brother a ride. For some reason, he still thought it was my fault. He kept punching me with one finger. I put up with that for the first three punches then got out of the car.
I got to say this for him he was smart enough to know when he had a problem. He looked to be about five foot seven inches tall. When I opened the car door and stood up he quit punching me with his finger.
Now he yelled at the girls to get in the house. As they rushed to the door I drove away. I asked Denny if he got her phone number. He had. I bet him that he wouldn’t have the nerve to call her. He agreed and no bet.
For some reason, it struck both of us as funny and we laughed most of the way home. I did find out that Denny hadn’t identified me, so the police probably wouldn’t be waiting at home. We fortified ourselves with milkshakes to settle the excitement of the day. When we got home Dad asked how it went. We told him, “Fine.”
He shook his head and went back to the magazine he was reading.
On Monday I had a tee time of 10:00 am at Riviera. John Jacobs was to be my caddie for all the practice rounds. We were put in with a threesome of seniors. They couldn’t hit the ball long, but they sure kept it in the fairway and were deadly on the greens.
They w
ere nice guys. I was recognized as the club record holder. I told them that today wouldn’t be a record-setting round. John and I had a plan. For the rest of the rounds this week I would be hitting the gambling shots. These would either leave me in a great position or be the knell of doom, at least for that hole.
The idea was to find which ones I had a good percentage chance of actually making. Could I cut that corner, or roll it through that flat sand trap with no lip? There were seven opportunities like that on the course and John had seen people that could consistently make them and others who couldn’t.
If I even find one of those with a good percentage it might make a big difference.
I didn’t slow the group down, but I did mess up four of the seven. The other three looked possible. I would still try all of them on the next two rounds to see what really worked or didn’t as the case may be.
It was a nice day and I thanked the gentlemen and shook hands at the end. This is what golf should be like every day.
Tuesday was working out and riding George. That took up the morning. After lunch, I tried Nancy’s house again. Her mom answered and told me to try after school.
I called back later and she was glad to hear from me. We talked for almost an hour. I did find out she had been to her grandmother’s for the weekend. As we were getting ready to hang up she said she had something to tell me.
“Rick, I know you are going to school in England and will be gone most of the year. I like you but I want to date. There is a boy I like who has asked me to go steady and I think I will say yes to him.”
What do you say to that?
“I understand it isn’t as if I could fly home every weekend to see you. It has been nice talking to you and when I get back from England I will give you a call, maybe that guy will turn out to be a jerk.”
“Please do, but I don’t think he would ever be like that.”
So ends another relationship before it even starts. I would have to settle down in one location long enough to meet and date a girl. I had tried in Argentina, England, Ohio, and California. Well, I guess you really couldn’t count Argentina.
I did realize that she was entirely correct. It wouldn’t work, she wanted to date and I hoped to date someone in England. No idea who as I hadn’t met her yet, or maybe I have, that girl that keeps giving me rude gestures.
On Wednesday I met up with John Jacobs again at Riviera to practice for the US Open qualifying rounds. The one-day local qualifying round is on Saturday week, on the 19th and then the sectional on the following Saturday and Sunday.
Once more I had to play in a foursome as the course was busy with people practicing for the open. Again I was lucky as my group had no one in it trying to qualify. They were the two Doctors and the Dentist I had played with once before. I informed them I was practicing so don’t expect a course record.
They were polite the entire round but watched me like a hawk. I did okay. On the seven gambling shot’s I was successful on four of them for the second time around. I split two others, and the seventh I had missed twice.
This time at the end of the round I had to do autographs for the two Doctors. The Dentist had recognized me the first time around and asked at that time. I had learned to always have studio pictures with me, this time supply in my golf bag for occasions like this.
One of the Doctors even had a Brownie camera with him so John took pictures of all of us. I then had one of the Doctors take a picture of John and me with the other three caddies. Doctor Welby who had the camera promised to get copies of the pictures to everyone.
Mum called at dinner time to talk to all of us. Each had a turn. She told me that all my paperwork had been accepted at Trinity and I was now officially a student. I needed to be back in England in time to start Trinity term, preferable a few days early. I told her I planned on it as I had to buy a car. I would try to be back by Monday, April 4th.
Instead of Clue we played Pick up Stix. For a change, I won. No matter what they say I didn’t cheat, I really had to sneeze at a critical moment for Denny. It would have been more convincing if it hadn’t been the only time I sneezed all night.
Chapter 18
I goofed off on Thursday, no other way to put it. A leisurely workout and run followed by a ride through the park on George. I did make it over to the forest service airstrip by using the new bridge over the ravine in the park. What had been a fifteen-minute drive by the main road would be five minutes by jeep.
Of course, there were posted signs saying no vehicles other than forest service maintenance. Maybe that was why a jeep with US Forest Service on its side seemed to be permanently parked behind Jackson House.
The afternoon was spent going through my wardrobe to decide what would go to England and what would stay. I was halfway through and said the heck with it. Ship everything over and sort it out later.
I found a good book and went up to the top of the tower and read for the rest of the afternoon. Later that evening as I was about to pick up the winning stick Eddie had a sneezing fit. Cheater!
Mary had tried to get me earlier but her sneeze came out as a cute little achoo. Even Dad seemed out to get me as when I started to reach for the winning stick he pulled out what must have been a pillowcase and put it to his face as though he was going to blow his nose. It had us all laughing so hard it took several minutes to calm down for my try. That’s when Eddie got me.
On Friday I showed up for my tee time. This time I was in a foursome that included an older man and two guys in their early thirties. The older man was named Bernard Swartz. He told me he was trying to qualify for the first round of the US Open. He had never made it and after thirty years of trying this was his last effort.
The other two guys standing there laughed at this.
“Old man you won’t make it this time. It is for us young bucks to win.”
The other guy asked me how old I was when I told him I was sixteen he told me to keep playing that someday I might even be able to play real golf. Now he said that sincerely not in a nasty way.
My reply was, “Yes Sir.”
John Jacobs gave me a startled look but I returned it with a slight negative shake of my head. He got the message quickly and went over to whisper to the other caddies who all were course regulars.
I didn’t feel a need to try to show anyone up. I kept to my game plan of trying the high risk, high reward shots.
We went ahead and tossed tees in the air to see who would lead off. I was last.
Everyone had teed off and was collecting their gear to head out when I took my shot. It was one of the high-risk ones and the one that I had yet to make. I didn’t make it this time either ending up in the sand trap on the left side of the course.
The guy who told me to keep playing told me tough luck but maybe I should back it down and not challenge the course. I never had the honors as they all were playing well, even Mr. Swartz.
I was able to confirm that I could make four of the high-risk shots, had an even chance on two others and probably no chance on one, the first hole. That really helped define how I would play the course. If everything went right I would destroy the course record I had set. Of course, it never does.
When we were done we all shook hands, the one middle-aged guy encouraging, the other not so much. As we were walking to the clubhouse Mr. Swartz held back to talk to me.
“Sir Richard I’m an admirer and am really impressed with how you stuck to your plan and didn’t try to show those guys up. I would avoid trying to drive the trap on the first hole though. You are a long hitter and if you made that shot you would be placed well no matter where the pin was on the green, but you seem to be about five yards short of doing it.”
“My thoughts exactly Sir, and that was the third time I tried it this week and it is a no go. I would only try in the actual play if I was desperate.”
“Somehow I doubt if you ever will be that desperate.”
“One never knows I’ve been known to blow up on the course.”
/> “When was the last time that happened?”
“It happened two years ago when I was on my high school golf team.”
“I don’t think it’s a worry anymore, now good luck to you during the local playoff.”
“Good luck to you also Sir.”
John and I discussed my round. We both had come to the same conclusions about the higher risk shots. I wouldn’t try any of them if I was ahead of the field. The object was to qualify for the US Open, not set any course records. If I did it would be incidental to my play.
After that, I spent another two hours on the putting green. John was with me the whole time. We discussed every putt as to how fast it should be; the lie of the grass, and the break of the green. It was much about us communicating what we saw as anything. Any Pro will tell you the caddy is a team member. Acing as a second set of eyes if you will.
A good caddy will help you with everything from reading the course for the club needed, to keep you centered on your game. If there is any outside information from that immediate shot it is your caddy’s job to know it and decide if it was worth breaking your concentration.
There is some truth to the old joke where the mushroom cloud is in the distance and the caddy is saying, “You have time to putt out.”
At dinner later we decided on Monopoly as the game of the night. Eddie landed on park Place followed by Boardwalk on the first round. It was brutal. One of the shorter games we had played.
Saturday I decided to go flying so I drove out to Ontario and rented a twin-engine Cessna 310 like I had on order. I flew out towards San Bernardino. There was a large brush fire in the area. I wanted to see what it would look like from up above. I couldn’t get to close as it was a no-fly zone because of the unpredictable updrafts.
As I approached the area I noticed a branch of the fire which had headed away from the main blaze. Going as close as I dared I saw something that chilled my blood.
There was a car stopped between two foothills to the larger range to the north. The road had a roaring fire in front of them and behind them. The only reason they weren’t engulfed in the flames was that the fire had further to travel to go up and down the hill to their south.