Whirlwind Love: Libby's Journey

by Hendley, DiDi

  “You gotta be kidding me! Cut!” the exasperated director called out. Once the dance-hall girl recovered from her alcohol purge, makeup flew in to repair damage and they began again.

  * * *

  Libby awoke around 8:00 and found Joe’s note.

  Text me when you get up.

  She smiled and held the note to her chest. She was so glad to be with him, finally. She loved that he wanted her there. Libby dressed, grimacing as she moved, and made her way to the dining room for a cup of coffee. Chuck was sitting in the corner reading a newspaper with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.

  “Good morning,” she said cheerfully.

  Lowering the paper, Chuck smiled, “Mornin’. Aren’t you little miss sunshine.”

  Libby sat down as a waitress brought her a menu and an empty coffee cup, gesturing a fill. Libby nodded as she reviewed the menu.

  The waitress asked, “Should I bring your breakfasts together?” looking at Chuck. He nodded.

  “Ham and cheese omelet with toast,” Libby ordered and returned the menu. “Didn’t expect to see you so early.”

  “Noisy neighbors…noisy belly,” Chuck laughed.

  * * *

  An hour of failed practices had passed before Wade shouted, “Get me a new singer,” turning to his assistant director and the writer, Louie Lovrette. “Can we salvage anything?”

  As they conferred, Joe stepped up, huge grin on his face, “I got this,” Wade looked at him, smirking, “YOU can’t sing TOO...how many roles you gonna play?”

  “No, I’ve got someone...she’s perfect for Dolly. I’ll get her here.”

  Reflecting a slight agitation, Wade studied Joe, “Well, then do it. How long till she’s here?” Joe held up a finger as he opened his cellphone.

  * * *

  Libby glanced at her phone, “Joe wants us to join him at the shoot…and he wants us to hurry.”

  Seconds later, Chuck received a text, “Bring pappy.” He laughed as he flashed Libby his text. They choked down the remainder of their breakfast, and Libby dropped cash on the table for their check.

  “Have you asked about cancellations?” Libby inquired as they were walking out the restaurant.

  “Nah,” Chuck replied.

  “I’ll ask. You get pappy.”

  While Libby was waiting at the front desk, a young girl approached her. “Are you Libby?” she asked expectantly.

  “Yes,” Libby replied.

  “Joe asked me to pick you and Chuck up to bring you to the shoot.”

  “Oh, I was going to ask about renting a car.”

  “No time,” the girl quickly replied, as she eagerly tried to move Libby toward the door.

  Libby turned to the manager, “Can you find out about renting me a car, you can put it on the same credit card for Charles King’s room. I don’t know how long, just leave it open ended, and...” The girl pulled Libby toward the door. “See if they’ll deliver it,” Libby managed to get it out before the girl pulled her out of the lobby.

  “Very good,” the manager called back to her.

  Libby pulled away long enough to stick her head back in the doorway, “By the way, did you have a cancellation for a room for Charles King?” she called back across the lobby.

  “Yes, we did!” he called back to her.

  “Terrific! Thanks!” she replied as she was once again pulled from the door.

  Chuck arrived at the doorway with pappy’s case in hand as the two girls climbed into the jeep waiting at the front door.

  “Got that, right? You’ve got a room!” Libby smiled.

  Chuck smiled back, “Thanks, Libby. You can look out for me anytime. Be warned, that’s a dirty job no woman wants for long,” he smirked.

  Fifteen minutes later they were being hurried across the set, after what should have been a thirty minute drive. Joe was studying a script at the bar while lighting was being moved. Extras mingled in their places.

  The director returned to his stool and the assistant director called, “Quiet on the set!”

  The assistant director called, “Picture’s up!” and everyone became quiet. “Roll sound!” he called again.

  “Speed!” the sound tech called.

  “Roll camera!” the AD called out.

  The camera assistant was standing beside the director of photography, who pointed a finger and the CA called, “Speed!”

  Libby and Chuck stood beside the girl who flew around the mountain curves to get them there. Libby’s head felt a little woozy, so she was glad to stand still. She leaned against the back wall and watched, fascinated.

  A production assistant brought in a clapper and called out, “Scene 22, Take 3! Marker!” and clapped the clapboard.

  The pianist began to play as chatter picked up in the saloon.

  “Action,” called the director, and on cue, a conversation at the bar began as a camera focused on the actors. The assistant motioned and background noise lessened as the actors delivered their lines.

  Several minutes later the director called, “Cut!”

  Joe turned, seeing Libby and Chuck. He walked over to the director and made a statement then quickly joined Libby and Chuck, “Come on,” he said.

  As he took them to wardrobe, he explained the situation. Once in the trailer, costumers began measuring Libby for Dolly’s costume without a word. Looking perplexed, Joe began, “Don’t you wanna be in the movies?” he laughed. “We need a madam singer…and I volunteered you.”

  Libby looked surprised and Chuck laughed. “Ah, you can do this…piece of cake!” Joe added. “Here, listen.” As Libby was moved to the makeup chair, someone began pulling her hair into a ponytail. Joe picked up pappy and played the melody quickly. As Libby was changing, Joe gave Chuck the sheet music and left them to figure out the song while he returned for retake.

  Fifteen minutes later, Libby was escorted onto the stage as Dolly. Wade called out, “Okay, walk through, places.” He approached the stage and explained to Libby, “This is simple...when the piano begins, you sing the song and you’re seductive. Just that simple. Questions?” Libby looked bewildered but shook her head no in reply.

  “These ladies know the dance, you just sit on the piano and sing the song…think you can handle that?”

  “Sure,” Libby tried to look confident, then glanced at the back of the room at Joe. He smiled and nodded with confidence. She tried to match his enthusiasm as she was helped over to the piano. Someone came up and put a wireless microphone on Libby.

  The director returned to his stool, “PLACES... okay, let’s walk through this. We may need to rethink some of the lighting. Let’s just see how this goes. We’re behind schedule people! Help me out here so we can get to lunch on schedule.”

  The routine callouts went around the room, and the pianist whispered to Libby, “No problem, I’ll nod when you’re to come in. Here’s the tempo…is this good?” he played a little of the song and she nodded. She posed seductively, leaning on her elbow.

  The piano began, and Libby fell into the song.

  Once the song ended, Wade called, “That’ll do...okay. Sound! Are we good?”

  “Crystal clear, and double-mic’ed ready when you are,” the sound tech called out.

  The sound man moved in close to Libby with the boom and the piano man called out, “Ready.” The sound man called out something to the production assistant in front of him, who scribbled on a slate. Stretching to holding it between Libby, who was standing on the stage, and the boom, the PA called out “Scene 20, take 7!”

  After “Action” was called, the pianist began playing the song and Libby sang through it. When the song finished, the sound man asked her to do it again, take 8 was recorded.

  Libby watched in amazement as people moved around the room. As she waited for her next direction, Libby caught Joe as he smiled u
p at her from the back of the saloon. After a short time, the director again called for places and take 9 began. She sang the song again, but this time with a little less enthusiasm. After the first phrase, he again called, “Cut.” With a new camera placement, the lights shifted and she sang the same verse again.

  “You’re doing great,” the pianist winked at her, “Just have fun with it.” Libby smiled at his encouragement.

  “Action!” Wade called and the pianist began again.

  Libby started the next measure of the song as she looked over the crowd of extras, as they whooped and whistled. Joe walked through the door on cue, and suddenly Libby remembered the final round of the competition at the fair. Joe became her focal point. Giving it her all, she flirted with the extras, but her attention was mostly on Joe. She stepped down off the piano onto the first table next to the stage. Giving a little dance as she sang, she stepped on a chair, then to the next table. Libby started getting into the song more and more, as she walked from table to table. Holding heads or shoulders as she passed to keep her balance, sometimes she’d be offered a hand. She knocked off a hat from one cowboy, then tossed one across the room. Libby worked the song...as she got to the table in front of Joe; he walked up to face her. She leaned over and shoved him into the chair behind him as she was reaching the song’s finale. As she sang the last chorus of the song Libby swung down from the table and straddling Joe’s lap as she took his hat and placed it on her head.

  The bar crowd roared, and moments later the director called excitedly, “CUT! That lighting alright?” as he conferred with the DP. A few moments later, he called out “Nice job! Well done!” as he shook his head in disbelief. Joe beamed at Libby as she put his hat back on his head. Joe cut his eyes back to Wade, who was still shaking his head and laughing. Libby lifted herself off Joe’s lap as extras came to offer their hand, cheer and congratulate her.

  The director, writer, camera operator huddled around a monitor and laughed occasionally.

  “I think we can do that one more time…just move the light over here,” and he walked over to a place just behind Joe. People began shifting equipment madly. Thirty minutes later, a few more lights were repositioned and the camera was moved to a dolly, Libby again repeated her dance across the tables.

  As the monitor was again reviewed, the muffled comments were drowned out by the extras’ laughs and chides. Libby sat on Joe’s lap, clearly tired but happy everyone seemed pleased.

  Joe looked at her with great admiration, “See, I knew you’d be great.”

  Libby beamed.

  “That’s lunch,” called out the AD.

  Libby stood, and the crowd gathered around her, walking her out the door as she tried to stop to wait for Joe. In a momentary lull, Libby called back, “Coming, Joe?”

  “In a minute. You go ahead, I’ll be there.” Libby looked back over her shoulder at him as the crowd swept her out the door. Joe shifted in his seat as Davis Wade walked by, slapped him on the shoulder, and with a nod and a smile, walked away.

  Wade met up with Louie Lovrette outside to discuss the afternoon’s shoot. Wade called “Dolly!” and motioned for her to come over.

  “It’s Libby,” she smiled as she approached, winded and a little pale from her performance and all the excitement.

  “Hey, that was great. We all were counting on an easy shoot this morning. I should know better than to rely on kids. They get a taste of ‘showbiz,’ and think they can do anything they want. Thanks again for stepping in, you were great!” Wade laughed. “You be sure to check in at the production office and take care of your paperwork. I don’t know how much of what you did will be in the final cut, but you did a great job. Louie, you’re gonna have to write her another piece in there somewhere.”

  “I was thinkin’ the same thing!” Louie laughed. “You were great. If it looks half as good on camera as what I saw, you’re gonna steal the show.”

  Libby blushed, “Thanks, I was just glad I could help.” She looked back for Joe, who still hadn’t left the saloon. “It was great to meet you. Thanks so much—I really had fun.” As she moved away, the two men looked at each other, shaking their heads in disbelief.

  Libby returned to the saloon to see Chuck sitting at the table with Joe. She plopped on the table in front of Joe flipping the crinolines under her skirt.

  “Now what?” she smiled at him.

  Joe smiled up at her, “Anything YOU want!”

  Libby smiled, looking at Chuck, then Joe. “Well, what time do you have to be back?”

  “Tomorrow morning, 6:00 a.m.” he replied. “Miss Morgan, might I persuade you to go on a date with me this afternoon?” Joe said, mockingly.

  Libby laughed, replying in her best southern accent, “Why Mistah King, I’d be eva-so delighted!” Chuck shook his head, rolled his eyes and left the saloon.

  Joe stood up and kissed Libby, “You were awesome. I knew you would be.”

  “You! You just tossed me up in there! Threw me to the wolves!” she laughed. “Well, it occurred to me after the practice that I didn’t get the chance to impress you the first time I sang for you, and I was praying those tables wouldn’t collapse the WHOLE TIME!” she laughed.

  Joe beamed at her with pride and admiration, fingering an auburn curl from the side of her face. He took her chin in his hand and kissed her, studying her face as he did. “So, what would you like to do? Name it, it’s yours.”

  Libby thought, “You know, so long as you’re there, nothing else matters. Lunch? Drive? I’m happy just being with you.”

  He lifted her off the table, and the two left the saloon hand-in-hand. Across the street, they noticed Chuck, flirting with the original Dolly, who was overtly laughing and tossing her hair so much her neck should’ve broken.

  “That boy! He’ll never learn,” Joe laughed, shaking his head.

  They returned the costumes to wardrobe and caught a ride back to the lodge.

  As Libby entered the lodge, the manager waved her over to the front desk. He handed her keys and a form to sign. “Miss Morgan, that red convertible in the drive is for you,” he beamed.

  Libby smiled at Joe. “Nice choice!” she excitedly replied to the manager. After they freshened up, Libby grabbed the camera, and the two hopped in the ragtop and headed to town.

  After lunch at a downtown bistro, they discovered tourist brochures and picked a couple of places that looked interesting. The first stop was Spirit of the Hills, a wildlife sanctuary. Libby and Joe received a private tour of the sanctuary and all its inhabitants, including tigers, leopards, bears, lions, foxes, coyotes, lynx, and myriad of domestic animals. Libby photographed the various animals, including shots of Joe, with great delight. Several times, the guide offered to take photos of the two of them with the residents.

  During the tour, the guide realized there was a problem with one of the foxes. “Could you excuse me a moment, I need to check out this fox. I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

  “No problem, we’re not in a hurry,” Joe offered.

  “Oh, I wish Megan were here!” Libby sighed. “She would love this!”

  “You really miss her, don’t you?”

  “I’m happy for her, I am...I want her to live her life. As much as I adore her, I know this trip has been the first time since I was 18 that I’ve lived MY life. And, honestly, Joe, thanks to you, it has been so special me. You’ve made this trip an amazing experience.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she laughed, “I’m SO glad I turned on the radio!”

  Joe pulled her close and held her for a long moment. “Libby, you have no idea how much of my heart you own. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” Libby looked deeply into his eyes.

  “Oh, I know it’s much too soon, but for a man who’s never known the love of a good woman, I…I do. I don’t even want to think about a day that doesn’t have you in it. Those few days when you were
n’t with me…I felt lost. I’ve never felt that way before.”

  Libby closed her eyes hearing these words. She held him tightly then kissed him so passionately that they almost fell over. “Oh, Joe. I know that when you’re not around there’s a huge void, like something really important is missing. I just…”

  “Okay, all set!” the guide came back. “Oh, looks like I’m interrupting something,” he laughed. Libby wiped a tear from her eye and bashfully turned from Joe to follow the guide. He regaled them with tales of how the animals came to their sanctuary, and how they depend on donations and visitors to maintain the animals.

  When the tour was finished, Libby completed a visitor’s card and asked, “Do you take credit cards for donations?”

  “Gladly!” the attendant replied.

  She scanned the card in the reader, then filled in a $10,000 donation on the keypad. She took a business card and brochure from the rack, then Joe’s hand and walked toward the door.

  “OH my goodness!” the attendant exclaimed as he realized her generosity. “Thank you so much!” he said, as he turned hurriedly and motioned to the owner who was on the phone in another room.

  “Come on!” Libby pulled at Joe’s hand. The two ran down the ramp and were in the car before anyone could catch up to them. With Joe behind the wheel, they were back on the highway quickly.

  Joe laughed at her, “What was that?”

  “I don’t need thanks. They’re doing a good thing here...besides, it wasn’t anything to me.” After they were on the road, she photographed the business card and brochure cover with her phone. “I’m sending these to Will.” She attached it to a text message, “Take care of these folks 4 me, plz.”

  The two rode through the Black Hills in quiet contemplation for a while. Libby turned on the radio and scooted over in the seat as far as she could next to Joe, laying her head on his shoulder. They drove around until dark. On the way back, they stopped at a few overlooks to watch the stars and to see city lights twinkle. Joe put up the windows and turned on the heater, but left the top down to enjoy the beautiful night.