Read Online Confessions of a Hollywood Star by Dyan Sheldon - Free Book Online Page B

I’d gasp. “You don’t work in Walmart. I know who you are. You’re Hal Minsky, the famous producer, aren’t you?” Everybody knows how egocentric movie people are, so I figured the famous bit would make him mellow and allow me to go on. I’d tell him how, as an aspiring actor myself, I’d always admired his work. “Oh, of course,” I’d say. “How could I forget? Carla Santini did say you were in town.” He’d be delighted to discover I was a friend of Carla’s. He’d say, “You know, we are looking for a few extras, if you wanted to come along…” I’d be surprised – happily, but modestly, surprised.
    After I finished my rehearsal, I had to touch up my make-up and make adjustments to my hair of course. First impressions are very important. There was some old movie star Mrs Baggoli once told us about who was discovered sitting at the counter in a soda fountain. Think of it. If she’d been having a really bad hair day, or had a spot on the end of her nose like a Christmas light, she would never have been noticed. She would’ve ended up going back to the boring little town she came from, her dreams all turned to dust, and ended up overweight and working in a diner.
    When I was finally ready I stood behind the door for a few seconds, controlling my breathing. Then I counted to three, pushed open the door and stepped through.
    Hal Minsky and Lucy Rio were on their feet. She was standing at his shoulder, still talking at him and swinging her bag as if she might hit him with it. He was concentrating on taking his receipt from the little plastic tray. They were ready to leave.
    It’s true that under our veneer of civilization the primitive man still lives. In that instant, the same instincts that guided my ancestors when confronted with angry woolly mammoths took over. Spurred on not by thought but by the need to survive, I flung myself across the space that separated them from me.
    “Mr Minsky!” I cried. “Mr Minsky, if you could just wait one minute, I really have to talk to you.”
    He didn’t even look at me. “I’m afraid you’ve made a mistake.” He took Lucy Rio’s arm and yanked her towards the door. She stepped on my foot.
    But a little pain wouldn’t have deterred my ancestors and it didn’t deter me. I grabbed hold of his elbow. “No, I haven’t made a mistake. I know you’re Hal Minsky. I’ve seen your picture in the paper. I—”
    He finally looked at me. Well, he looked at the hand that was holding onto him. “Would you mind letting go of my arm?”
    “But I really have to talk to you.”
    “I’m not going to ask you politely again.”
    I let go. “I’m sorry, Mr Minsky, I’m really sorry, but it’s extremely important that I—”
    “I’m warning you young lady, if you don’t leave me alone I’m calling the manager.”
    Young lady? I always imagined movie people were really hip and cool, but he sounded astoundingly like my mother. I was so surprised I took a step backwards. “But I—”
    “I don’t know who this person is you’re confusing me with, but for that last time – I am not he.”
    “But Mr Minsky, I’m a friend of Carla Santini’s.”
    This announcement had the same effect on him that it would have had on me. He gave Lucy Rio a shove that made her stagger. “Damn hick towns. Come on, let’s get out of here.” He bolted for the exit.
    I think my jaw fell open. Damn hick towns? Was he calling me a hick?
    I watched them steam to the front and out of the door. I was too numb with shock to even think of going after them.
    “You know, I did recognize him,” said Sam when I got back to our table. “I saw him being interviewed once. He’s that dude who made that crappy movie about the President getting abducted by aliens. What’d you say his name is?”
    I eyed him coldly. Talk about going back to your boring little town with your dreams all turned to dust. “I’m sorry,” I said, “but I promised I wouldn’t talk about the movie