"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
By Atonia and Jo
Jo writing Maximus, Caroline, Bud, Marie, Lachlan, Hope, Cort, Daisy, Ben, Rusty
Atonia writing Terry, Dee, Alex, Linda, Jack, Tarwyn, John, Bethany, Dino, Max, Sophia
PART 18:
Rusty woke up the next morning, head aching, and stood for a long time in the shower. What did he want to do? In his awareness of being cut off from his family in Australia, he was realizing that whatever family was left to him was right here in Texas, and he felt a consuming need to see one of the three of them he remembered acting onscreen, Lachlan, Alex, or Cort.
Dressing, he went down to the lobby and was heading for the revolving doors when the manager at the desk called out to him. A large envelope was waiting for him and he took it to a quiet corner of the lobby, tearing it open. His papers. He was officially Ira Crowne. With a rather tight smile, he went out to the street and hailed a cab, asking the driver to take him to the nearest bank and then wait for him.
His account opened, he gave Max a brief call to let him know so Max could do whatever it was he did with his computer to put money in it. The cab took him to a vintage car dealer where he bought himself a classic 1975 Corvette convertible. His next stop was the hospital. Alex and Cort both lived out of town and he wanted to see Lachlan, who wasn’t.
Everything in the room was packed up and on a rolling cart. John was on wheels too. Bethany had gone down to bring her car around to the patient pick-up area. Jack and Tarwyn were on their way to her house to help with John when they got there.
John wheeled himself around to Lachlan’s door. “I’m checkin’ out of here. Hope you aren’t far behind me, Lachlan.”
Rusty got off the elevator and headed for Lachlan’s room. John was in with him and he stood in the door a moment, just looking at them. They were his family and he had to let go of all he’d left in Australia.
“G’day,” he said, and both men turned to look at him.
“Um…Zack?” Lachlan said, not quite sure.
Rusty came on into the room. “No, Lachlan, not Zack. Never was Zack, just looked like him for a while. Terry got me papers and I’m officially Ira Crowne.” At the puzzled looks of the other two, he explained his choice of name then added, “But call me Rusty. Terry started that and it fits. It’s right. I know it’ll take a bit of getting used to, but I wasn’t called Zack for all that long.”
John looked at him a moment, no, he didn’t look like Zack now. “Rusty Crowne, all right, I can do that.”
“Looks like you’re going home today, John. I’m glad for you. Dee helped me rent a condo yesterday. Dino’s in the same complex, different unit. Now that I’m out and about I hope to see more of you blokes, er, guys.”
“Yeah, I’m going home.”
“Glad I caught you, John, before you left so my explaining’s done for one more, um, brother. If you see anybody else, I’d appreciate you giving them a head’s up about my name and all.”
“I’ll do that. In fact, Jack’s going to be at my house to help me inside.”
When John was gone, Rusty pulled a chair up close to Lachlan’s bed and just studied him for a while.
“Um, something wrong, Za…Rusty?”
“I remember you.”
“You were just here not long ago. I expect you would remember me.”
“Not that. I remember being you.”
“Being me?”
“Yes, Lachlan. You see, it’s all there now, everything I’ve done, and you, well, you are one of the things I’ve done.”
“I’m, um, still not sure I understand.”
“Me. I’m Russell, Lachlan. I went to western Canada in ’93 and was you.”
Lachlan licked his lips somewhat nervously. “You’re saying…”
“I am saying. I know exactly what it’s like to be you. I’m the only person in the world, well, besides older Russell, who knows that and that’s why I wanted to come here this morning. I see you and it’s all so familiar and it makes me feel so strongly that you’re a part of me.”
“I…I never expected to, um, meet Russell.”
“It’s apples, Lachlan. It’s just me and you know me. Nothing to be uncomfortable about. Maybe just takes a bit of getting used to having me around.”
“I’m not sure, um, Rusty, what to think about this.”
“It just…is…, Lachlan. No worries. But I’m different than if I were Zack. Zack would have been another addition to the regular gang. I’ve never been scripted, Lachlan, never come out of a movie. I’m just…me. And I’m the guy who made all of you up through the mid-90’s. So it’s the same with me for Alex and for Cort, too. There’s more, like Jeff and Andy and Johnny, and those guys, but they’re still in their movies. At least I think they are. With Sid you never know.”
“Does…does that make you a brother or not?”
“It does because I don’t know what else to be. In a way I’m the father of the group, some of the group. What I am is in John and Bud, Maximus, Terry, Jack, Max, but I don’t remember making them because they came later. But I’m in them. I’m in you and Alex and Cort, too, but you three are also in me because I have the memory of making you. Complicated, eh?”
“I’ll say.” Lachlan stared at Rusty. “You seem very different from when we were calling you Zack.”
“That’s because as Zack, I was nothing but an empty shell. I was really, really lost, Lachlan. More than I can say. But now I know I’m Rusty and it’s better.” He looked away for a moment, adding under his breath, “In some ways.”
“How does this work, Rusty, with both you and Russell in the world?”
“It works that Russell gets everything Russell has, which is Dani, kids, the farm, the memories of making not just the pre-mid-90’s guys but all of them. He gets to be Russell Crowe, gets the cameras chasing him, gets the red carpet, the script offers, whatever it is that he’s earned and has. That’s his right. Me? I’m Rusty Crowne, a bloke trying to make his way in Texas. Which reminds me, I’ve got somewhere to go. Hope you get sprung tomorrow, too. Be good to have none of us in here.” With an affectionate smile, he was out the door.
The ramp was in place and Jack rolled John up to the front door. A bit of a lift and then he was inside.
“Oh, man, I feel better already.” He noted the hospital bed and his walking appliances but right now he felt great. “Oh, Jack, I want to tell you something. I was saying good-bye to Lachlan this morning and who do you think walks in? Zack but he ain’t Zack anymore. He’s calling himself Rusty Crowne.”
Jack pulled up a chair and tilted his head. “What?”
“He’s not Zack Grant. You know we all wondered about that, thought that Sid had stripped him down to the bare bones. Well, I guess he did and what’s left is Russell Crowe but he can’t go about being him so he’s Rusty.”
Jack ran a hand over his face. “It is confusing but I do understand it. There are two Russell’s now?”
“I guess so, but Rusty can’t go be him. He’s gotta be what he is and that’s Rusty after he made Lachlan, Cort and Alex’s movies. He’s different, I’ll say that…yeah, definitely different than he was as Zack.”
“Not a day goes by that I am not amazed at something. When did this revelation take place?”
“I don’t know for sure but last night he was with Terry so he could get his ID packet. Probably happened then.”
“I see, well, is he still a brother to us or…what?”
“I guess he is unless he decides different. Who knows.” John threw up his hands and shook his head.
Tarwyn went upstairs with Beth. “I understand how you feel about it, honey, but that’s your bed. We can strip it down and wash everything that was on it. That’s your grandma’s quilt.”
It was the first time Beth had been back in her bedroom since the night of the shooting. “He…he came through the door and I was behind it. I tried to slam the door on him but he was strong enough to push me back.”
“Hey, don’t go over it anymore. You’ve been there and done it and it’s over. But if you want to sleep in the guest room that’s your choice. Sooner or later John is going to walk up those steps and you might feel differently then.”
“I think that would make all the difference if he were up here with me.”
“You want us to drag a bed downstairs for you, too?”
“No, no…I’m a big girl. I can sleep up here by myself.” Bethany stood back while Tarwyn stripped her bed and carried the linens down to the washer. She walked to the foot of her bed and looked down on the floor. The police had made a mess in her house looking for fingerprints. She sighed. It was time to take the house back. It was hers and John’s.
Rusty parked in the lot behind the Playhouse then walked around to the front. As he entered and looked into the auditorium he thought, It’s not a sound stage and it’s not a movie set, but it’s something. It would be his first step again into what had been his day job.
Emma was there, coming up the aisle, a smile on her face. “You came.”
“I just sort of strayed in,” he grinned, pushing his hair back.
“Come meet our director, Rusty.” She introduced him to a man in his 50’s, tall, lean, a shock
of steel gray hair.
“You had experience, young man?”
“I have.”
“Well, sit yourself and read over page 12 and 13 of the script. When you think you’re ready, let me know and you and Emma can do a read-through.”
He found a seat and read the pages. She’d been right. It was an emotional script. Well, he felt pretty damn emotional right now. He read it through three times then left it in his seat. When he got up on the stage, the director pointed out, “You left your script back there.”
“I know.”
“Don’t you think you’d better get it?”
“No.”
The director just looked at him disapprovingly for a moment, then said to Emma, “I’m doing this as a personal favor to you. Don’t ask me for such a thing again. I don’t have time to waste like this.”
“Oh, Rusty, I thought at least you were going to try,” she whispered, standing close to him on stage.
“Start,” he said.
She read her line from the script then looked up at him. His face changed and he answered it with a voice full of grief, an expression that wrung her heart. It took her a moment to find her place then she read her next several lines. Again he answered and the heart of the man he was playing was laid bare and bleeding. So it went for the two pages and there was not a sound anywhere inside the Playhouse but the voices of the two people on the stage. Everyone else had stopped what they were doing and were simply staring.
The director had been standing, frowning as the run-through began. After a few moments he’d sat heavily back in his chair, holding his chin tightly with one hand. When Emma and Rusty stopped and turned to look out toward him, his mouth was partially open. He got up and came to the edge of the stage, looking up at Rusty.
“Where have you been?”
“I’ve been acting,” Rusty shrugged.
“My God,” the director said, then turned and looked at the scriptwriter and some of the stagehands and other actors. “Did you see that?”
Eyes round, they all nodded. The director, Sam Horton, turned back to Rusty. “You’re hired.”
“Thanks,” Rusty said and began to walk toward the steps down to the audience level.
Emma followed close behind. “Are you his brother? You’re as good as he is.”
“No, Emma, I’m not his brother.” He knew just what she meant. “But, yes, I am as good as he is.”
Terry was helping Dino get moved into his new digs. He’d emptied out his apartment of Dino’s belongings and Dino’s car. Now they were on their way to the new hanger where Alex was supposed to be waiting.
“How much more have you got to move?”
“The stuff coming in on the plane is from our offices. I was able to pull all the electronics out from under the broken glass. We only lost a couple of monitors but everything else appeared to be intact. Guess we’ll find out when we plug them in.”
Alex was leaning against his vintage car smoking a cigarette when they pulled up.
“Morning…plane’s here but I didn’t know what to do with the stuff so it’s still aboard.”
“Good deal,” Dino took off for the plane.
“How ya doin’ Terry?”
“I’m fine, Alex. We’ve moved Dino from our apartment to his condo.”
“Bet you’re glad to have him outta your hair.”
“He’s all right, ya know.”
“Yeah, I think so too.” Alex and Terry went to see what was aboard the plane. The next few hours would be spent setting up their office.
At one point Alex looked over at Terry, “How much time do you think you can devote to your day job, Terry?”
“Which day job?” Terry looked up from a monitor.
“I don’t know. Which one is your day job, this or HAWCO?”
“I’m not sure, to tell you the truth. I think it’s going to come down to the old squeaking wheel rule. Right now, K&R is coasting. Tomorrow it may be another thing altogether.”
“So you guys are just hanging around waiting for somebody to get kidnapped?”
“That’s about the size of it, Alex,” Dino answered. “What we haven’t been doing is selling our services. Somebody let the ball drop there.”
“Maybe I can help with that.”
“I hope you can, Alex.” Terry looked up and turned his chair around. “Once you familiarize yourself with the companies and you know who to go after, then we’ll turn you loose and see what you turn up.”
Cort and Daisy were in town helping Hope with her shopping. They had a successful morning buying clothes and necessary items and were going back to the hospital to spend a little time with Lachlan over lunch. After that they had several appointments to see houses. They’d stopped and picked up some take-out to bring to Lachlan’s room.
“Ah, Cort!" Lachlan greeted after kissing Hope. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“What’s goin’ on?”
“Russell Crowe, that’s what. Did you ever want to meet the man who made you?”
“I’ve thought of it, but I don’t think it’s possible. He doesn’t know about us, you know.”
“He was here this morning.”
“What? You don’t mean…”
“I do mean, Cort. It’s Zack. Well, it was Zack. Now he’s Russell Crowe for sure.”
“Well, we thought maybe he…”
“This is different than thinking maybe. This is him, really him. He’s not Zack. Says he never was. Says he was an empty shell, I think he put it. He was hurting bad, Cort. More’n any of us knew. You should’ve seen him. He definitely wasn’t Zack at all. He…he’s got official papers now. He’s Ira Crowne but wants us to call him Rusty. Says that’s as close as he can get to Russell.”
“It’s that…strong? You’re sure?”
“Wait till you see him, Cort. He’s Russell through and through. And he remembers making us, you, me, and Alex. It’s…it’s amazing. Almost blew my mind.” Then Lachlan looked quickly at Hope. “Shouldn’t say that, huh? Had a blown mind just a bit ago.”
Cort leaned back in his chair. “Do you know where he is?”
“Nope. Said he had to be somewhere and left here in a hurry.”
Cort glanced at his watch. Their first house appointment wasn’t for an hour and a half. He looked at Daisy and Hope. “Be all right with you if I see if I can arrange a quick meetin’ with, um, Rusty? I’ve got to see him. I hope you understand but I’ve just got to.” He looked back at Lachlan. “You know if he has a phone?”
“He said Max gave him one last night.”
Cort put in a brief call to Max to get the number, then called Rusty. “Hi, um, Rusty. This is Cort. I’m in town an’ I was wonderin’ if maybe I could meet you for coffee somewhere. I’m at the hospital. Yes, I know the place. Ten minutes all right? Good. See you then.”
Jack and Tarwyn stayed at John’s until he could demonstrate how he could get into and out of his bed and into the bathroom before they left. Bethany ran out to the grocery while they were there with John.
“How long is your leg going to be in a cast, John?” Tarwyn asked.
“Another three weeks. Damn thing, I can’t tell you how aggravating this is.”
“Be glad you have a leg. In my day it would have been lopped off in order to save your life.”
“You mean even Dr. Maturin couldn’t have saved it?”
“I doubt it, though he was a man beyond his time when it came to surgery. I do miss him from time to time.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you do, Jack. You know, I used to put my movie in and sit and watch it so I could see my boys and see Donna. Right before me and Bethany got married…I broke it in half and threw it away. I never wanted to see it again because that’s a life I can never have again. Besides, what I got goin’ now is real.”
“I don’t watch mine anymore. I did when I first came here and found out what the story was of myself. Like you, it’s a life I can never have again. Tarwyn has found the music that was used in the movie and I do listen to it from time to time. I don’t have to see the Surprise sailing across the ocean to know it…to feel it. If I said I didn’t miss the sea I would be lying. I do…it’s bred into me but I’ve made a passable landlubber.”
“You do all right, Jack. I know it must be harder for you and, say, Maximus, Cort and Ben cause you’re from such a different time and place. Yeah, I’m right proud of the way you all have fitted in with today’s ways.”
Rusty was already in the coffee shop when Cort arrived and Cort stood a moment, looking at him across the room. No, he didn’t look at all like Zack anymore. Smiling, he went up to the table.
“I needed to see you…Rusty.”
“I understand, Cort. I really do. I wanted to see you, too.”
“Lachlan was telling me you, um, made us…me.”
“I did, only Redemption was a very different experience for me than for you.”
“In what sort of way?”
“Well, for one, the shit Foy’s boys kept throwing at you was real horseshit. For me it was a
non-shit prop.”
“Yet…you know what it’s like to walk down that street. You know…”
“I know everything you thought, everything you felt from the moment you were thrown through the saloon doors till you held that badge in your hand in the final scene.”
“That’s hard for me to get a handle on.”
“I can imagine it would be, Cort. But there’s more than that. I can see your grandmother in my mind’s eye. I made her for you so you’d have a history. I decided her shawl was blue and that she baked you cookies.”
Cort bit his lip. “She’s always been a very personal thing for me.”
“I know, Cort. I wanted her to be that way for you.”
“This…this makes me feel kinda…strange.”
“There’s no need, Cort. You’ll get used to the thought of it. It’s not like discovering who you are in the first place, where you come from. It’s just me and you’ve been around me for a number of days now.”
“You’re…Russell?”
“Rusty. The old guy gets the name,” he grinned.
“How is that for you?”
“It’s fuckin’ hard, Cort. That’s how it is. I’m separated from every person, every place that was part of my life and there’s no getting around it. What I have now is you, you and the others. I hope you won’t turn away from me now that I’m not Zack.”
“No, no, don’t worry about that. I’m just gettin’ used to the idea of it, that’s all. You’re actually closer to me than the others because you are me in a more direct way than even they are.”
“You’re all me, especially you and Alex and Lachlan. I’m getting used to it, too, trying to find my way, what I can do. Oh, I got a part in a play…public theater. I hope you and the others will come. I’d like that. Maybe don’t sit in a group, though. Maybe, um, wear hats, high collars.” He shook his head. “I want you there, all of you, so we’ll have to work it out somehow. I think it would be good for you to see what I do, how I do it. Might help with things.”
“I’d definitely want to see that, Rusty. I’m still amazed that you’re actually here.”
“Me, too, Cort. Me, too.”
Terry and Alex were outside the office smoking cigarettes. Terry was telling Alex about Rusty.
“I don’t know how it’s going to play out for him. I would think it would be pretty hard…knowing the real one is walking around out there.” Terry thought about Major Thorne. At
least he wasn’t walking around in the city.
“Yeah, Terry, but…he is the real one, right? I mean…he is.”
Terry looked at Alex a moment. “Yeah, you’re right. For that time and place…he is. It all came down on him last night when his memories kicked in. I had to stop the car alongside the road
for him.”
“That’s almost worse than being us, you know? I mean…at least I can be Alex Ross. That poor guy can’t be Russell.”
“No, but he has all that Russell was when he was that age. Including you. I don’t know for sure but I think he came off making Rough Magic and then was heading to No Way Back…only for
us, he never made it.”
“I wonder if Sid knew this or if he thought the guy would just kick the bucket when he threw him out of wherever he had him.”
“Who knows, Alex. Who knows what kind of experiments he was trying on Zack.”
“Funny, we haven’t seen hide nor lacquered hair of him for awhile. Suits me.”
“Don’t invoke his name…we don’t want to see him.”
“I’d like to see Rusty, though,” Alex stamped out his cigarette. “Now that I know who he is for sure, I’d like to know what he had in his mind when he was…me.”
Cort went back to the hospital to pick up Daisy and Hope, surprised to find Lachlan dressed
and ready, too.
“Going house hunting with you,” Lachlan grinned. “Doc’s letting me blow this popsicle stand.”
“Good, Lachlan. This is definitely something you should be along for. I’m glad he’s letting you out.”
“Yeah, I’ve been in here twice recently and I’m not coming back.”
“Where are you two staying for the night, then?”
“Hotel. Same one Rusty’s in. I’m hoping we find a place soon. I know Bud and Marie’s apartment is empty now but that’s just the problem. It’s almost empty. They took most of the stuff that was in it. I think it’ll be best just to stay in a hotel for a little while since we want to be here in the city.”
“Same as Rusty, eh? He’s somethin’, isn’t he? I’m not quite used to him yet.”
“Well, I thought…hotel…why not the same one? Maybe I’ll get a chance to get used to him more. I feel this odd pull toward him, like I need to get to know him and somehow that’ll let me know me better. Does that make sense?”
“I feel the same way, Lachlan.”
Canfield was in the hall as they headed toward the elevators. “No overdoing, Lachlan, and if you start to feel the least dizzy, you sit down immediately.”
Lachlan went to attention and saluted Canfield. “Yes, sir!” he said brightly.
“Thank ya’ll so much for coming.” Bethany gave Jack and Tarwyn hugs. “I think we’re settled now. I can take him from here.”
“Should you need us for anything, you know to call.”
“Yes, Jack, I do.”
“Don’t be strangers now, just ‘cause I’m home.” John wheeled himself to the front door.
Tarwyn kissed his cheek, “We won’t. You go easy on Bethany, too. I know how guys are when they’re down.”
“Oh, you do?” Jack raised a teasing brow at her.
“I have a good imagination. Bye now.”
Rusty went to his condo. Dee had supplied a lot of what he’d need and since it was furnished, he checked out of the hotel, and once in his unit, called Emma, whose number he’d gotten while at the Playhouse.
“Dinner?” he said.
“Rusty?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Dinner?”
“Where?”
“I’m new in town. You pick.”
“How about Harlan’s on 5th? Do you know where that is?”
“No, but I’ll find it. Pick you up?”
“Um…ok. I have an apartment, 508, in the Parallax Towers. Do you…?”
“I’ll find it. Six?”
“That’s early.”
“I’m currently at loose ends this afternoon. Just moved into a furnished condo and there’s nothing I need to do.”
“Let’s make it 5:30, then,” she chuckled.
“You’re humoring me.”
“And you like it.”
“5:30, Parallax.”
“Good.” Emma hung up and wandered into her kitchen, standing at the sink, looking at nothing, thinking about this strange man. In the several years she’d been active with the Public, no one had ever managed the caliber of acting that seemed to come so effortlessly to him. He said he’d acted before, but hadn’t said where or what in and even the director hadn’t asked. With a demonstration like he’d given, you didn’t need a resume.
Admittedly, she was quite curious about him but she was also wise enough not to push the questions on him too fast too early. That he was in some emotional pain was evident. From what he’d said, he must have lost, what, people, possessions in Australia that had been important to him. He seemed somewhat out of place in this town, as though he belonged somewhere…bigger. With acting chops like he had, why wasn’t he making movies? Going to her laptop, she went to imdb and did a search for Rusty Crowne. Nothing. What had he done and where had he done it that had produced such skill in the craft? She had already been looking forward to doing this play without even knowing who might be cast opposite her as her love interest. That Rusty had the part made her almost ache for rehearsals to start.
While Dino was busy trying to coordinate getting the two helicopters to the airstrip, Alex wandered outside again. Terry had already left. There wasn’t anything else for him to do. He pulled out his phone and called Rusty, having gotten the number from Terry.
“Hey, it’s me, Alex. Just wondered if you’ve had lunch or if beer sounded good to you this time of day. I’m in town with nothing to do.”
“Beer is always good. Can you come to the hotel bar? I’m glad you’re in town, Alex.”
Alex got directions to the bar and walked in. He stopped a moment when he saw Rusty. He hadn’t seen him since he was Zack. He smiled a little and sauntered over to the bar. “If anybody asks if we’re twins, tell ‘em hell no.” He shook Rusty’s hand.
“So what brought this identity revelation on?” He took a seat at the bar.
“Yesterday I went out to Max’s so Terry could use his secure laptop to get papers for me, and later when Terry was driving me back to the city he’d been talking about Thorneton in New South Wales and all the sudden I began to get mental images of what it looked like. One thing led to another and everything just sort of flooded in on me. After that I couldn’t go around looking like Zack anymore because I wasn’t Zack. I’m me…Russell in the 90’s…but I can’t go around as him, either, so now I’m Rusty Crowne.”
He studied Alex, then said, “You know I know you, right, inside and out?”
Alex picked up his beer and took a drink. “Yeah, I know you do. You’re probably the only one that does know me…inside.” He grinned crookedly, “You know this is all a front. You know I’m just breezin’ on through.” He caught his lip in his teeth.
“I know, Alex, and what I want to tell you is you don’t need a front with me. If there’s anything anytime you want to talk about and there’s no one else you can tell about it, you can tell me. I know how it was for you on Iwo Jima, how it was in Japan…after. I know why you took jobs like that one in Mexico. I know what lies behind that cocky exterior. I’ve…been…you.” He shook his head. “I’m still getting used to seeing you guys out and around. I only used to see you, Alex, if I looked in the mirror when I was filming. But here you are.” Rusty briefly reached out and touched Alex’s shoulder. “Here you are.”
Alex met his eyes for a moment and looked down at his beer glass, “Must be as strange for you as it is for me. Looking at yourself…under different guises. I’m still trying to find my place here.” He shrugged, “I’ve been out for two years and most of that time spent in the bottom of a bottle. I wasn’t taken out of my movie for any particular purpose. I think I was an experiment to see if could be done, like some of the others. I found myself a little hole in the wall place to stay and the local newspaper. I thought my break came when NanoCorp blew up. Boy, was I wrong.” He took another sip. “That’s when I met Terry and reality hit me square in the gut.
But at least I got a script, I know who I am. I can imagine it must be hard for you knowing who you are and not being able to shout it out.” Alex caught their reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Remarkable.
It really bothered Rusty what Sid had done to Alex, the way he’d done it. “I’m glad you’re here, Alex. I wish it had been better handled, but me, as I am, who I am, I’m glad you, Alex Ross, are here. I like you. I’ve always wished that rather strange movie had more about you in it. You deserved more than what was onscreen. There’s more to you than other people realize. You’re a good man, Alex, a good man, and I’m pleased to be sharing this world with you. I truly am.”
Alex smiled a little. “You made me what I am. I’ve been kinda flailing around and Linda found me…or I found her, whichever. She’s sorta put me back together and now that I’m whole I feel the need to do something with myself. I’ve been writing a column for the paper but it’s all been about her late father. If I wrote what’s in my mind I’d be a target so I keep that on the downlow. I’m an anti-war, anti- government, flaming liberal but only you know that. That’s what’s come of my experience. I have this desire to help folks…but, I don’t know where to take it. I’ve thrown my lot in with Terry and Dino. So, we’ll see where that goes. Did I say…I’m glad you’re here?”
“That makes both of us, eh? I’m looking for things to do, too. I can’t run my farm back home, can’t go up for a movie, can’t a whole lotta lotta. I rather need to keep on the downlow, too. I’ve got a part in the Public Theater production that’ll be going into evening rehearsals soon, but I need a day job. If you hear of anything you think I can do, give me a head’s up. I’d appreciate that. I’m not sure where to look right yet.”
Alex took a drink and played with his glass a little. He was thinking about HAWCO. He grinned, “I can put a word in for you with the boss, if you’d be interested in HAWCO. You own a piece of it, might as well make it work like you want it to. Terry’s trying to set up a meeting for Friday around 11:00, trying to get all the brothers in town for it. Everybody needs to sign a paper and she’ll explain what it means. You’ll have the option of actually working with the company or not, be a silent partner and I know some will go for that. You might take it on. Terry already has…but he ain’t Superman.”
“I would be interested. Your Linda is quite a woman. From what I’ve already done, from what I know of what I do in the future, strange as that sounds, but I think I might really be able to help somehow with HAWCO. I’d certainly like to try so, yeah, I’ll be there at 11. Will be interesting to see all of you together,” he grinned. “I’ve been a busy guy.”