I saw my mark and stopped on it.
One person, who was shuffling papers back and forth like a Las Vegas card shark said, “So you’re an add-on, that right?”
“Yes sir.”
He looked up, “We all know you crashed the audition, so let’s get that out of the way first. We’ll let you slide this time, but don’t ever try it again on me. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Okay. I’m David Gleason. Let’s hear your slate, then you’ll be reading with Vince here.” He pointed at the man to his right.
I did my slate and read with Vince, who really gave some emotion to the lines. When we finished, David said, “Thank you.”
I didn’t leave. He looked at me, “What?”
“Could I do it again? I think I can do better.”
David looked at the others, then back at me. “You’ve got some balls, I’ll give you that. Let’s do it again.” So we did, and I sucked worse that time than the first.
CHAPTER 3
I waited outside and flirted with Colleen while Hondo went in and read. When he came out we said our goodbyes and walked through the lobby just as Bob-O and Davester came through the entrance.
I gave them the head-nod and a thumbs-up just in case they missed the head-nod. “Good news fellows, no major damage.” I looked around, then went to them and talked in a low voice, “I don’t know if you two are interested, but they’re doing auditions in the meeting room for some big, big movie. Don’t tell anyone I told you.” When we got outside Hondo bopped me on the shoulder.
“Oww.”
“That’s for fooling those two.”
“Hey, they were still on time for their auditions. Besides, it helps me polish my improv skills.”
“That stuff is going to bite you on the ass one of these days, just wait and see.”
“Hah, it might just save my ass one of these days, just wait and see.” Hondo put one arm around my neck in a playful hug. His arms are long and powerful.
I said, “This reminds me of that time in the jungle when that big python wrapped around my neck.”
“You were never in a jungle and you’ve never had a python around your neck. We were in a big bad desert and big, terrible mountains. How soon we forget.”
My great friend’s arm was still there, but only laying on my shoulders. I said, “Yeah, but if a python had ever wrapped around my neck…”
Hondo said, “They told me to expect a callback.”
“They did?”
“They didn’t tell you the same thing? My, my.”
“Crap.”
“Nice of you to congratulate me.”
“Congrats.”
Hondo grinned, “I bet that hurt to say.”
“No more than swallowing a tack.”
“That’s all? Wow, you must really mean it. I thought I felt a lot of emotion there.”