“Great! Another Charles character,” he groaned.

“Ah, so what. You’re already used to people calling you Charles,” I teased.

“How do you know all of that stuff about the characters? Is it written in the script?”

“No. I researched some of it on the net. I was curious.”

“So you think it’s a good role for me?” he asked, wiping his wet hands on the dishtowel that hung over his shoulder.

“I think it’s a perfect role for you. You’d be able to show a wider range of emotions with this character. There are a lot of heart-wrenching scenes. They did their research on dogs, and one of the dogs that he was really attached to dies.”

“Sounds sad. You really think it has Oscar potential?” He narrowed his eyes on the script.

“Yeah, I do. The story is very compelling and you’d play a hero instead of an action star,” I stated. “I visualized you in the role the whole time I read it. It’s a tear-jerker. This is the type of role that wins awards.”

“Since when did you get so knowledgeable about films and awards?” he asked in a teasing fashion.

“Since I started dating this hot movie star who’s getting cast into all these romantic popcorn films. I’ve just been doing research on acting and stuff,” I admitted.

“Well then, move that one to the top of the stack. I’ll talk to Aaron and David… see what they think.”

“You don’t want to read it first?” I was surprised that he was just going to take my word for it.

“I trust you.” He smiled.

“Did you read this one… Gordon’s Way?” I asked, peering at it inquisitively. “I haven’t seen this script before.”

“Yeah, I read through it last week. It was couriered to the set. I really liked that one, but Aaron told me that they already signed Chase Westwood, so that one is out.”

“And what are your thoughts about Bottle of Red?” I removed the script from the stack. It was the first one that I had read.

“Lame,” he answered dryly.

“I agree. O – U – T out.”

“Sacred Mountain?” I continued, panning through the pile.

“What was that one about again?” he asked in between taste-testing dinner on the stove.

“Secret UFO base in the mountains.”

“Oh, yeah. That one was heavy sci-fi. What did you think of it?” he asked, almost sounding hopeful.

I pursed my lips and sneered.

“What’s that reaction about?” he countered.

“Aliens?” I think I rolled my eyes. “That would be a huge diversion from the roles you have been taking. Is that something that interests you?”

He shrugged. He seemed unsure of his direction.

“Ryan, what’s your goal here? I mean when you dreamt of being an actor, what kind of actor did you want to be?”

“Brando!” he stated with admiration. “I wanted to be Marlon Brando. The Godfather, you know! I can’t tell you how many times I looked at myself in the mirror while trying to imitate him. He was the reason I wanted to get up on stage and act.”

Ryan sat down at the table with me. “When I did the first Seaside, I was thinking about Gary Cooper – how he would have delivered it. I can only hope to be in that league as an actor one day. That would be the ultimate!”

“Well then, there’s your direction. If that’s the perception you want people to have when they think of you as an actor, then you need to position yourself correctly in the right roles. Isn’t that something your agent and manager should be helping you with? I mean some of these scripts… well, they aren’t going to get you there.”

“They’re just trying to get me jobs so I make a name for myself. It’s tough. You’ve got to take what you can get sometimes,” he responded.

“I don’t know about that. By the looks of it I think you could afford to be a little more choosey.” I patted the nine scripts under my hand. “Perhaps if you needed a paycheck you could consider some of these, but I think that if you want your dreams to come true then you need to point yourself in their direction.” I held up the script for The Isletin Solution.

He smirked. “Yeah, you’re right. Hey, after dinner we need to run lines for Slipknot again.”

I smiled from the thought. I really enjoyed helping and watching him get into character.

I tried to “act” when I read the lines instead of just reading from the script, to the point that Ryan started coaching me when we rehearsed together. We rehearsed so often that I was starting to memorize the lines of dialogue of the other characters and the feelings they were intending to portray in each scene.

Ryan did have a cool job. It was oddly liberating “pretending” and feeling permitted to have different emotions and reactions from your own. I could see why he loves what he does for a living.

The lead female role had a lot of dialogue. She was a medical student and avid rock climber who rescues Ryan’s character out on a mountain.

What I liked most about her was that she didn’t take a lot of crap from anyone.

It was very eye opening, making me acutely aware of my own personality.

Chapter 25 - Thanks

“You two wait in here. Give me a minute. Let me get your bags out first, then I’ll get you into the terminal,” Mike said, leaning over the front seat to speak to us.

There must have been almost fifty photographers, fans, and people gawking out on the sidewalk by the doors for departing flights.

“This is fucking crazy,” Ryan muttered. He had his back turned to the car door but the photographers ran to the other side of the car trying to get shots of him. It was hard to see in through the dark tinted windows.

“I hate airports,” he whispered. “Are you ready for this?”

I nodded, despite the fact that I was feeling like a nervous wreck.

Airport security was waiting outside now; they were trying to move people away from the doors to the terminal. Mike opened the car door and Ryan slipped out. His foot wasn’t even on the ground yet when the frenzy began.

“Ryan! Ryan! Can you sign this?” People were yelling at him repeatedly.

“Ryan, over here.” The cameras flashed non-stop.

“Can I take my picture with you?” some young girl asked sweetly.

My poor Ryan didn’t know which way to turn. Mike and our driver flanked Ryan on both sides while he signed a few autographs. Some of these people had glossy photos of his movie character in hand and it amazed me that they were so prepared for our arrival.