Chapter 6
LIVING GRAPE
Living Grape was completely cast; and shooting started on time. A few months went by, and the cast marveled at Jim’s, Jen’s, and Ben’s performances. It was as if they had written the movie themselves. Laron felt this one would bear him the fruit of Oscar, but he didn’t dare admit it to himself.
They all sat beside one another on a wooden picnic table; as they waited for the midday sun direction. The outdoor boom town set went for 2 miles; and had several bars and banks along the way. There were several extras hanging out across the street trying to stare Ben down, but he paid them no mind. He was thinking about the scene the 3 of them were about to act. He knew all too well Jim was exceeding his talent, and this scared Ben to death.
“Jim?”
“Yeah, Ben,” Jim answered as he yawned and mopped up the sweat on the back of his neck, as he had his black cowboy hat sitting on his lap precariously.
“What are your feelings on this next scene?”
“I don’t know, I’m just going to play it as it stands,” Jim said hollowly as he tried not to laugh and give it away that he had plans (big plans indeed). “If we get lucky, all three of us will end up bruised or dead,” Jim said coyly as he looked down the dusty dirt main street; this while he kept Ben at bay by not looking at him. Jim knew what he was doing-warming up the old faucet to get Jim’s ideas flowing-and he wasn’t going to be giving him any helpful hints
“Hey, where are all the losers?!” Jen yelled jokingly as she waved to the extras.
Ben and Jim laughed and flicked off the extras. The extras cheered-some of whom trying to befriend Jen-and one of them mooned Jim. Jim looked at them with suspicion, puzzlement, and cockiness.
“That’s 3rd lead ass at best!” Jim howled as he acted like he was going to fall off the picnic table. “Better luck next life!” Jim yelled jokingly as he smiled like a cheetah, and sat back in his seat.
Ben sat silently: saying nothing, doing very little, or thinking of anything at all to say. Ben knew this next scene would make or break them all.
“Ben?”
“Yes hi there, Laron.”
“We’re ready to go, it’s you and Jen here by the water,” Laron explained with his hands moving like they had a spastic tick to them. “And, Jim, you’re at the end of the street. Jim, when the clock strikes noon, then you find Ben and Jen, alright?” Laron asked as he checked the sight lines on the street. He rubbed Jim’s shoulder-one he had been rubbing every day-and took him down the street to his mark. They had tapped a white x in the dirt, right where Jim was to stand.
“Alright then, it’s you and me, Gorgeous,” Ben said like he was acting the scene for real just then. “What say we break the rules today?” Ben asked smoothly with a smirk on his face; and he kept watching Jim setting up out of the corner of his eye. Ben’s training-10 years with Ruth Roisteinberg-meant he knew that training would serve him well today.
Jen pulled back her dress and showed her underpants. She made certain-as she wanted all eyes on her- to keep her dress stuck in one of her garter belts to throw everyone off. She turned to Ben and said nothing; but gave him the feeling she was going to, as she was manipulating the scene foxy good. Ben looked at her-and used all he could summon inside-and said nothing to her of note.
“O.k. Jim, if it’s alright with you,” Laron said as he looked into Jim’s eyes like they were having sex. “I’d like you to destroy Ben and Jen. Just walk over their performances, like an Oscar winner would. Don’t, don’t say anything. We just have a different pecking order now, understand?” Laron asked-with a tone he saved for stars and stars alone-as he looked into Jim’s eyes with a seriousness that told it all to Jim.
“I got it, and I will,” Jim answered firmly as he nodded his head and shook his arms out. “Time for a little mischief,” Jim said coldly as he walked over to his mark (just off the side of the patio of Tompkin’s bank) and Jim sat there eyeing Jen and Ben. He had a strong feeling that he was about to make some enemies, but it was what he had to do, and he was still JUST DOING IT.
“Jen, lovely, it’s only dying,” Ben said.
Jen acted like she was choking and contorted her face. She walked out one more step into the street; and faced the townspeople like they were nothings.
“Alright, sound, and action!” thundered Laron as he threw up his hand like a whip.
“You’re idiots TO ME!” Jen screamed crazily as she spit out the sides of her mouth. “Nothing more than god’s lost chewing gum. I’ve killed your sheriff, and I kicked his head in to do it! Come ON, all of you TRY ME!” thundered Jen angrily as she kicked up the dirt; and she pulled out a long pistol from the back of her dress (it had a red handle and silver gun barrel reading MOMMA STOLE THE COWS DADDY).
Ben saw his mark, and leapt off the barrel he was sitting on; and raced over to Jen. He put his poison covered fingers into her mouth; and then slapped the inside of her throat. This caused her to swallow the poison-which was the way all good cowboys died back then (by blueberry cool-aid)-and she started to convulse.
“It’s alright now!” Ben insisted as he stood there looking-with eyes so wide they damn near fell out of his head-at the onlookers. “She is filled with SATAN’S DEMONS! I will have to rid her of these failings! If any of us are to live, her soul must become pure again. I will kill her, and ensure she makes it to HEAVEN. Please, someone hand me a pistol and end this poor child’s misery? Please, for God’s sake,” pleaded Ben hollowly as he held both sides of Jen’s face. She tried to fight him off, but the poison had taken hold and she started to foam at the mouth (they used baking soda and flower to create the effect).
The barber named Mr. Luther Grimsly-wearing a grey suit and a red cowboy hat-handed Ben a-black handle black barrel-revolver and said firmly,” We don’t want any god damn Satan, in our town. Do what you must, Preacher.”
“Of course you don’t,” Ben said with a voice as soft as bed sheets. “I will take on this BURden, and make the woman whole, once more. Here, for the love of purity,” Ben said hollowly as he fought with Jen to get the revolver to her head. Ben exhaled and shot her twice in the side of the head; and she fell hard onto his brown leather boots.
“Good goings, Preacher, you saved us today!” Luther cheered as he walked over to Ben and quickly took the revolver back.
“Of course, and you are all welcome,” Ben said hollowly as he wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. “And you’re welcome at my church, anytime,” said Ben as he motioned with his hand like a circus conductor.
Jim walked out into the street and faced Ben; he did this with his hands at his side and his guns shinny new.
“Not just yet, not just yet,” Jim growled, as his eyes burned through Ben like a hot poker through a dry sock. “Seems you done away with my wife, Preacher, no?” asked Jim coldly as he flexed his whole body. “Nope I says that will not STAND!” Jim said defiantly to him as he kicked up some dirt onto his left boot. “I will crack open that evil skull of yours, and we’ll see if we can find some god. Come on now, make a move at me,” Jim begged coldly as the townspeople got out of the street as fast as they could. A small boy-with brown curly hair-ran across the street in front of Ben quite suddenly; and ran into the Drink’s Are on You bar and whorehouse.
“There’s no need for SIN, here,” Ben responded with the utter warmth of his voice even stirring up the extras (however he paid only mind to Jim and Jim alone). “We are brothers, family, why should we destroy our community love? Please, Brother, don’t think ill of me for doing the Lord’s work,” Ben pleaded softly, while he reached into his pocket-without his eyes leaving Jim- and covered his fingers with the purple poison powder.
Jim lurked forward tapping the barrel of his guns together. The sound was deafening; as he walked ever closer to a contorted Ben-saying nothing, but death-nonetheless. He walked the last 7 feet-like a hammer hitting nails-and his hands were sweating dirt.
Jim grinned and asked hollowly,” Did she try and kill ya, Preacher?”
“Yes, of course she did, she had the VAPORS!”
“Did she ask for me in dying?”
“No, no she only asked for mercy, and I gave it.”
“Mercy is a knife without a handle,” shot back Jim emotionless and angry; with both his hands shaking out the care he did not feel. “Someone always gets cut. Preacher, I want to ask you one final question. The way you answer this, will decide if I blow your fuckin head off,” Jim said with a voice devoid of caring that only the undertaker knew well. He looked Ben up and down; with hatred in his eyes saved for murderers and dying hayfields alone.
“Yes, I have the answers to all your questions, Dear Brother,” Ben replied hollowly as he offered Jim his hand. “Please, Brother, ask me anything,” Ben pleaded with his legs tiptoeing towards Jim like they were walking on glass; while his hand-covered in poison-was extended out to Jim.
Jim did not even conjure up the thought of receiving him. He instead picked out Ben’s head with his gun; Ben’s face was white as morning toast from a broken toaster. Jim asked,” Did god abandon her, in her time of need?”
“What?”
“I will ask again, but not a third time,” responded Jim flatly as he failed to move an inch. “Did god abandon HER, in HER TIME OF NEED?”
Ben motioned with his hands up to the sky like it was beginning to rain; and he smiled like he’d won a new car and a haircut.
“She was lifted to a better place, a far greater place indeed,” Ben exclaimed hollowly with his arms catching planets that had just stopped falling. “God was here with her, and I channeled him through me,” Ben bawled with steel tears and heavy glances racing in unison down to Jim’s eyes. He smiled with his hand jutting into his pocket-as he knew poison made lifelong friends of anyone-and got just a step away from Jim.
“Then you’re god?”
“Yes, in many ways.”
“Then all grievances stop with you?” Jim wondered with a voice as cold as January. Ben lurked forward with his poison soaked hand to jam it into Jim’s mouth; but Jim simply smiled-and squeezed out some revenge served to Ben’s eye for free, one time only-and shot him dead as summer hockey.
The unaffiliated townspeople came outside and encircled Ben’s contorted (though not exactly done bleeding, hole as it was and all) body. Soon they started singing God takes his time as fast as he can (an old railroad hymn) and Jim simply kept on walking down Main Street like it was only going his way. The young boy-from before-chased after Jim and grabbed his hand suddenly. Jim bristled, and aimed his gun at the boy; it was taking Jim’s entire wherewithal to stop himself from shooting the young boy.
“Sir, you forgot her necklace,” Chester Helm-the small boy played by Walter Sing a soap commercial star-says unaware he is in any danger (like many people playing tag with a firearm find out) as he waves the gold necklace in front of Jim’s face. “Here ya go!” Chester said brightly.
Jim looked at the necklace momentarily-thinking of Jen-but turns and keeps on walking without taking the necklace.
“Good, good, o.k. we are still rolling on Jim 5th camera!” Laron demanded as he leapt from his director’s chair; he did this like he was jumping from an airplane without a chute. “Follow him to the end of the street. This will roll over the credits. JIM, shed me some tears if you would,” Laron yelled loudly as he watched the camera capture Jim’s improvisation.
Jim cried with his eyes looking off into the distance (for some distant star not yet found). Jim slowed and said solemnly,” I had my dream.”
“CUT!!” Laron shouted as if he had won the Powerball. “Great ending, Jim!” shouted Laron joyously. “Everyone let him hear it!” Laron yelled surprisingly as he rode up the street on a golf cart. Jim simply kept walking: and then fell to his knees, then his back, and then flopped on the ground. He knew then he finally got to really act with the lights on in the theater. What a feeling!
Ben stood up; hugged Jen as hard as a jail cell-because he knew they all had something special there in that take-then he kissed her once on the lips.
“Ben, outstanding work,” Jen said honestly as she gave Ben a hug (more commonly seen only by grandmothers at Christmas) and smiled. She ran her finger down his nose-with a hint of flirting going on- and he beamed at this.
“It happened, what we all wanted happened,” Ben confessed as his eyes looked at the smiling faces of the extras. “I know this business; there won’t be another movie in your career this good. Won’t happen, but who cares, those are our lines now,” said Ben firmly as he peeled off his itchy clothes-smelling worse than the drunk tank-and wiped the fake blood from his face.
Jen eyed Ben keenly-as she knew then he was right-and she felt a certain prick of nervousness in her throat.
“Scoundrels!” snarled Jim at Ben and Jen as he rode over on the back of Laron’s golf cart. Jim laughed hard-like he’d farted in church-and stepped off the cart.
“NO way, you’re high,” Jen insisted as she ran over to Jim: hugged him hard, grabbed his pooper, and kissed him smack on the lips.
“I’m only high if the world is sober,” Jim answered sarcastically as he helped Jen pick him off the cart by leaning forward. “So I’m high, and hoping to get higher. Ben, you really blew it man, embarrassingly bad. No, I’m just kidding, it was atrocious,” Jim said sarcastically-meaning it if Ben wanted him too-as he chuckled and got kissed all over the face by Jen.
“This releases in August, you know what that means don’t ya?” Ben asked hollowly; hoping to throw Jim for a loop and cost him the Oscar.
“I know, but I’m not gonna say it,” Jen admitted cautiously as she danced over to Ben. “I’m not ruining my karma. Jim, do you want your karma ruined?” asked Jen as she felt all over Jim’s crotch like a late for prison suit maker.
“NO, WAY,” Jim snapped as he made the “you’re out at first” sign. “I’m not even saying those words until someone tells me I should. God, it’s not far off, what 8 months or something?” asked Jim hollowly as he knew just when it was; but he needed Ben thinking about it openly to get him to choke. “God, there’s still time to do that gorilla talking baby, bank heist movie. And don’t we all want to see that one?” Jim asked as he finally got Ben to laugh out loud. Ben could see Jim evolving as his confidence grew-and his arrogance-and it made him nervous.
“Jim, that is so true,” Ben said coyly as he pointed to the deep blue sky. He knew what he was doing, knew it all too well. “And you forgot the buddy picture with a talking snail, huh? You’ll win something for that one. Jim, can we get outta here? I need to pass out, and then sleep for a week,” Ben said with a fleeting smile; however Jen watched the extras spontaneously shout out uncontrollably, as they gave the 3 of them a standing ovation.
Ben looked over cautiously; and it caught him by surprise. He wouldn’t let his mind think of Oscar, not this time, he told himself.
They left Paramount studios on a high; and went to their separate homes. Jim slept for 2 days (and Jen for 3) as the feeling of sleep felt real once more. Jen awoke after the 3rd day; and saw on the news there was a forest fire in the hills. She instantly thought of Ben’s house and called him up. Her thoughts were of Ben being besieged by a horrible tragedy, after coming so close.
“Ben, are you o.k.?” Jen cried in a trembling voice.
“Yes, for now anyway,” he told Jen. “It seems the fire is on the other side of our ridge. The police tell me I can stay, but it’s iffy. I don’t know ah…what exactly to do,” confessed Ben sadly, his mind unable to focus, but thinking he might die today. “Julie wants to stay, because she can’t bear us losing all our memories. But I ah…I don’t want to die over some trophies and pictures. So, I don’t know,” Ben admitted anxiously as he lit up a cigar and took a drag; as he was more nervous than Jen had ever heard him be.
“I’ll tell you what, load all the things you can into your limo and run,” Jen insisted as she started walking around in circles. “There’s no point staying where you could die. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
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