My Dad, the Private Eye: The Falling Star

CHAPTER 6

After about an hour of waiting, the Assistant Director (or A.D., as they're called) led everybody back into the sound stage and had them sit in this '50's diner set. Dad was impressed with the detail. His table even had one of those old mini-jukebox things so people could order up a song without having to leave their seats. It didn't work, of course, but it looked cool.

Dad finished his last donut, and he was beyond stuffed. But then some crew members came by and handed out these big hot dogs to everybody. "No thanks, I'm stuffed," Dad said, wondering why they were serving lunch so early, and right on the set too.

"It's for the scene," a crew member said.

"Oh..." Dad said. He looked down at his hot dog. It was loaded up with chili and cheese. So that's why nobody else was pigging out at the craft services table earlier. They knew they were going to have to eat during the scene!

Dad didn't know what he was going to do. But he did know that there was no way he would be able to eat that hot dog and actually keep it down.

Just then, Patty Delaroy walked onto the set. She was fully made up now. Dad noticed that, even though her star had long faded, she still carried herself like the famous young actress she once was.

Rafe Blight walked up and greeted her. His best days were behind him too, but he was commanding, if in a crusty sort of way.

"Patty, you look fantastic," he said to his star. "35 minutes late, but who's counting?" Dad was impressed with how Blight was able to get across his displeasure with her tardiness and be cordial at the same time. That's the sign of a good director, Dad thought.

"I want you to fire that make-up girl, Rafe," Patty insisted.

"Again?" Blight asked. "That'll be the third one." There was that displeasure again, but delivered with a velvet glove.

Patty pouted. "Why don't you just hire Marty Raymore like I asked?"

"He's been dead for twenty years," answered Blight with one raised eyebrow.

"Places everybody!" the A.D. screamed.

Patty walked out the false front door of the diner and stood on her mark. She was a prima donna, but in the end, she always did her job.

Blight turned to Dad and the other extras. "Alright, background, you've all got food, and I want you really shoveling it in. No fake eating on my set!"

Dad looked down at his loaded hot dog again and grimaced. Okay, he figured, I'm going to make a go of this. I'm going to be a pro, just like Patty Delaroy. If the Director wants me to really stuff my face, then that's what I'm going to do.

Blight went on. "Then, on cue, look up and scream. Remember, it's a thirty-foot praying mantis ripping off the roof."

Dad turned to a guy sitting next to him. "They got a giant robot praying mantis in here?!"

The guy rolled his eyes. "They're adding it in post."

Dad nodded, pretending to understand. This movie lingo was something he figured he'd learn over time.

"Mantis Attack 4, scene 52, take one," said one of the crew guys.

"And action!" screamed Blight.

All at once, the extras around Dad started eating their hot dogs, which was easy for them since they were truly hungry. Dad took a bite and chewed, trying not to swallow. He wondered if the Director would notice he wasn't really "shoveling it in."

Suddenly, Patty ran into the diner, followed by the camera on a dolly. Dad stopped chewing, caught up in the action. "Please! Hide me!" she cried. Dad was entranced. She still had it!

Then bright lights blasted the set from above, and Dad and the other extras looked up and screamed!

"Cut!" yelled Blight. "Brilliant!" he oozed to Patty.

The lights turned off, and everybody relaxed. Phew! Glad that's over, Dad thought.

But Blight nodded to the A.D., and the man yelled, "Okay, let's go again. Back to one!"

Dad looked up, horrified. "We're doing that again?" he asked the man next to him. "But he said it was brilliant."

The guy whispered, "Blight thinks he's Kubrick. He always does twenty takes."

Dad tried not to throw up. Twenty takes?