"Of course really!" said Ramona. "All you need is a boost of self-confidence."
"Dearest Ramona! May I call you dearest - -"
" - - every day! "
" - - dearest Ramona, can you help me? Can you give my self-confidence the boost it so desperately needs whenever I look into your eyes?"
Adrien tentatively reached out and took her hand.
"Why, I - - " Ramona began, then stopped short. A queer feeling was beginning in her toes and creeping insidiously through her veins.
What's wrong?" asked Adrien.
Ramona pulled her hand out of his.
"I can't!"
"Those are strange words, coming from you!"
"I can't boost your self-confidence. What are you doing? What am I doing? You're an actor! Are you making some kind of a game of me? Is this what you spoiled celebrities do for fun? Stop the car and let me out, I can't stand it!"
"Ramona, won't you at least tell me what's wrong?"
"Leave me alone!"
Ramona jerked the door open and got out of the car.
"Please come back!" said Adrien, but the sound of his voice was buried under the smack of the car door and the click of Ramona's drab, un-chic, un-fabulous little red flats.
Adrien slumped in his seat, dazed and confused.
"Oy vey." came a voice from the front seat. The taxi driver turned in his seat. "I knew it would never work."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Ramona and the Red Shoes - 8
With Ramona playing the lead in her magical Red Shoes, filming took on a new life.
"I don't believe my eyes!" said Sam. "Every scene is perfect! She's a natural! She's better than a natural!"
Filming went so well that they were able to shoot the whole picture in one day, including all the tap-dancing scenes.
"That's a wrap, people!" said Sam. "Ramona, I could kiss you. In fact ... "
"Hey knock it off, Sam." said Adrien.
"All right all right. Can I at least buy you a cigar?"
"No thanks, Sam, but I'd take a licorice stick and be grateful." said Ramona.
"You got it, honey. Everybody beat it to Max's Midnight Buffet! Drinks and licorice sticks on me!"
"Gosh!" said Ramona to Adrien as he handed her into the car, "This will be my first time in a limosine."
"I'm surprised." said Adrien, "But I'm sure it won't be the last."
"No, probably not."
Adrien closed the door and climbed into the seat across from her.
"I've never met a girl like you before, Ramona." said Adrien.
"No Mr. Grody, I don't expect you have, nor will you ever. There's only one of me."
"It's a crying shame, too. If everyone were like you, I might go out in public more often."
"I don't think it's a shame at all. If everyone were like me, I'd have to start killing them off to drive up the scarcity, you know? There, you see I'm funny, too. I'll bet you didn't know that."
"I did not. I'm only just beginning to feel absolutely inadequate with you."
Ramona made a face.
"But that's silly! You're a very famous, handsome and charming man! You have a resolute nose and devestating brown eyes! There's nothing inadequate about you at all."
Adrien, looking quite serious as well as insanely attractive, said:
"Really?"
"I don't believe my eyes!" said Sam. "Every scene is perfect! She's a natural! She's better than a natural!"
Filming went so well that they were able to shoot the whole picture in one day, including all the tap-dancing scenes.
"That's a wrap, people!" said Sam. "Ramona, I could kiss you. In fact ... "
"Hey knock it off, Sam." said Adrien.
"All right all right. Can I at least buy you a cigar?"
"No thanks, Sam, but I'd take a licorice stick and be grateful." said Ramona.
"You got it, honey. Everybody beat it to Max's Midnight Buffet! Drinks and licorice sticks on me!"
"Gosh!" said Ramona to Adrien as he handed her into the car, "This will be my first time in a limosine."
"I'm surprised." said Adrien, "But I'm sure it won't be the last."
"No, probably not."
Adrien closed the door and climbed into the seat across from her.
"I've never met a girl like you before, Ramona." said Adrien.
"No Mr. Grody, I don't expect you have, nor will you ever. There's only one of me."
"It's a crying shame, too. If everyone were like you, I might go out in public more often."
"I don't think it's a shame at all. If everyone were like me, I'd have to start killing them off to drive up the scarcity, you know? There, you see I'm funny, too. I'll bet you didn't know that."
"I did not. I'm only just beginning to feel absolutely inadequate with you."
Ramona made a face.
"But that's silly! You're a very famous, handsome and charming man! You have a resolute nose and devestating brown eyes! There's nothing inadequate about you at all."
Adrien, looking quite serious as well as insanely attractive, said:
"Really?"
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ramona and the Magic Shoes - 7
Inside the studio, pandemonium had ensued.
Sam ran towards Adrien with a look of desperation.
"Now what, Adrien?! That air-headed twit has gone and done it! She poked herself in the eye with her mascara brush and now she's being rushed to the emergency room. We haven't got a Julia! She'll be wearing an eye-patch for weeks! If I ever get my hands on Ted in casting, I swear I'll ..."
Sam made various violent gestures that boded ill for Ted in casting.
Sam stopped short when he saw Ramona.
"Well hello there." he said. "Friend of Adrien's?"
"It appears that way." said Ramona.
"Friend of mine, then, if I may make so bold."
"I'm growing used to boldness today."
"Sam, this is Ramona." said Adrien.
"It's a real pleasure." said Sam. "But Adrien, what are we going to do? We've got exactly 6 weeks to shoot this picture, and we haven't got a leading lady. Granted, Maureen was a tarty little trollup without a lick of acting experience, but still! She was better than nobody!"
"I've got the girl for you Sam. She's standing right here. She makes Katherine Hepburn look like a dime-store hussy. She's got a soul, Sam. And she's got moxy."
Sam stroked his chin reflectively.
"Huh ... can you tap dance, missy?"
"Of course."
"Then you're hired. Pam! Get this lady in a costume, pronto!"
Sam ran towards Adrien with a look of desperation.
"Now what, Adrien?! That air-headed twit has gone and done it! She poked herself in the eye with her mascara brush and now she's being rushed to the emergency room. We haven't got a Julia! She'll be wearing an eye-patch for weeks! If I ever get my hands on Ted in casting, I swear I'll ..."
Sam made various violent gestures that boded ill for Ted in casting.
Sam stopped short when he saw Ramona.
"Well hello there." he said. "Friend of Adrien's?"
"It appears that way." said Ramona.
"Friend of mine, then, if I may make so bold."
"I'm growing used to boldness today."
"Sam, this is Ramona." said Adrien.
"It's a real pleasure." said Sam. "But Adrien, what are we going to do? We've got exactly 6 weeks to shoot this picture, and we haven't got a leading lady. Granted, Maureen was a tarty little trollup without a lick of acting experience, but still! She was better than nobody!"
"I've got the girl for you Sam. She's standing right here. She makes Katherine Hepburn look like a dime-store hussy. She's got a soul, Sam. And she's got moxy."
Sam stroked his chin reflectively.
"Huh ... can you tap dance, missy?"
"Of course."
"Then you're hired. Pam! Get this lady in a costume, pronto!"
Friday, July 23, 2010
Ramona and the Red Shoes - 6
"I have a poster of him in my room." thought Ramona. "No .... I have 7 posters of him in my room. What a coincidence."
"A girl like you doesn't have to pay for her own ice cream." said Adrien Grody. He turned to the ice cream man. "Make it two."
The crowds were now in a state of hysteria and were snapping pictures.
"It's Ramona of the Red Shoes and Adrien Grody!" they tittered. "Get an autograph! Get a picture! Get something!"
"Let's get out of here." said Adrien. "Paparazzi give me the fidgets."
"Me too." said Ramona. "The flashes drive me absolutely bonkers. Thanks for the ice cream, by the way."
"Don't mention it." said Adrien. "From the moment I saw you I knew you were the kind of girl I wanted to buy ice cream for for the rest of my life. Damn! That ice cream man didn't put nearly enough sprinkles on yours."
"You're very bold, aren't you?"
"I'd have to be, wouldn't I, to get the attention of a girl like you? I'm sorry, I'm smoking, aren't I? Do you mind?"
"I revile it."
Adrien flung the cigarette stub down and extinguished it with his shoe.
"Step into my office." he said with a flourish, as he opened the studio door.
"A girl like you doesn't have to pay for her own ice cream." said Adrien Grody. He turned to the ice cream man. "Make it two."
The crowds were now in a state of hysteria and were snapping pictures.
"It's Ramona of the Red Shoes and Adrien Grody!" they tittered. "Get an autograph! Get a picture! Get something!"
"Let's get out of here." said Adrien. "Paparazzi give me the fidgets."
"Me too." said Ramona. "The flashes drive me absolutely bonkers. Thanks for the ice cream, by the way."
"Don't mention it." said Adrien. "From the moment I saw you I knew you were the kind of girl I wanted to buy ice cream for for the rest of my life. Damn! That ice cream man didn't put nearly enough sprinkles on yours."
"You're very bold, aren't you?"
"I'd have to be, wouldn't I, to get the attention of a girl like you? I'm sorry, I'm smoking, aren't I? Do you mind?"
"I revile it."
Adrien flung the cigarette stub down and extinguished it with his shoe.
"Step into my office." he said with a flourish, as he opened the studio door.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Ramona and the Red Shoes - 5
Note: Please be advised that at this point, the story gets kind of gushy. I can't help that, it's just how things went.
The first thing that Ramona did when she left the department store was to head for the nearest ice cream stand.
"On a day like this -" said Ramona, with deep conviction, "The only food one needs is ice cream."
There was a line about a block long for the ice cream stand, but at the appearance of Ramona with her Red Shoes, the customers, awe-struck, stood back.
"Who is this Amazonian beauty who visits mine humble ice cream stand?" said the little ice cream man.
"I am Ramona of the Red Shoes!" said Ramona. "The click of my heels is as the thunder of the gods!"
The crowd murmured with admiration.
"She must be from The Movies ..." they said.
"What will you have, Oh Red-Shoe'd Ramona?" asked the ice cream man, his scoop poised expertly over the buckets.
"A triple-decker! Moose-tracks on the bottom! Strawberry in the middle! And hot tin roof on the top!"
The ice-cream man set to scooping with great vigor.
Ramona reached for her purse to pay.
"Allow me." said a voice behind her.
Ramona turned and found herself looking up at an incredibly tall and famous man. Parenthetically, he was also severely attractive, with kind and slightly tortured brown eyes, and a drooping, extensive nose. One hand was in his pocket, and one hand held a smoldering cigarette stub.
It was Adrien Grody.
The first thing that Ramona did when she left the department store was to head for the nearest ice cream stand.
"On a day like this -" said Ramona, with deep conviction, "The only food one needs is ice cream."
There was a line about a block long for the ice cream stand, but at the appearance of Ramona with her Red Shoes, the customers, awe-struck, stood back.
"Who is this Amazonian beauty who visits mine humble ice cream stand?" said the little ice cream man.
"I am Ramona of the Red Shoes!" said Ramona. "The click of my heels is as the thunder of the gods!"
The crowd murmured with admiration.
"She must be from The Movies ..." they said.
"What will you have, Oh Red-Shoe'd Ramona?" asked the ice cream man, his scoop poised expertly over the buckets.
"A triple-decker! Moose-tracks on the bottom! Strawberry in the middle! And hot tin roof on the top!"
The ice-cream man set to scooping with great vigor.
Ramona reached for her purse to pay.
"Allow me." said a voice behind her.
Ramona turned and found herself looking up at an incredibly tall and famous man. Parenthetically, he was also severely attractive, with kind and slightly tortured brown eyes, and a drooping, extensive nose. One hand was in his pocket, and one hand held a smoldering cigarette stub.
It was Adrien Grody.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ramona and the Red Shoes - 4
"I don't know how you do it, Grody." said the director to "Hank".
"Do what, Sam?"
"Look these little hussies in the eye and pretend to take them seriously. Look at 'er! Off to the make-up dresser again. If I wanted a painted mannequin, I would have hired a department store dummy and an Avon lady."
"Aw, giver a break. It's her first big thing. You don't exactly learn to be Katherine Hepburn doing SoftSpread commercials."
Adrien Grody (for it was in fact, the dashing actor himself), removed his stage hat and lit a cigarette.
"I guess so." said Sam. "Say, is it true about you and Tammy Hunt? I saw it all over the tabloids last week. You two together?"
"Nah." said Adrien. "You oughtta know better than to read those things."
"Yeah yeah. I just kinda hoped ... you're a nice guy, Grody. You should get a girl. Might do you good. Nancy did me good."
"Thanks Sam. But I'm waiting for a girl with a soul, that's all."
"Ain't that the truth. Hey, when you find her, give me a holler, ok? I could use her for this picture. Maureen's giving me ulcers."
"Sure, Boss."
"And get that thing out of the studio! You know what the rules are with the fancy new get-ups."
"What, this?" Adrien held up the cigarette innocently. "All right all right, I'll go outside. Be back in 10."
"Do what, Sam?"
"Look these little hussies in the eye and pretend to take them seriously. Look at 'er! Off to the make-up dresser again. If I wanted a painted mannequin, I would have hired a department store dummy and an Avon lady."
"Aw, giver a break. It's her first big thing. You don't exactly learn to be Katherine Hepburn doing SoftSpread commercials."
Adrien Grody (for it was in fact, the dashing actor himself), removed his stage hat and lit a cigarette.
"I guess so." said Sam. "Say, is it true about you and Tammy Hunt? I saw it all over the tabloids last week. You two together?"
"Nah." said Adrien. "You oughtta know better than to read those things."
"Yeah yeah. I just kinda hoped ... you're a nice guy, Grody. You should get a girl. Might do you good. Nancy did me good."
"Thanks Sam. But I'm waiting for a girl with a soul, that's all."
"Ain't that the truth. Hey, when you find her, give me a holler, ok? I could use her for this picture. Maureen's giving me ulcers."
"Sure, Boss."
"And get that thing out of the studio! You know what the rules are with the fancy new get-ups."
"What, this?" Adrien held up the cigarette innocently. "All right all right, I'll go outside. Be back in 10."
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Ramona and the Red Shoes - 3
...............................
Not far away in the busy metropolis, in a swanky film studio warehouse, a tragic scene was unfolding.
"No Julia," said the tall, handsome, brooding man, his fascinating eyebrows quivering sadly. "I don't love you. I never have."
"Oh Hank!" said Julia. "How can you say such things!"
"I thought I loved you. But that was before I realized that you were an undercover agent tracking me for government secrets. I can't be with someone who bugs my hotel room, darling."
"But why not!" sobbed Julia into her handkerchief.
"CUT for cryin' out loud!" said the director. "You're makin' ME cry."
"Really?" said Julia, who really wasn't Julia at all, but an up-and-coming young starlet named Maureen.
"Yeah," said the director. "I'm crying when I think how much this contract cost. Where'd you say you went to acting school again?"
"Why, I -"
"Never mind, sweetheart, it doesn't matter. Take a break. I know I need one."
"I don't know how you do it, Grody." said the director to "Hank".
"Do what, Sam?"
"Look these little hussies in the eye and pretend to take them seriously. Look at 'er! Off to the make-up dresser again. If I wanted a painted mannequin, I would have hired a department store dummy and an Avon lady."
"Aw, giver a break. It's her first big thing. You don't exactly learn to be Katherine Hepburn doing SoftSpread commercials."
Not far away in the busy metropolis, in a swanky film studio warehouse, a tragic scene was unfolding.
"No Julia," said the tall, handsome, brooding man, his fascinating eyebrows quivering sadly. "I don't love you. I never have."
"Oh Hank!" said Julia. "How can you say such things!"
"I thought I loved you. But that was before I realized that you were an undercover agent tracking me for government secrets. I can't be with someone who bugs my hotel room, darling."
"But why not!" sobbed Julia into her handkerchief.
"CUT for cryin' out loud!" said the director. "You're makin' ME cry."
"Really?" said Julia, who really wasn't Julia at all, but an up-and-coming young starlet named Maureen.
"Yeah," said the director. "I'm crying when I think how much this contract cost. Where'd you say you went to acting school again?"
"Why, I -"
"Never mind, sweetheart, it doesn't matter. Take a break. I know I need one."
"I don't know how you do it, Grody." said the director to "Hank".
"Do what, Sam?"
"Look these little hussies in the eye and pretend to take them seriously. Look at 'er! Off to the make-up dresser again. If I wanted a painted mannequin, I would have hired a department store dummy and an Avon lady."
"Aw, giver a break. It's her first big thing. You don't exactly learn to be Katherine Hepburn doing SoftSpread commercials."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)