“And we all know that if someone wants me to do a sunglasses commercial, I’ll need the walking-around money,” I said.
Sunglasses money had become a joke in our family. None of us could believe they’d paid me what they had for the commercial. Whenever I told Caryn or my grandma ‘no’ about spending money on something, they pointed out that we always had that money lying around to use. I knew they did it just to yank my chain, but I would be crazy not to take it if they wanted to give it to me. Saul had told me that if I could find time to go to Japan, he could line up several similar deals. It seems I was a star there.
“The problem is that the NCAA keeps a tight rein on their athletes. They contend that college athletes’ fame comes from their opportunity to play for a college team. There’s big money to be made for the universities, and in turn, the NCAA, to have that amateurism requirement in place. Mr. Morris said that he expects that we’ll end up in court over it,” Dad said.
I’d suspected that would be the case. In the back of my mind, I worried that if something big came up, I’d have to choose between playing ball and acting. I might have to decide on one or the other, but if I could get the NCAA to give me a waiver, it would make everything easier.
Then Dad changed the subject.
“Today, I received a call from Detective Kitchens. I think you’ll like this.”
“I hope it’s finally good news.”
“He told me I could tell only you, and you have to promise not to say anything,” Dad said.
“I promise.”
“They think they have Brandon’s DNA.”
“How?”
Dad got a big smile on his face.
“Detective Kitchens contacted the garbage company. Brandon rents a house close to where the new tiny homes for the homeless are going in. Kitchens dressed up as a garbage collector and picked up Brandon’s garbage this morning. They found takeout containers and utensils that they hope he used. They’re getting them tested.”
“Can you see Detective Kitchens dressed up in those overalls?” I asked with a grin.
Every time I’d seen him, he had been dressed in a suit. If what Dad said was true, Brandon was about to have karma balance out for everything I suspected he’d done.
I thanked Dad for telling me and told him we better try to get some sleep. The next few days would be bad enough without the time change playing havoc with us.
◊◊◊
Chapter 17 – That’s Not How the Force Works! Friday March 4
At the airport, we were met by a studio driver who’d been sent to take us to Hertfordshire. This was where they were filming Rogue One, the first stand-alone movie in the Star Wars franchise. The plan was for us to get settled in and have dinner with some of the studio people. Saul and his wife would join us.
Our driver dropped us off at the Tewin Bury Farm Hotel. It was an elegant, older hotel that certainly looked like it had been a farm at one point. After we got situated, Dad and I went to the dining room and talked them into making us breakfast, even though it was mid-afternoon. He decided to go for the traditional English breakfast. I knew we’d be eating dinner soon, so I just had tea and scones.
We were almost done when Saul and his wife found us.
“I can’t believe they hid us away in this dump,” Saul complained.
“Hi, I’m David, and this is my dad,” I said to Mrs. Gessler.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kelly,” she said to my dad.
“This can’t be right,” Dad said and then turned to Saul. “You said you were married to an evil woman who was the bane of your existence.”
“You just met her,” Saul said, deadpan. “She’s on her best behavior this weekend.”
“You better settle down, or I’ll run off with David, and we’ll spend all your money,” Kelly threatened.
She knew exactly how to get Saul in line. I smiled when he made nice. He was a different person when he was around her. I think I could like this Saul. He looked at his watch.
“We have to go,” he announced.
“Where to?” I asked.
“Elstree Studios, where they’re filming Rogue One.”
◊◊◊
We met Mark Philpott at the studio. He was responsible for casting the yet-to-be-named Han Solo movie.
“Welcome. Tonight, you’ll meet the team who will make the selection for Han Solo, but Garrett Silas, the director for Rogue One, wanted to meet you first. He has some say in who gets the role because you’ll also be in his movie if you’re selected.”
Mark took us through the different areas at the studio. This was an entirely different scale of production from anything I’d ever seen before. Disney and Lucasfilm had made a commitment to expanding the Star Wars franchise, and this movie was its first installment. Most of the studio work for the most recent film had been shot here. Mark explained that it would be the same for the Han Solo movie.
We were able to watch them shoot a scene. It was interesting to watch Garrett work. He had an improvisational style. I watched as he actually held one of the cameras as they filmed the scene. When they were done, Mark let him know we were here.
“This must be the next Han Solo,” Garrett said as he shook my hand.
“If they’ll let me.”
The woman in the current scene came over.
“Hi, I’m Joy. I hear we’ll be shooting a scene today.”
I’d not been told that, but why not?
“Sure. Do I need to get dressed for it?” I asked.
“No, no, we just want to see the two of you on camera together,” Garrett said.
I spent the next hour reading lines with Joy Holmes. She’d started acting when she was twelve, over twenty years ago. She had a knack for putting me at ease and getting a good performance out of me. Garrett figured out that I was an athlete and had some training for fights. Joy had been learning kung fu for her role. He had us do some things on camera at three-quarter speed to see how I moved.
He brought out his stunt coordinator, Edric Hurley, to stand in for Joy.
“Have you ever trained with swords?” Edric asked.
“Yes, and I’ve used batons as well, though I’m better with a Bo staff.”
Edric grabbed a couple of training swords, and we sparred while Garrett filmed us. He then had one of his people bring me a Bo staff so I could show him some of my flashier moves.
“Can you shoot?” Edric asked.
“You mean like Han Solo, or for real?” I asked.
“What do you mean by that?” Garrett asked.
“Harrison Ford has an awkward way of moving when he runs and fires a weapon. I’d be surprised if he could actually hit anything in real life.”
“Show me what you mean,” Garrett said.
Edric gave me a prop they used in the movie. It was a handgun of some kind. I just acted like it was the real thing.
They had me run across the room like I was Harrison Ford and fire my gun. I imitated the way he rolled his shoulders when he ran, and I skidded to a stop and shot it like I was him. Then I turned and ran away, like he always seemed to do, and fired behind me like I was being chased.
I then did it like I would in real life, using a two-hand grip, and killed several imaginary villains. When they were all dead, I blew across the barrel as if blowing away smoke and sauntered off.
Garrett loved it.
“I see exactly what you mean. That’s the best Harrison Ford impression we’ve seen. Thanks for spending time with us today,” Garrett said, and we were done.
◊◊◊
We’d just gotten back to the hotel when my phone rang.
“Hello,” I answered.
“You thought you could sneak back into the UK and not call me?”
I thought about who I knew in the UK. She didn’t have a Russian accent, so it wasn’t Kat. I smiled.