“We have an empty spot at the side. I want the four of you to look at your individual lists, and combine what’s really needed and put it on the empty area.”
They then compared their lists, and combined tasks like learning to speak so they could be heard at the back of the theater, getting in better shape, etc. Once they were done, I asked them how long it would take them to learn or do each item. Once we knew how long, we put them in order if one had to be done before another. We created a timeline, with each task on it.
“My uncle taught me to do this. I would bet there’s an actual class here at State where they teach you how to do what’s probably called something like ‘Project Management.’ It’s simply deciding on a goal, and then breaking it into manageable tasks. You figure out how long each task takes, and then put the tasks in order.
“Now, I want to show you real life,” I said, and put my sticky note on the board.
‘Go on a Casting Call.’
They all read it and got quiet. None of them had that on their list.
“The point I wanted to make is all of you are so busy getting ready that you’re not actually doing. Once you learn the difference, it’ll make a profound improvement in your life,” I said, then paused for a moment. “Honestly, don’t you all think you’re better actors than I am?”
That got me some sly smirks.
“I would also bet you’re better actors than a lot of Broadway people. The difference is they’re doing it, while you’re preparing for it. I’d hate to see you just prepare and never do.”
“You suck,” Cheryl said. “I want to quit school and go to Broadway today.”
“How about we do a compromise? You finish the semester, and over Christmas break, you go to Broadway. See if you can get a job. If it doesn’t work out, come back and follow your plan. Come summer, go to Broadway and try again,” I suggested.
“Here I was planning on going home and being a slug over break,” Terrence shared.
“I can’t afford to go,” Deb said.
“Okay,” I said. “That’s a legitimate roadblock. I want you to go get a part-time job, and start saving money. When you have enough, go.”
“But I can’t work and go to school,” Deb said.
“How bad do you want this?” I asked.
“Bad,” she said, getting mad.
“Then you’ll figure it out.”
“You’re tough,” Kate said.
“That may be true, but I know you’ll never be successful until you stop making excuses. The only person you’re hurting is yourself.”
Deb got tears in her eyes and stormed out. I gave Cheryl and Kate a weak smile.
“Do you guys even realize you’re still in your underwear?” I asked.
We all got dressed. I called Kendal and told her I’d found her two more models, and gave her Kate and Cheryl’s names and numbers. I was thinking Mr. Hill might be able to use them for his Sunday inserts.
When I got home I felt bad for Deb. How could she have so little confidence in herself and her dreams? I just couldn’t fathom not doing everything I could to get what I wanted. All she had to do was figure out how to make enough money to get to New York. If that was too much, then go Off-Broadway, or go to Chicago. No one was going to hand it to her.
I did know if you surrounded yourself with people like Deb, they’d suck the life out of you. My uncle had told me a story about crabs. He said you didn’t need to put a lid on a crab bucket. If one tried to climb out to freedom, the others would pull it back down into the bucket. Deb was a crab.
Tuesday November 11
I CAME HOME FROM RUNNING to find Peggy in my apartment. She’d bailed on running, now that cross country was over. I decided to give her a hard time.
“I heard a rumor,” I said as I started peeling off layers of shirts.
“Oh, really, what’s that?” she asked.
“That you were starting to work on your freshman ten early.”
Some people have no sense of humor. I got tickled for my troubles for trying to help her with her health issues. Actually, an extra ten pounds wouldn’t look bad on Peggy.
“So why are you here this morning?” I asked.
“Your mom kicked me out. She said to tell you that you had to find somewhere else to eat this morning, so you’re taking me out to breakfast.”
This didn’t sound good. Maybe I should go save Dad. Then I remembered this was the same Dad who had dropped me on my head when I was a baby, so he was on his own. I quickly took a shower and drove Peggy to Granny’s. Somehow, Peggy hadn’t been there, so I introduced her to the best cinnamon rolls in the county.
“Dear God, David. You weren’t kidding about the freshman ten. If I ate here very often, I’d be there in no time.”
Granny overheard her.
“Honey, there’s a trick. If you cut it in half, all the calories fall out.”
I looked at them both like they were crazy, but Peggy bought into her story. Granny was skinny as a rail, so she must know what she was talking about.
THE FOOTBALL TEAM SHOWED up at school wearing their new sweatshirts. I about laughed my butt off when the cheerleaders showed up wearing a pink version with the bulldog in a cheerleading outfit. I would have to get a couple for Beth and Suzanne for when they came home at Thanksgiving.
I went to first-period PE to find Coach Diamond had plans for us.
“Since we don’t have time in practice, because of the short week, you’re running,” he announced.
He took us out to the track and ran us the whole hour. If I’d known his plans, I’d have skipped running this morning. Wolf was getting pissed at me because I was alternating running forwards and backward in forty yard dashes. The backward ones made the front of your thighs burn. Coach Diamond told us to run a few more laps, to warm down. Funny guy.
“We have a problem,” Wolf told me.
“We do? What is ‘our’ problem?” I asked while doing the air-quotes.
“Cassidy.”
I looked at him with a pained expression.
“Spell it out for me.”
“She wants to date you, too. Jim and I think that’s a bad idea.”
“No shit. She kind of scares me,” I confessed.
“I don’t know why. She loves you to death.”
I stopped running.
“Come again?”
“She loves you to death. Cassidy would do anything for you. Jim and I know we’d be out on our butts if her dad would let her date you.”
“I hope you guys know I’d never do that. Cassidy and I are just friends.”
Wolf visibly relaxed.
“Jim told me we didn’t have anything to worry about. I just imagined you and her, and ...” he trailed off.
“Dude, when did the three of you get serious? I’d never ...” I said, as Wolf slowed me down.
“We’re not. We’re just friends. I understand now why Jim didn’t want to do anything with her in front of me. He said you taught him that. He warned me Friday night might cause some problems. I just got a little funny.”
“Wolf, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have included you guys in that.”
“It caught me by surprise. I thought I was cool with what the three of us had going.”
“Let me give you one piece of advice: the only way you can make something like what you and Jim are trying to do work is by talking about it. Not just with Cassidy; the key conversations have to be between you and Jim. I care about all three of you. If this isn’t going to work—and, let’s face it, it won’t work for long—you guys need to pull the plug. Do it now, before any of you gets hurt.”
I gave him a hug. He and I were becoming better friends.
AT LUNCH, PIPER TALKED me into sitting with the group. The teachers had backed off on assignments because if we won tomorrow, we’d play again Saturday. I was caught up, so I really didn’t have an excuse not to eat with them.
“Did you see the update to your movie website?” Maggie asked.
“I didn’t even know we had one,” I confessed.