Chapter 1

“You feel better now?” Russ asked Freddy as they lay together after making love.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Russ raised his head from Freddy’s chest. “Way to make a guy feel inadequate.”

“No, you’re not. I mean…I’m sorry I didn’t mean it that way. You were great. You always are. It’s just—”

“I know it’s hard. You knew that going in. Just remember how Lana Turner was discovered at that lunch counter at a drug store.” Russ leaned up on an elbow.

“Who’s Lana Turner?” Freddy asked.

“Oh my God! What kind of actor are you? I’m a lowly accountant and junior financial advisor, and I know Lana Turner is one of the legends of the silver screen,” Russ moaned.

“I never heard of her.”

“That’s why I keep after you to watch those vintage movies with me—see what the actors of the past had that made them star quality.”

“I guess I don’t have star quality…whatever that is. I should never have come out here. I should have listened to my mother and stayed in Newton.”

“And done what? Played Willy Loman in Salesman for the rest of your life with the Newton, Iowa, Theatrical Society? You’re too good for that.”

“Well, seems you’re the only one who thinks so, and you’re just a bit prejudiced don’t you think?”

Freddy gave Russ a kiss.

“Okay, Mr. Pity Party. I’ve seen the videos of you in those shows you were in back home. You have what it takes. Trust me.”

“Look, Russ, I appreciate your trying to help me feel better, but, no offense, what do you know about talent anyway?”

“What do I know about talent?” Russ responded, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed so he was looking down on his boyfriend. “I’m a bona fide, card-carrying movie buff. I’ve seen every Oscar-winning movie since Wings…twice at least! I know talent when I see it, and you’ve got it.”

“How will anyone else ever see it? I go to auditions and I can’t get past the receptionist. They won’t even take my headshots or videos to show to the casting directors. Other guys show up and they get in. And I’m better looking than most of them.”

“Maybe you need an agent.”

Freddy sighed and pulled himself up to lean against the headboard. “I don’t know. Seems like agents are all shady characters.”

Russ laughed. “Maybe you havebeen watching too many flicks after all. I bet real life agents are on the up-and-up.”

Freddy thought about Russ’s suggestion. “How do you go about finding an agent…a good one, I mean?”

“That’s more like it. No more talk of giving up. I bet we could find one online. Come on.”

The two men got up. Russ put on a robe and Freddy slipped on his boxers. They went into the second bedroom that served as a kind of office. Russ sat at the desk and booted up the computer. Freddy stood behind him with his hands on Russ’s shoulders.

Googling ‘talent agents’ yielded a myriad of sites. “Jesus!” Freddy exclaimed.

“Hang on,” Russ said. “There’s a way to sort through this. Here, look…here’s a site Getting Started in Acting.”

Russ clicked on it. “Bingo!”

The site gave step-by-step instructions on how to find the right agent for your talent. It also put to rest Freddy’s anxiety about agents being shady when he found out legitimate agencies were franchised by the actors’ unions.

Armed with this information and a new sense of direction, would-be actor and star Freddy Perkins selected several agencies to approach the next day.

Russ shut down the computer and stood up.

Freddy took Russ in his arms. “Once again you come through for me. How can I thank you?” he asked, giving Russ a kiss.

“Long term, make sure I get to walk the red carpet when you get your first Oscar nomination.”

Freddy laughed. “I promise. You’ll be at my side. But don’t hold your breath. That day is a long way off, if ever.”

“Don’t be so sure. I believe in you, my man.”

Freddy smiled. Russ’s confidence in him almost made him believe as well.

“And short term?” Freddy asked, pressing his crotch against Russ’s.

“Short term…let’s see if I get a more satisfactory response than ‘I guess,’ when I ask you if you’re feeling better after I fuck you this time.”

Freddy smiled and said, “I think I can guarantee that!”

* * * *

Two weeks later Freddy sat nervously in front of the large mahogany desk in Sid Galloway’s office. He watched as Sid read over his résumé.

After several minutes Sid looked up. Freddy held his breath.