Follow Focus
28
The Plan
“CONGRATULATIONS on completing another season of work,” Mr. Martin said.
“Completed?” I asked. “We still have all of May.”
“True, but I’m canceling any further trips from this location.”
“Have we done something wrong?” Ronda asked. We were both a little alarmed.
“No, on the contrary. Your performance has been stellar in all aspects of your job. Some of your photographs have provided key information to our analysts, Nate. Ronda, you have become one of the most respected and desired couriers in Europe. As I count it, you have done fifty-four installations, two special assignments, and half a dozen extra courier runs this year. Plus, you were hijacked and taken over a country with which we did not yet have diplomatic relations. Not a bad record for eight months of work.”
“Thank you, sir. But does that mean you don’t want us to make any more deliveries this spring?” I asked.
“There will be a few courier runs this month, but I don’t want you to do any installations. Let me just say that there is no place on your map that is still within 3,000 miles. We need to strategize where you are going to be based next fall to best serve them. I would say that you may need to move once or twice to handle the rest of the Middle East and Africa. And we are targeting countries carefully. We might need to adjust your schedule as new embassies are opened, not just the ones on your map right now. We expect three new embassies to open in the Persian Gulf area this summer. None of the three show up on your list yet. Things are shifting in Africa. We no longer have an embassy in any of the white ruled countries of Africa except South Africa. And you know we can’t take Polaroid equipment into that country. Technically, taking it to the embassy would mean it was not in South Africa, but we’re adhering to the spirit of that ruling, not the letter.”
“That takes out the whole southern part of the continent.”
“Yes, except the interior. We do have some embassies there. But we’re watching the political developments in the entire continent. Twenty-six of the countries on your list have been independent for less than fifteen years. Some for less than five years. Tribal warfare is worse than it was three hundred years ago before Europeans began colonizing Africa,” Martin said.
“What does that mean?” Ronda asked.
“In 1972, Tutsi warriors, who dominate the government and army in Burundi, killed between 150,000 and 200,000 Hutus, who were mostly the educated and professionals. Five years ago, the Somalis living in Northern Kenya attempted to secede and join Somalia. Thousands homeless and disenfranchised. We’ve had no diplomatic relations with Uganda since Idi Amin grasped power, but that didn’t stop Tanzanian backed rebels from invading southern Uganda in a failed civil war. Eastern Ethiopia, a region called Eritrea, has been in rebellion, seeking independence for twelve years and we see no end to the situation.”
“Uh… What is your stance on sending us into locations like these?” I asked.
“Most of the embassy staff are long-time professionals who requested duty in their current posts. You were not brought into the State Department to risk your lives in civil unrest. We will weigh the long-term benefit of having the new technology installed in those areas against the risk that it might fall into unfriendly hands or cause injury to our people. In other words, I don’t want you anywhere near where people are shooting at each other.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“On the other hand, in addition to the Middle East and Africa, we have several Asian countries that you have not made it to, yet. Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines. That’s why I’d like you to consider carefully where you’d like to be stationed next fall. We may need to move you around.”
“I guess we have some work to do,” I said.
“Also, consider a maintenance call to each of the current installations. You need to get your family ready to move back to America within a month. And I assume you would like to celebrate the anniversary of your friends at Plympford before you leave the country. They certainly didn’t waste any time popping an heir out, did they?”
“I think there was a fair amount of pressure on them, but they were happy about it.”
“Well, pay them a visit when you can schedule it. I’ll expect to see you in Chicago May 20 for debriefing and a trip to DC. You’ll be free to take your furlough by the 25th.”
For the next week, we worked on planning the next year, writing a report on each of the areas we visited, and following up on installations in the Americas and Asia. That meant some late nights, compensated by late mornings going to work. Then, while I worked phones calling Japan and Australia in the middle of the night, Ronda was given a three-day courier assignment. I believe the plane made ten stops on that circuit through western Europe.
It was nerve-wracking to have Ronda gone for three days, hopping from country to country with our crew. I gained a new appreciation for what Patricia and Anna went through when Ronda and I were gone. I just wanted to hug them all the time.
When she got back Wednesday night, she was exhausted and so was the crew. Thursday, we loaded what we needed for a family getaway and caught the bus to Coventry where Jane’s driver, Dora, met us to go to Plympford.
The babies had grown in just a month. As soon as we had our things in our room, Peter placed James in my arms and I hefted the little darling. He wasn’t as big as Alex had been when she was born. He’d gained some weight since birth, but was still only about ten pounds. I danced him around the room, generally making a fool of myself while my wives caught up with Jane and Audrey.
When he began to fuss, I handed him back to Peter and was quickly presented with Audrey’s little one, Annie. I was certainly getting my baby fix if I needed one. When I’d danced with Annie, I gave her back to Audrey and had my own little Alex tugging on my pants leg saying “Dance!” I picked up my one-year-old daughter and sang to her as we danced around the solar.
I’d been too busy to properly greet the parents, but finally, Alex wanted to get down and explore. I got a good hug from Jane and from Audrey.
“There’s like a whole bunch of babies in here!” I laughed. “Those two are going to keep you busy for years.”
“Don’t we know it,” Jane said. “But I’m finding motherhood suits me well. I suppose I’ll have to start working again, but my clients had better get used to me carting my equipment in my hands and my son on my back.”
“Daddy!”
I turned to find Toni standing with her arms folded facing me.
“What is it, honey?”
“Don’t I get to dance with you?”
“Of course you do! Did I forget my best dance partner? How could I do that?”
I picked her up in my arms and began two-stepping around the room. It was our favorite dance step when she was tiny. Now, though, she weighed about forty pounds, which was pretty much a pound per inch of height. It wasn’t long before she wanted to be on her own two feet as I bent double to waltz with her. She really liked to spin and twirl.
By the time I was finished dancing with my daughter, we were ready to move to the dining room for dinner.
Our weekend was filled with caring for the children, playing with dogs (and Brian), visiting and brushing the horses—no riding yet; they’d just been brought in from winter pasture—and generally celebrating Peter and Jane’s first anniversary.
We also discussed what the next year would bring in terms of where we’d be working and living. This was truly a momentous decision we needed to make. We had an atlas and a compendium of State Department reports on the likely places.
“Please consider this your home when you can get away for a week or two. Come here and let us pamper you,” Jane said. “It was so wonderful to have you in London this year. I’ll be very lonely without you.”
“We are certainly going to miss you as well,” Anna said. “Moving here was like moving into a community where we already had friends and things to keep us busy. I even got a chance to take a course in international finance in London.”
“We might need a financial manager as we diversify our holdings,” Peter said. “An investment manager to keep me from going overboard on backing theatrical productions.”
“Peter invested in Damien’s production of The Bacchae, and it was so successful, he’s backing the opening in New York,” Jane said.
“I guess Damien and Kathleen won’t be seeing us in Stratford this summer,” I said. “It will be strange not having them there.”
“Well, the good part is they’ve leased their home to us for July and August. We’ll be neighbors for two whole months this summer,” Jane said.
“I foresee at least one photo session,” Patricia said.
“But not as tight a schedule as we’ve had the past couple of years,” Anna said. “The Festival has hired a full-time photographer. Nate won’t be doing the production photography this year.”
“That’s a shame. Will you have enough work, Nate?” Jane asked.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” I said. “The Festival didn’t really pay us that much. We made most of our money selling prints to the cast and crew. And those are commodities. Prices are constantly compared to what you’d pay in a photo booth. Most of our income in Stratford is from paid sittings and from selling our artwork, there and in Chicago.”
“Zefford Gallery in Chicago is our licensed distributor in the US. He’s been shipping Nate’s photos all over the country,” Anna said.
“If I do nothing but sleep all summer, that will be enough,” I said. “We’ll need to decide what we’re doing after I leave the State Department.”
“I’m still trying to talk him into staying with it,” Ronda said. “Even if he’s in a different role than now, he’s proven his value to the department. He could have a different job if he wanted it.”
“I might consider something with less travel. You know they’d want us to keep jetting around the world as couriers and photographers.”
Although Jane wasn’t ready for intercourse yet, we did get some loving in. She spent Sunday night, her first anniversary, in bed with my wives and me. We made sure she had lots of physical attention.
We got back to London on Wednesday and spent two frantic days getting all our worldly possessions packed and off to Stratford. Saturday, we boarded a flight to Chicago and checked into a downtown hotel. Sunday, Anna and I went shopping for a new car. I never actually intended to get a brand new vehicle, but we saw a new Suburban that had enough seating for our family and enough power to make the drive to Stratford an easy trip.
The family was enthused and we celebrated with our favorite Pizzeria Uno pizza. Monday morning, Anna and Patricia headed west with the girls while Ronda and I went to work in the Chicago office.
A new unit was waiting in our office in Chicago. I was surprised we even had an office in Chicago, but Josie was there to meet us and help us get settled into life in the US again. Of course, under guise of helping us complete our reports, she wanted to hear all about our adventures from the past nine months. We enjoyed telling her.
I went over the new unit with the specified revisions. The new units had built in safety straps that would tie them down to the surface they were on, the key lock on the camera, and a plug that would enable the operator to quickly and permanently disable the camera. Of course, there was a way have it repaired if it was sent back to Polaroid, but this safety feature for the consulates was considered the best protection we could provide against it falling into the wrong hands.
We consulted with Mr. Martin, who had already read our reports. Wednesday evening, we shuttled off to Washington with him to meet with his boss.
“Welcome back to Washington,” Mr. Johnson said when he came into the meeting room. Raymond Johnson was the Assistant Secretary of the Consular Bureau. Mr. Martin was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Passport Services. It was a good-sized meeting in a large conference room. Also in attendance were Assistant Secretary Abrams, who was in charge of State Department Security and generally the ID program. I’d met Deputy Assistant Secretary Marilyn Clark of Visa Services and Deputy Assistant Secretary John Phillips, head of Diplomatic Courier Services. In one way or another, we reported to all of these people. Then there was Robert Brice, the security person at the London embassy, and several secretaries with a small ‘s’ taking notes.
“Thank you, Mr. Johnson. It’s always a pleasure to return to Washington,” I said.
“We’re happy to present our report of the installations and courier work we’ve done in the past year,” Ronda added.
“Excellent. Don, why don’t you get things rolling with an overview,” Johnson said to our boss.
“As you all know, we initiated this program as a means of streamlining passport and visa creation in our embassies and passport centers around the US. We chose Nate Hart and Ronda May because of their combined expertise in international relations and Polaroid equipment. Since they began in September of 1972, they have managed the installation and staff training for twenty-eight passport centers here in the US, six installations of the photo ID equipment here in Washington, 115 embassy and consulate installations in seventy-four countries, training of over 400 technicians on the equipment, and nearly 15,000 State Department and embassy employees wearing identification badges.”
“Impressive,” Johnson nodded.
“Just that would have been impressive,” Martin continued. “But Nate and Ronda have delivered nearly five hundred courier packets to embassies and to other couriers going on. Nate has photographed twenty-seven ambassadorial events, including the re-opening of the embassy in Cairo. He has provided photographs of 150 of our senior embassy staff and his photographs of embassies and surrounding areas have been invaluable in assisting the embassy security task force in evaluating the safety of our missions. In addition to written correspondence from ambassadors and staff, Ronda and Nate have carried verbal messages considered too sensitive to trust to paper within their country of origin. And let us not forget that they were hijacked in December. Even after riding with them to Sudan and Libya, I’m impressed.”
“As am I,” Johnson said. “Congratulations on your accomplishments. You’re a valuable part of our Consular Bureau. Now, we want to make sure you are being used to the best advantage. As you can see from the array of people in this meeting, a lot of people have a stake in what you are doing. You are the closest thing this department has to non-ambassadorial analysts. So, we’ll open the floor to suggestions, and then I’ll turn to Nate and Ronda for some responses.”
The first person to speak up was Robert Brice. He’d been with us in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Warsaw, and Bucharest, teaching us what to look for regarding embassy security.
“I understand that Nate and Ronda are not security experts, but their reports and photographs on the embassies they’ve visited—especially those behind the Iron Curtain—have been critical in assisting the embassy security task force. Having a generally innocuous technology to install in chanceries is an excellent cover for them to observe conditions in the embassy without arousing suspicion or interest—either on the part of our own staff or any foreign government. I would like to expand the kind of equipment they are carrying in their next round so our most vulnerable missions in Africa, the Middle East and Australasia can have security upgrades without calling attention to them,” Robert said.
I wasn’t sure about that. I’d need to find out what kind of equipment Robert felt we could transport that wouldn’t be obvious. Certainly, the kind of video surveillance that we saw in Dublin would require a huge inventory of equipment.
“We’d like to increase the number of courier runs,” John Phillips said. “We’re especially interested in having you make multiple stops on your way to and from your installation destination. As you move into Africa and the Middle East, we have more and more difficulty making deliveries. They’d be merely touch and go, but if you are going across Africa, for example, you might make stops in four of those little countries. And don’t be surprised if some of them are either a place where you have already been, or places where we don’t have an official diplomatic presence.”
Ronda was busy scribbling down information as each of the people added their own desires to the list of things they could do. I was getting to the point of being overwhelmed when Mr. Martin turned to me.
“Need another cup of coffee?” he asked.
“Yes. May I be excused to get some?”
“Sit tight. Dorothy, could you bring in some coffee?”
The woman who’d been assigned to me as my guide and contact the first day of classes in DC jumped up and headed out to get coffee for everyone.
“Okay,” Mr. Johnson said. “Nate and Ronda, you’ve heard the input from the people who are benefiting from your labor. I will add that I have a request from DOD for equipment installations at four bases in the US that are staging areas for overseas deployment. We are issuing red passports to all personnel stationed in foreign countries, but they are doing it the old fashioned way. We’d like to get the passports they issue into conformity with our new technology.”
Ronda added that to her list and then looked up.
“I think the list of job responsibilities we’ve compiled here requires about four more people,” she said. “We also intend to visit several existing installations in places like India and Japan and the Eastern Bloc to retrofit the equipment with the new self-destruct mechanism. This has only recently become available. We should consider retrofitting equipment in Central and South America where the political situation is less stable, as well.”
“That is an important item in your primary mission,” Martin agreed.
“I don’t see a problem with increasing the courier stops,” I said. “As long as they are in areas where it is safe for us to land and don’t interfere with that primary mission. Please keep in mind that we intend to have all planned installations of the passport and visa technology completed by next spring. It has not been a problem to photograph our ambassadors and chiefs of mission, nor to do what I’d have to call a light survey of security, based on what Mr. Brice taught us in the field.”
“I think the biggest problem we have with any of the added responsibilities is the stretch of territory we have to cover next fall and winter,” Ronda said. “We have an equatorial band extending from West Africa to Indonesia and the Philippines, and north as far as Afghanistan. It’s 9,000 miles from West Africa to the Philippines. We’re going to be stretched thin.”
“So, what is your recommendation for your station in the fall?” Martin asked.
“After consulting with our family, we’ve decided that a single location for the year and longer trips will be better for the family than picking up every three months to move to a new location,” I said. “Our oldest is in what would be first grade in the US, though her teachers in London gave her a high recommendation for advancing. I think the exposure to another culture will increase her learning ability and not hold her back.”
“And this location?”
“Oman,” Ronda said firmly. “I think we’ll be good for all the remaining Middle East, since most of the countries are on the Persian Gulf. We’re also within 3,000 miles of all of eastern Africa. It may take us three trips to western Africa in order to get all those little countries up to speed. We’ll try to do Australasia in one trip. It’s only six countries if I’ve counted correctly, with a total of ten installations. But if we retrofit Japan, India, and Australia, it could require a second trip.”
“Sultan Qaboos has made some great strides in the past four years, starting with abolishing slavery,” I said. “He’s also chartered the British School and Toni should be perfectly ready to start there. We’ve contacted them and since they are now chartered, they can take other international students instead of just Brits.”
“I can’t disagree with you. Just remember this is an Arab state and is very much under the influence of Islam. Study up on the customs, dress, and even the language. Qaboos is a progressive leader, but he is still conservative by American standards,” Mr. Martin said.
“We’d like you to head out tomorrow, but I understand the letter of agreement you have with the department regarding your business during the summer,” Johnson said. “Let’s plan on the two of you flying to Oman the first week of September. You can get introduced at the embassy and find a place to live. As soon as you have someplace, bring your family over.”
“Yes, sir.”
Anna drove the new Suburban to pick us up at the airport Friday. We drove down to Dekalb to visit my parents. Patricia and the children were already there. We spent a nice weekend, though we chose to stay in a nearby cheap motel instead of the one bedroom they had available. Kat and Julie were due in on Saturday.
We had a good time with the family. Kat and Julie were ready to enter their third year in college and Kat was rolling in accolades for her artwork. Julie was an honor student at the University, studying economics. They had decided to continue living with the Hannitys, even though Rachel had moved out and was making her way at a regional theatre in Connecticut. I encouraged both of them to focus on their studies and I’d continue to cover their rent and basic expenses.
Mom and Dad expected to move after conference. Mom had been offered the position of director of Camp Otterbein for the conference, which would put her in front of children all summer long. She was very happy, and was already spending some time at the camp to get things ready for summer. I was hoping they’d still be there when we finally finished our State Department service in a year. We could move back to Antioch and be near the family again.
Monday morning, my wives took me to O’Hare Airport for my flight to LA, then they continued on to Stratford.
Something about flying had changed as a result of my flying in a private plane a couple of times a week. It was a little less thrilling than it had been when I took my first trip at the ripe age of twenty. I’d seduced Fran in her seat opposite me and then got her a role in the first Photo Sensitive production. And it was the first time I’d met Adrienne in Los Angeles. On the trip back to Chicago, I was initiated into the mile-high club by Missy.
At twenty-four, the luxury of first class on a 747 was passé after the luxury of having a private plane, designed and equipped for our comfort. We had a stewardess who served Ronda and me and the pilots. And we knew she was always open to an invitation to spend a night or two with us, though we didn’t press that luxury often. The plane was provisioned with whatever we wanted to eat or drink, had large comfortable seats, and had a table where we could work. It even had a couch where we could stretch out for a nap.
The seats on my trip to LA were comfortable, though the color scheme was pretty ghastly. The best I can say for it is that it was quieter than our private plane. The jet engines were someplace far behind me instead of the turboprop right outside my window. And the two flight attendants were busy taking care of thirty some passengers in the first class compartment.
I accepted a drink and breakfast, and then went to sleep for the rest of the trip.
Adrienne meeting me at the airport, however, was still a fresh and new experience. The girl was absolutely beautiful, and I know I was the envy of many disembarking passengers when she met me with a passionate kiss.
I had to pick up all my equipment. Most of my purpose in LA this week was to take production photos of the company’s new endeavor, so I had all my camera equipment with me. I understood the company would be taking care of processing photos, so I would probably not even see the pictures this time. I’d be as careful about what I photographed as I was at the embassies.
We loaded everything in Adrienne’s little Mercedes convertible and headed to her apartment.
“Does my master require anything?” she asked. “Food? A rest area? Me?”
“Oh, yes, my dear Fifi. Your master requires you. I’ve been fed on the airplane, but when the time comes, I’ll want some dinner. Prior to that time, all I want is time with you. Please forgive me for not being up to games today. I’ve had an exhausting couple of weeks.”
“Let Fifi comfort you,” she said. “I will take care of your every need.”
The thing is, when Fifi offers that ‘service,’ she is quite serious. I knew I could simply place myself in her hands and she would do anything I asked or that she could think of to please me. And somehow, she counted that service as its own reward. We only saw each other three or four times a year. The last time, Ronda and I had been in the air most of the time and she’d spent her days with Anna, Ronda, and the children.
When we got to her apartment, she had Samuel, the doorman, help take my equipment to her apartment. Then she ran at once to the bathroom and began drawing a bath. When she returned to where I was having a glass of water in the kitchen, she was naked, and proceeded to get me in a similar state. She led me to the bath and the temperature was perfect. I just relaxed as she gently washed me, got me a drink, and let me ease my weariness in the tub.
“Master, you should get out of the tub now and not go to sleep in it. Your Fifi will take you to bed and massage you.”
“Yes, Fifi. That sounds perfect.”
Even though Adrienne used her entire body to rub oil on mine, I ended up sleeping some more. I woke up to the sensation of having my cock nursed on by a patient but insistent mouth.
Ronda and I often made love when we were in a hotel in Timbuktu—which I’d discovered was actually a city in Mali that we had not yet visited. When we got home on the weekend or were in London during the week, we made love to Anna and Patricia as frequently as we could. But I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had such a loving and luxurious blowjob.
Adrienne didn’t try to take my entire length into her throat or to hasten my release. Nor did she attempt to delay it when I ultimately let go of a powerful load in her mouth. She just kept loving my cock until it was completely empty.
Then I spent time just kissing and loving her, exploring her body, and seeking out her most intimate places. It was at least an hour later that I slipped between the folds of her sex and we made love. By that time, we were both well primed and my explosion triggered hers.
“I have never felt so loved as when I am pleasing you, my master. My dreams are in your arms. I am so thankful to have you in my life.”
Tuesday morning, we were at the studio where production was set to begin. Principal actors were rehearsing, even while Bert and Brent were revising the script.
“Nate! Come and tell us more adventures. What have you been doing lately?”
“Well, I think I got the message to you about having been hijacked in Greece, flown over Egypt, and a real spy parachuting out the back of our plane,” I said.
“I can’t believe that really happened! You swear it’s true?” Brent asked.
“Absolutely. It turned out that in addition to the installations of equipment we were doing, we were also transporting intelligence on movements near the Bulgarian border. We even had film of the very spy who hijacked us doing an arms deal with communists. He ran for our plane at the airport with a carload of thugs shooting at us until we were out of range. Then he had us open a secret compartment in the plane where he’d stashed some $600,000, give or take. We didn’t get an accurate count because it was in several different currencies.”
“That has to be the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to you,” Bert said, shaking his head.
“Exciting, yes. It really wasn’t as tense as I’m sure you’ll make it. Real tension came when we were rushed from the airport to a chancery that was heavily walled and weren’t allowed to leave until we were taken to the airport to fly out. Or going to Arab countries in Africa who are not on the friendliest terms with America, like Libya. When our spy hijacked us just five months earlier, he bailed out over Egypt rather than risk having us shot down in Libya.”
“Well, we came up with a story that isn’t as tame as most of your adventures. We loved the idea of a watch that would change time zones on command, but the whole idea of the two-way wrist radio/TV is just too absurd. If we went the Dick Tracy route, next thing people would expect is a visitor from the moon. That will just never be.”
“Maybe/maybe not. At least make sure your airplane is equipped with this GPS technology. Our information is that it will be in every cockpit in the world in ten years,” I said.
“Yeah. That is something good. What else?”
“The chanceries are either equipped with or getting equipped with video surveillance. The cameras are all over the building and there’s a room with a dozen television monitors showing what’s on the cameras. They record it all on tapes they can review. The things are huge.”
“Huge like reels of film?”
“More compact than that, but figure they have to change tape almost every hour and then store it someplace secure. I was thinking that your spy boy—is he still called Sam?—might need to locate and steal a tape from a particular time and camera.”
“Radical! I like it.”
“And it’s not Sam. We were ridiculed for having Sam and Delia, even though his lover betrays him. We’ve named the picture Saigon Summit. The two mains are geeky photographer spy Arnold, and his drop dead gorgeous girlfriend, Carmen. And, oh, my god! Is Anita great! I’d betray my country to lie between those legs,” Brent said.
“I don’t actually think you’d have to,” I laughed. “Don’t tell her I said that.”
“How would you know?” Anita said from right behind me. “I tried for two years to get you between my legs and the best I got was your tongue. Which was damned good, but it wasn’t the appendage I wanted.”
“Anita! How are you, dear,” I said, standing so I could hug her.
“Horny,” she whispered. “I still don’t know who is safe or advisable to sleep with here. They’re beginning to think they would have to betray their country to sleep with me.”
“Oh, honey. I’ll try to scout the territory for you.”
“I’d rather you finished in me,” she whispered. “I’m pretty sure you’re safe, but I’m a little afraid of your mistress.”
“Hmm. Let me talk to her.”
Of course, that was not to happen right away. Adrienne was with Steven Carlisle and George Ripley. Steven was the director of Saigon Summit and George was the company marketing person. Adrienne waved me over as soon as she saw me free of the writers.
“Nate, we’d like to get started with portraits,” George said. “We have all the principals here and there are some we want solo and some we also want as couples. You know Anita—and we are all thankful for your referral—but I don’t think you’ve met Dan Argos, our male lead.” He motioned a young actor over to meet me and we shook hands. He didn’t look any older than I was. I was pretty sure they were having Anita play down a couple of years from her age. They were going to burst onto the Hollywood scene in an action thriller and become a hot commodity, according to George.
“Let’s work with the two of them together, first formal poses, and then get them into some action. You know what I mean.”
“Sure, George. Do I have an assistant to work with me on camera setups and lights?”
“Right here, boss,” Gary Gibson said from behind me. Gary was the best boy on the previous movies and, I discovered, had been promoted to key grip. He’d also worked with me before on photoshoots, so I wouldn’t be accused of breaking union rules by moving lights and props.
“Good to see you again, Gary. I’ll need all three tripods and I assume there is a portrait set and a bedroom set. We’ll start with the portraits as usual.”
“You got it.”
“Dan, I’m going to start with a solo portrait of you. What kinds of things have you done before this one?” I asked.
“Commercial work, but this is the first feature. I did a series of corporate films for meeting coffee breaks. They were only a minute or two in length,” he said.
“Wow! They make movies for coffee breaks?” I asked as I positioned him on a stool in front of a neutral backdrop.
“It was a really big company who was having a worldwide conference with several hundred people attending. I didn’t see how they were finished up and presented, but I got a nice check and my union card for it. I’ll get full benefits after this film.” He was enthusiastic and responded to my slightest direction or touch. A real pleasure to work with.
“You know this film is going to include at least one love scene with your beautiful co-star, right?” I asked.
“Yeah. I was briefed about it. I guess that’s a good word for it.”
“Briefs is all I’ll get you down to today, but I wouldn’t count on it stopping at that when you start filming.”
“Anita’s a fox. I hope I don’t embarrass myself,” he sighed.
“We’ll get you together in a few minutes. Now, unbutton the shirt. Adrienne, could you work on his sleeves? I think about three turns should do it. You’ve got good muscles, Dan. I understand there will be some prime action scenes.”
“I think I got the job because I’m willing to do my own stunts,” he chuckled. He had a rather hairy chest and a chiseled look to his face.
“Make sure you get trained and rehearsed on every stunt. There will be a stunt coordinator. He knows more about what you can and can’t do than the director does, so listen to him.”
“Thanks for the advice, Nate.”
“That will do for the portraits. Don’t go away. I’m going to shoot Anita next and then do you as a couple. I’d like to do a short session with you tomorrow with a day’s growth of beard. Can you do that?”
“Yeah. I had to shave just before we started here this morning.”
“Do it again. You don’t want to scratch up Anita.”
“Yes, sir!”
Dan took off for the dressing rooms and I pulled Anita forward.
“Isn’t he yummy?” she asked as I positioned her for an initial portrait.
“Don’t sleep with your costar,” I said.
“What? Why?”
“According to Fran, it ruins the chemistry. Sleep with the director if you must, but not the leading man.”
“You’re making me frustrated.”
“Good. Let me see that predator look I know you can give a guy. Every time you finish a scene, the audience should believe you are going to take him straight to bed. Let it build, and let the camera see that mounting sexual tension.”
“You sure know a lot about this.”
“It’s my third movie. I’ve been listening to the directors and the actors.”
I definitely got Anita’s engine running as we went through the same loosening of her clothes as I’d done with Dan. Anita was still as beautiful and tempting as she’d been in Stratford. When I got her blouse open, I discreetly stroked across her breast. She caught her breath.
“If Dan does as well in our scene as you’re doing getting me ready for it, I’m going to have trouble not jumping his bones,” she said. “I hope you’re ready to step up to the challenge.”
I finished the portraits with the two of them together. I had them button up a bit before we finished. Then we moved to the bedroom for the next setting.
“We’re going to shoot a filmstrip,” I said. “Anita, we did this in Stratford with Adrienne. Unless I direct you to look away or at me, your focus should be on each other. It’s not a scene from the movie, so I’ll be directing you into each new position. If this goes well, there will be times when I ask you to freeze while I get a second camera set up. I’ll be shooting the filmstrip with my 35mm camera. But those special times, I’ll move in the medium or large format camera to get something really special.”
I got them into a starting position and then called for some props. Gary brought me the trunk of miscellaneous props he’d prepared for me, just as he had for other shoots we worked on together. I selected a few pieces. I could see Adrienne had a hand in selecting the props. The first thing I saw was the atomizer I’d used with Ruby in Washington, DC. Or it was similar. I set it on the night stand beside the bed. I handed Anita a pair of nylons and she started pulling them on. I was making up a scene as I went, and it was coming together nicely.
I cringed a little when I handed Dan a shoulder holster with a gun in it.
“Don’t take it out of the holster,” I said. He nodded.
I also selected a length of rope, not sure if I’d use it yet. I also gave Dan a watch that he strapped onto his bare wrist. I wondered where the heck they’d found a watch with such a big face.
Then we got to work. I had Anita sit at a dressing table with her blouse fully open. I had her start with rolling down her stockings. Leaning forward just a little kept her from starting fully exposed. I moved Dan into the shot with his back to me so I was shooting past his shoulder. The scene progressed from there. Before I finished, I had them both down to their underwear. Dan had a hand positioned just below her breast as he kissed her neck and she threw back her head. I caught a 4x5 of that. Nice.
“Do you want a position as assistant director?” Steven asked me. “I’m definitely keeping that scene in the movie, no matter what Brent and Bert have to do to make it fit.”
“Afraid I can’t escape my other responsibilities for more than a week at a time,” I laughed.
“Well, work some magic with these other characters. I want to watch what you do with them.”
I had three more that afternoon. They were listed as supporting actors and actresses. One of them was Lorraine Vincent, another Stratford actress I’d sent to Los Angeles over a year ago to take part in Double Exposure. I realized the boobs were augmented, but they were still pretty fantastic.
We locked the camera equipment in a secure locker at the studio since I’d be back for more the next day. Then Adrienne and I headed out for our limo.
Imagine my surprise when I slid in and found Anita next to me.
“Anita! Are we dropping you someplace this evening?”
“Oh, master,” Adrienne said. “This poor puppy was begging at the door and I couldn’t turn her away. Please don’t punish her for my misdeeds. I’ll take the punishment. It’s my fault.”
“You know, Fifi, I might punish you by not spanking you. How would you like that?”
“Oh, master! You are a sadist!”
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