Tuesday, December 02, 2014

I Love Dialogue! Something New


I wrote Something New in four days in June. I got an idea and ran with it. Fortunately, the muse was willing and it came easily. I fell in love with Austin. The rest of the characters are also endearing, but I particularly love him. He's an absolute doll.
Austin is an actor on a show that is an Americanized version of Dr. Who, called The Magician. He has a run in with one of the guest directors, a pervy man named Irving. Irv the Perv tries to entice Liat, Austin's new leading lady, to do something unspeakable. Austin intervenes. Irving got fired and is now trying to sue Austin for slander and the network for wrongful termination.
Austin is having lunch with Liat, her mother Elaine (the show's producer) and Dwight, his assistant. They get a call from the God of the Network, and are summoned to the Presence. Austin isn't quite sure what to expect, but it certainly isn't what's waiting for him.

Moments later, a tall, dark haired man with broad shoulders and muscular chest, came to greet them. He trotted down the steps and stopped in front of Elaine, holding out his hands. She took them and he raised her to a standing position. His arms went around her waist, pulling her close, as he kissed her.
"Hello, darling," she said with a smile. "How was Paris?"
"Boring. French." He winked, patting her on the fanny. "You've had some excitement. Hello, Precious." He greeted his daughter with a kiss and hug.
Austin and Dwight stood, waiting anxiously. Liat's father was an intimidating man. He stood over six feet tall. His black hair was shot with silver, his blue eyes penetrating. His voice was a loud and rumbling baritone, laced with a distinctive Oxford accent.
"You've studied Shakespeare," Austin said as he stepped forward.
The man's blue eyes twinkled. "I have indeed, young man. Royal Shakespeare, 1971 through 75. Astute." He shook Austin's hand.
"No one rumbles like a Shakespearian," Austin replied. "Which must make you Gordon Vogel."
"It must, indeed! Gordon Oliver Desmond Vogel, God for short." He turned to his wife, smirking. "You told me he was sharp. Who's your friend?" He held out his hand to Dwight.
"Dwight Wales. He's my personal assistant and good friend."
"Everyone needs those," Gordon said, shaking Dwight's hand. "Friends, I mean. Assistants are a dime a dozen."
"Not good ones," Dwight said confidently. "We go for a dollar a dozen."
Gordon burst out laughing at the silly joke. "I like this one too. Can we keep them, Mummy?" He sounded like a child, directing the comment to his wife. "Sit, everyone. Beverages. Sam-u-el!" He drew out the name like a battle cry.
The windows shook when he called the name. An elderly gentleman in a black suit came to stand by the sunken room.
"You bellowed, sir?"
"Beverages, Samuel. Tea?" He asked the room in general. "Yes, tea. The Oolong."
"As you wish, sir." He bowed, turning his back to the room.
"Great man. Deaf as a post," Gordon muttered.
"I can hear you," Samuel said. "I'm not deaf."
"He's not. I just like yelling. Sit!"
He took a seat beside Elaine, his arm around her shoulders. Liat sat next to Austin, gripping his hand.
"You've been busy. Mummy tells me you've been masquerading as a Fogleberg." He tipped his head, narrowing his eyes, but his smirk gave him away.
"Are you mad?"
"Why ever for? You got the part, didn't you, all on your own merits."
"Yes."
"Then why would I be mad? What's all this crap that's been going on with my network in my city? What's that annoying pimple of a man doing now?"
"He doesn't mean me, does he?" Austin whispered to Liat.
"No, silly. Irving."
"He's saying Austin insulted him and called him names in public," Elaine explained.
"Did you?" he directed at Austin.
"No, sir. Unless he's a mind reader."
"Mind reading," Gordon waved it away, making a rude noise. "Very hard to prove in court. What did you do to make Irving so angry?"
"I took Liat to my trailer." He held up a hand before her father could comment. "I'll rephrase that. Pervy Irv was bothering Liat. Rather than see her karate chop his flabby arse, I took her with me to my trailer. We ate dinner, studied our lines and she went home. He didn't like that I showed him up." He shrugged.
"That's it?"
"I called him sir in a snarky tone and did my best to follow his obtuse directions."
Gordon burst out laughing. His blue eyes twinkled merrily. The tea arrived and Elaine poured, passing the sugar and cream after. Once they served themselves, they went back to their conversation.
"After inappropriate snarkiness, what did you do?" Gordon asked.
Austin thought a moment. "Said my lines, hit my marks and nailed the scene."
"Why is the gimpy cretin saying that Austin called him names? Did you call him names?"
Austin shook his head.
"Why's he saying that?" Gordon persisted.
"I flirted with Liat in front of him."
"Did you kiss her?"
"Later. It was scripted," he hurried to explain. "Pants on, I swear."
"Yes, of course." Gordon couldn't keep a straight face. He understood the young man's distress, but he wasn't angry, simply confused. "Then what's he banging on about?"
"No idea."
"Then this is all just stupid, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
Gordon leaned back, running his hand through his hair. "There are people starving in this city and he's trying to raise a stink over something that never happened?"
"Precisely my point, sir."
"Are you sleeping with my daughter?" Gordon shot at him unexpectedly.
"No, sir. I'm not."
"But you'd like to."
"Don't make me answer that one, please. I'm thirty-two, single and she's gorgeous."
Gordon laughed, nodding. "The same thing I said about her mother thirty-six years ago when I met her. Have you had lunch?"
"Yes," Elaine replied.
"Good. Did we have anything else to discuss to resolve this nonsense?"
"We're opting to let it blow over. Babs is setting up interviews and arranging his schedule with Dwight and Sandy."
"Everyone wants you, kid. How does that make you feel?"
"Terrified. It's like being the tenderest steak in the shop. Everyone wants to grill you and have a bite."
"Couldn't have put it better myself. We'll get you ready, no fear.."

© 2014 Dellani Oakes





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Old Time Religion ~ A Love in the City Romance by Dellani Oakes – Part 51

Mrs. Bannister bustled in a couple minutes after Obi and Clive arrived. "Thank goodness you're here," she said to Clive. "...