The next morning – not too early, as I’d had a ‘late’ night -- I found Jean had slipped a folder under my door. It was my five story springboards. He’s circled Deadly Jewels and Tut the Second. I’m pleased. Two out of five wasn’t bad.
I also saw my latest script for The Littles – Twins. It was marked up…heavily. Twins was my third script. But I feel like it’s always one step forward and two steps back. Every time I get a script back from Jean, with Page One revisions, I have to re-type the entire script. (Remember, this is still the IBM Selectric Typewriter Era.) I’m a fast typist and I can retype a script overnight. But it’s not just typing. There are revision notes I have to address and every revision means the dialogue or action that preceded and followed it also has be changed so it all so all hangs together.
I reminded myself I signed on for this. I dove into the revisions. I amazed myself, finishing the revisions by nine that night. I took it down the hall and started to slide it under Jean’s door. To my surprise, he opened the door. He looked like he’d just gotten back from a late dinner. After a brief greeting, he picked up the script and, French accent heavy, said, “You work fast. I give you that.”
Weary and in no more for levity, I say, “Is that how you talk to Jeffrey Scott?”
Jean’s eyes narrowed and he answered, “You’re not allowed to even mention Jeffrey’s name.” Then he smiled a thin smile and, with my script in hand, closed his door.
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