A Day in the Making
by:Laura Rapp
‘I can’t believe it. I got the job.’ Ray thought to himself as he stood across the street from Busch Gardens. He walked across the street, and up to someone, hoping to get directions to where he was supposed to be going. The person rushed away before he even got close to them, yelling at someone to fix someone’s costume. Ray shook his head and walked toward someone else. That person too walked away. Ray didn’t know where to go, and no one would talk to him to help. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see a security guard.
“Son, you need to get off the lot if you aren’t supposed to be here.”
“I am though, I’m looking for Mr. Fleming. I’m his new assistant. I’m Ray Holden. I’m kinda not sure where to go exactly.”
The guard raised an eyebrow and looked at him, studying him. He finally nodded and motioned for him to follow. Ray followed, avoiding people rushing this way and that. The guard led him to a building that had a huge number of people going in and out, and yelling was heard even from outside. The guard waited for him to go inside, before heading back out front to keep the drifters out.
Ray stared at the people running around inside the building, and looked around at all the movie stars he saw. Someone ran past him, and said the name of the director, who was his new boss. He followed them and saw a guy in a chair, yelling directions at people. Ray walked up to him, slowly.
“Sir? I’m Ray Holden. I’m your new assistant.”
The man looked down at him, and squinted. He looked up and nodded.
“You’re late.” Ray looked down and Mr. Fleming smirked.
“Get to work. You aren’t here to stand around.” Ray nodded and looked at him.
“Where would you like me to start?”
“Ask Mr. Gable what he wants for lunch, and then Ms. Leigh. Report it to the cafeteria.” He turned his head away and left Ray to his own devices.
Ray looked around and saw Mr. Clark Gable at the bottom of the stairs on the Twelve Oaks mansion set. They were about to shoot a big scene by the looks of everything.
Ray walked up to Mr. Gable and stood before him.
“Um, sir, Mr. Gable? I’m Ray, I would like to ask if there is anything you would like for lunch.”
Mr. Gable looked at him, and smiled that smile of his.
“Of course, a person’s got to eat. Now, I would like a sandwich with tomato, lettuce, and chicken. Do you think you can remember that, Ray?” He was jolly, and having fun, Ray could tell. Ray nodded and started to go. He turned back.
“My mother and I are big fans of yours.” Mr. Gable laughed, and turned to concentrate on the scene. Ray left and hurried to find Ms. Leigh. She was about to go up the stairs, to where she would stand in the scene.
Ray was about to head after her, when the director called quiet on the set, and they started filming. Ray had to stand still and watched as the scene unfolded. He was fascinated at the fact that the man he had just talked to, could transform himself into such a powerful character. And Ms. Leigh, even though he hadn’t talked to her, could tell she was very good at her job.
The director called cut when the scene was finished, and said a five minute break, so they could set the scene and run it again. Ray took this opportunity to run over to Ms. Leigh, carefully, and ask her.
“Excuse me, Ms. Leigh, I’m Ray, and I would like to know what you would like for lunch.”
She turned to him, and nodded, slightly.
“A salad, with fruit, and a twice baked potato.” She turned away and went back to get ready.
I nodded and repeated both their orders to myself as I made my way outside, and looked for the cafeteria. I asked someone where it was, and they pointed it out. I ran to the cafeteria and placed the orders, then heading back to the building they were shooting in. The door was shut, and the red light was on. I was going to have to wait for the light to go off to go back in, so I sat on a railing next to the building.
I felt someone sit by me and I turned to see who it was. It was James Stewart. He was just sitting there, right next to me. I felt bad, because I was staring, but he had surprised me.
“What are you doing here, sir?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Call me Jimmy, I hear sir, and look for my father.”
I can only nod in response. I struggle to find my voice, but manage to say, “What are you doing here, Jimmy?” I feel stupid for asking such a pertinent question.
He chuckled and looked at me. “I’m visiting a friend.”
I nod, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“So, you must be new to the movie business. What do you do here?”
I was amazed I was just sitting here, talking to the James Stewart.
“I’m Mr. Fleming’s new assistant, Ray. He sent me to order lunch for the stars.”
He nodded, and looked at the light. “You can go in now, the lights off.” I nod and stand up, and he does as well.
“It was nice meeting you, sir, Mr. Stewart, Jimmy.” He chuckled again. I held out my hand shyly, and he shook it.
“I have advice for you kid. Don’t be shy around movie stars, we’re used to fans.”
I nod and smiled. “Thank you Jimmy. I hope to see you around.”
Jimmy smiled and walked away.
I walked inside and the rest of the day went fast, with filming and fetching. But I thought back on my conversation with Jimmy Stewart, and smiled. This is going to be a good job.
“Son, you need to get off the lot if you aren’t supposed to be here.”
“I am though, I’m looking for Mr. Fleming. I’m his new assistant. I’m Ray Holden. I’m kinda not sure where to go exactly.”
The guard raised an eyebrow and looked at him, studying him. He finally nodded and motioned for him to follow. Ray followed, avoiding people rushing this way and that. The guard led him to a building that had a huge number of people going in and out, and yelling was heard even from outside. The guard waited for him to go inside, before heading back out front to keep the drifters out.
Ray stared at the people running around inside the building, and looked around at all the movie stars he saw. Someone ran past him, and said the name of the director, who was his new boss. He followed them and saw a guy in a chair, yelling directions at people. Ray walked up to him, slowly.
“Sir? I’m Ray Holden. I’m your new assistant.”
The man looked down at him, and squinted. He looked up and nodded.
“You’re late.” Ray looked down and Mr. Fleming smirked.
“Get to work. You aren’t here to stand around.” Ray nodded and looked at him.
“Where would you like me to start?”
“Ask Mr. Gable what he wants for lunch, and then Ms. Leigh. Report it to the cafeteria.” He turned his head away and left Ray to his own devices.
Ray looked around and saw Mr. Clark Gable at the bottom of the stairs on the Twelve Oaks mansion set. They were about to shoot a big scene by the looks of everything.
Ray walked up to Mr. Gable and stood before him.
“Um, sir, Mr. Gable? I’m Ray, I would like to ask if there is anything you would like for lunch.”
Mr. Gable looked at him, and smiled that smile of his.
“Of course, a person’s got to eat. Now, I would like a sandwich with tomato, lettuce, and chicken. Do you think you can remember that, Ray?” He was jolly, and having fun, Ray could tell. Ray nodded and started to go. He turned back.
“My mother and I are big fans of yours.” Mr. Gable laughed, and turned to concentrate on the scene. Ray left and hurried to find Ms. Leigh. She was about to go up the stairs, to where she would stand in the scene.
Ray was about to head after her, when the director called quiet on the set, and they started filming. Ray had to stand still and watched as the scene unfolded. He was fascinated at the fact that the man he had just talked to, could transform himself into such a powerful character. And Ms. Leigh, even though he hadn’t talked to her, could tell she was very good at her job.
The director called cut when the scene was finished, and said a five minute break, so they could set the scene and run it again. Ray took this opportunity to run over to Ms. Leigh, carefully, and ask her.
“Excuse me, Ms. Leigh, I’m Ray, and I would like to know what you would like for lunch.”
She turned to him, and nodded, slightly.
“A salad, with fruit, and a twice baked potato.” She turned away and went back to get ready.
I nodded and repeated both their orders to myself as I made my way outside, and looked for the cafeteria. I asked someone where it was, and they pointed it out. I ran to the cafeteria and placed the orders, then heading back to the building they were shooting in. The door was shut, and the red light was on. I was going to have to wait for the light to go off to go back in, so I sat on a railing next to the building.
I felt someone sit by me and I turned to see who it was. It was James Stewart. He was just sitting there, right next to me. I felt bad, because I was staring, but he had surprised me.
“What are you doing here, sir?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Call me Jimmy, I hear sir, and look for my father.”
I can only nod in response. I struggle to find my voice, but manage to say, “What are you doing here, Jimmy?” I feel stupid for asking such a pertinent question.
He chuckled and looked at me. “I’m visiting a friend.”
I nod, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“So, you must be new to the movie business. What do you do here?”
I was amazed I was just sitting here, talking to the James Stewart.
“I’m Mr. Fleming’s new assistant, Ray. He sent me to order lunch for the stars.”
He nodded, and looked at the light. “You can go in now, the lights off.” I nod and stand up, and he does as well.
“It was nice meeting you, sir, Mr. Stewart, Jimmy.” He chuckled again. I held out my hand shyly, and he shook it.
“I have advice for you kid. Don’t be shy around movie stars, we’re used to fans.”
I nod and smiled. “Thank you Jimmy. I hope to see you around.”
Jimmy smiled and walked away.
I walked inside and the rest of the day went fast, with filming and fetching. But I thought back on my conversation with Jimmy Stewart, and smiled. This is going to be a good job.