And yet another shot at the title (part ix)

“I’m really happy that you came through on this, James,” Cat told me in her office. “I just don’t think this film could work without your vision.”

“Mmhmm, mmhmm,” I said as I sat contemplatively in my chair. “Tell me, what do you want?”

“I’ll go over all the pre-production notes from the studio once you and Greta sit down…”

“No no,” I interrupted. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, what do you want out of life?”

Cat chuckled. “James, this really isn’t the time. Where are you going with this?”

I leaned forward and spoke in low, serious tone. “Catherine, I’m gonna be real with you,” I said. “I don’t like the direction the studio is going in. Jimmy might’ve saved Trainwreck Productions after we nearly bankrupted it after Like a Fart in the Wind. But you and me together, we restored this place to a state of solvency. We’ve become what all the other kids on the block aspired to be. Now Jimmy did his job as being the steady hand in a time of trouble, but let’s be honest: he’s old school. You, on the other hand, you’re the future. Have you given any thought to taking his place?”

Cat was flummoxed. “Jimmy’s my friend,” she stated. “There’s no way I could betray our trust like that.”

“Come on, Cat. This is Hollywood. Yesterday’s friends are tomorrow’s enemies. Do you really want to be Jimmy’s errand girl for the rest of your career?”

Catherine threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know what Jimmy did to piss you off but we really shouldn’t be having this conversation,” she said. “Besides, the board would never approve of my appointment to President. Jimmy has too many friends.”

I leaned back in my chair. “I have friends too, ya know? Including many on the board.”

Cat stared intently at me for a few moments before looking at her watch. “We need to be in front of the press in an hour,” she explained. “There’s just one other thing I need to go over with you.”

“What’s that?”

“Now, because we’ve built up a good relationship over the years, I figured that you should hear this from me first,” she stuttered.

“Oh god, what now?” I groaned.

“Now, please remember that this is business so don’t get too offended…”

“Cat, just give it to me.”

She closed her eyes and exhaled. “Okay,” she said, “Greta chose to rewrite your script.”

“So?”

“With another screenwriter.”

“Big fucking deal,” I replied sardonically.

“That screenwriter is Cassandra McHale.”

TO BE CONTINUED…