Chapter Five
Elly
I arrived at the studio at six-thirty a.m. I was in my comfy jeans and a polo shirt with “Set PA Intern” stitched across the right breast and Fresh Voices printed across the back. I’d been assigned as a set PA because Clint said that, out of the three interns, my people skills were the best. I was flattered at first, but I realized that set PA’s are the first there and the last to leave. Since I was the intern, my day was even longer than the regulars’ were. This was our second day of production, and as early as it was when I came in, I saw that there were probably already over a hundred people lined up outside. The judges would only be seeing about fifty of them today and the rest would lay over until the next day. There was no way they’d all be seen by the time it was a wrap on Friday—a classic case of the early bird gets the worm.
I went to the production room and got my radio, and then I started the coffee and went about switching on all the lights and checking that the judge’s chairs were clean and their desks had any announcements that Clint or Jake wanted them to have for that day. Once the judges arrived, around eight, or nine, I’d start the job of wrangling the talent. I had to make sure they were all in their places when they needed to be. If you think that is a small task, you would be dead wrong. These artist types were flighty, and sometimes the emcee would be calling out for some guy named Herbert and a cheerleader from Des Moines would be next. They’d given me a headache the day before, I didn’t expect this day to be any different.
I went over to the door and looked out at the line that stretched across two parking lots and wound down the street. Keith was out there working the line, trying to get them all herded into the seating area. I felt lucky that I at least got to work inside; it was going to be a scorcher, probably close to ninety degrees.
“Elly!” I heard the accented voice and had to remind myself to breathe as I turned around. It was Jake.
“Mr. Gilley, hello.”
He smiled warmly and said, “Please, call me Jake. Good turnout today?”
“Yes, a great one,” I told him. “It’s L.A. and that means a lot of talent.”
“Don’t I know it,” he said glancing out the small window over my shoulder. “Elly, I’d really love to talk to you sometime when we’re not both so rushed. Clint has told me how much promise he’s seen in you and I’d like to get a feel for where your career is headed.”
My mouth went completely dry. Jake Gilley wanted to talk to me about my career? I was literally speechless. I nodded like an idiot and Jake chuckled.
“Good then, you have my card. Give me a call this weekend and maybe we can have coffee or lunch and talk.”
“Sure, thank you so much,” I told him. He took my hand again. He held it a little too long and looked into my eyes with his dark brown ones. I swore he was sucking information out of my head every time he did that.
“You’re very welcome, Elly,” he said. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”
I watched him walk away, almost not hearing the announcement on my radio that the judges were in place and ready for the first contestant. Jake Gilley wanted to talk to me about my career.
“Elly, are you ready?” Keith had stuck his head in the door and brought me out of my reverie.
“Yes, I’m sorry. Send me the first three, okay?”
Within a few minutes, Molly was walking in with two girls and a guy following her. All three looked really young, and so nervous that I was afraid they were going to puke. Molly gave me the sheet with their information on it and I attached it to my clipboard. Then, I did my best to put them at ease.
“Hi, I’m Elly,” I said, then looking down at the clipboard to make sure I remembered their names I asked, “And you are, Gary, Hannah, and Violet?”
They nodded and the girl named Hannah said, “I feel kind of sick.”
“Here, sit down,” I told her, moving a chair over close to her. “Lean forward and put your head down on your knees. I’ll get you some water. You’re third, by the time Gary and Violet finish, I’m sure you’ll be good to go.”
I got her the water and I explained to all three of them how this was going to work. They would go in and sing one song. The judges would stop them whenever they wanted, and they’d tell them either “Yay or Nay” right then and there. Then they would go out the other side where the show’s Emcee was waiting to interview them. When I said that, Violet gagged a little. I found a small trash can and sat it next to her as I ushered Greg through the curtain that separated us from the judges. I radioed Kevin and told him to send me another.
I had my back to the door and I heard Molly come in; she was speaking to someone quietly. I heard her telling them where to have a seat and that I’d be with them soon. I felt an arm brush against mine and I looked up to see an array of tattoos. I followed those up and I was suddenly looking into Tristan Roger’s face. He looked a lot cleaner and better groomed than he had the night at the bar. He grinned at me and in spite of myself I felt my stomach flip. He went and took the seat Molly had directed him to. Wow, was his career really this bad?
“Are you okay, Elly?” Molly asked me. I realized I was still gaping at him.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sorry, Molly. I’m fine. Thanks.” She raised an eyebrow as if she doubted it, but she was too busy to ponder it further. I took a deep breath in and walked over to give Tristan my spiel. To his credit, he didn’t let on that he knew me. To my chagrin, I realized that could be because he really didn’t remember me at all.