Crissy and Roger relaxed on the beach as their friends set about snapping off the rest of the footage they would need for their movie. Now under the safety of being docked, the lifeboat scene was filmed. The angles had to be changed to disguise the location of the shoot, but the operation went well. The next day would have the production moving inland, based on the Mallen Pineapple Plantation. At Minerva's insistence, even the Ralphwits would be staying here during the time they were in the Aloha State.
The Boss finally had a chance to arrange a private screening of the footage of Crissy's song. Only he, his wife, Roger, and Crissy were in the room. Crissy indeed looked good on film, and her voice came through beautifully. Roger was struck by how good the film was. He nudged his wife and whispered to her.
"You may not like hearing this, but you look really good on the screen. The camera loves you, and you look so natural."
"I've spent so long avoiding this," Crissy shook her head, "I really don't want to be a star."
"What if you agreed to act in little bits here and there, but never as the headliner?"
"This is just a song I was singing for my friends. I may come off less natural if I'm trying to act."
"After seeing this, I think you might give it a try. Whatever you decide I'll go along with you, but I can see now why the Boss is so keen on having you join the club." Crissy was sort of wide-eyed as the film unspooled. Her impromptu performance looked entirely professional. The casual viewer might easily think that Crissy had been singing professionally for years. As the clip ended, the Boss moved to the projector as his wife turned the lights back on. As he readied the film for rewinding, he smiled at Crissy.
"If you want me to, I'll make a gift of this film to you. We won't use it if you don't want us to. It's a good reel, though, I think you'll agree."
"Yes it is," Crissy was overwhelmed, "I don't know what to think. I've been turning you down for years, but now that you have some film of me, and it looks so good... What would you do with it if I gave you the go ahead?"
"Since it was shot as part of the show on deck," the Boss began rewinding the film, "my intention would be to use it in the picture as one of the musical numbers. We could just have you in there as an un-billed guest singer."
Crissy leaned forward and looked at her feet. She weighed what this step could mean and how it might change her life, which was at this moment so perfect. Roger placed a reassuring hand on her back before turning back to the Boss.
"Say you do just that. What happens after the picture comes out?"
"I'm sure the audience will like Crissy. I'm sure they'll want to see more. If she's game, I'd have her act out a scene for a screen test. If that goes well, she could do bit parts in a few cartoons until she gets comfortable enough to take the spotlight."
"That's the part that has me hesitant," Crissy spoke up, "I've never wanted to be in the spotlight. My ambitions have always been more intimate. I really want nothing more than to be Roger's wife. That's already a dream-come-true. I can't think of anything I'd add to what I already have." The Boss nodded, understanding Crissy's position. So did his wife, but after seeing the film even she was convinced Crissy had a future in pictures.
"Believe me, Crissy, I know how you feel. I'm happiest when I'm alone with my husband, too. I've done a few bit parts, though, and I think you can do something like that without ruining the harmony of what you already have. These movies, cartoons and the like, they entertain people. I know that doesn't sound too important, but sometimes it makes a real impact. Someone going through a rough time, sometimes what pulls them out of their funk is remembering something they saw on the screen and smiling about it."
"You make it sound like charity work."
"Well, maybe not the way we think of charity work, but there is something awful nice about making people smile. It gives you a nice feeling, like maybe you've done something good for someone without them or you ever knowing it."
"That's one of the best reasons for making pictures," the Boss chimed in, "and too many actors forget that. They make it about themselves, not their fans. One of the reasons I wanted to run C.B.I.P. the way I do is to keep it geared toward the audience, not the actors and producers. You have the sort of sweet, selfless nature that I want on my team. That's really the main reason I've always wanted you to be a part of this. You know how better milk comes from contented cows? I've always believed that better movies come from good people."
Elsewhere on the plantation could be found a self-confessed glory-hog. Beverly wandered through pineapple patches with her sister Jeannie, who thrilled to observing the intricacies of the farm's production from start to finish. Beverly did think of herself as a bit of a spotlight-grabber, and history had certainly proven that to be the case. That's one reason she stuck so close to Jeannie. Jeannie always kept a level head, saw the bigger picture and was exactly the sort of selfless, put-the-audience-first type the Boss delighted in hiring. Beverly wanted to be more like her, knowing there was no real future in living for oneself. Ironically, while Beverly saw herself as the swelled head of the group, those around her seldom noticed it. They knew her to be as sweet and selfless as her sister Jeannie. The main difference was that Jeannie was more proactive about helping people, finding new ways to lend a hand and seeking out those hands that needed hers. Beverly was more reactive. When she saw someone she could help, she always did so and gave of herself in ways she never would have considered under normal circumstances. She could be self-interested as anyone, but when her attention was pulled to someone who needed her help, Bev never hesitated.
What Beverly hated about herself was that tendency to put her own needs first, or at least the belief that she always did. She could be pretty selfish and knew it, and figured everyone just played along with her to keep her happy. As a kid, that was fine, but she wished she could be more automatically selfless, the way Jeannie always was. Jeannie could see Beverly more deeply than she herself did. Yes, her sister could sometimes grate on her, but Jeannie knew the best thing to do was ride it out until Beverly had a chance for her true nature to shine through. A bit of it had shown prior to their leaving for Hawaii. Beverly wanted to take Davy along for the trip, but knew it would be impossible because the kid had school to attend. Beverly had gotten really close to Davy, and went out of her way to bring some joy into his life. Jeannie could see this, but Beverly couldn't. Despite her efforts to please Davy, Beverly noticed only her tendency to please herself. Beverly had a heart of charity she was completely oblivious to.
As the Baxter girls walked along the plantation, the natural beauty of the island was so picture perfect that they continued to pause and drink in the details. The breeze was warm, the sun bright, the people so kind. Creek Bend was a paradise in a sense, but this was really paradise in the ultimate. There was only a two degree temperature difference between the extremes of summer and winter, and you had to be a native to even feel it. This was as close to Heaven as one could find on earth, one would have to think. That impression was shared by the others. Minerva walked her friends Daisy, Wendy, Doris, and Yvette through the canning factory. One advantage of this trip was an abundance of free pineapple samples. Yvette in particular was enjoying that, having sucked down more of the fruit in the two days they'd been on the Mallen plantation than she had her entire life before.
Still, the main draw of a Hawaiian visit was the beach. The Boss made sure to get the rest of the film completed quickly so his crew could truly enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Yvette finished her scenes first, and was first to be standing on the beautiful white sands. She looked out to sea longingly, but hesitantly. What a place to be, but for a girl who hadn't yet learned to swim it was less pleasant than it should have been. She was content to stay on the shore, but she wished she could dive into the inviting waters. She dared not, though. She was getting the hang of her swimming pool back home, but the rolling waves were a bit too much for her to get too close. She kept her inability to swim secret from the others. Only Doris really knew. And there was a girl who knew how to enjoy the water. Swimming, surfing, Doris seemed to've been born in the surf. Yvette couldn't help but envy her friend as she watched Doris riding a wave on Hawaii's signature sporting equipment.
Yvette had tried to learn to swim in her pool before the trip, but still hadn't progressed beyond a dog paddle. She felt pretty silly now. All that ocean before her and unable to take advantage of it. The Hawaiian experience could be enjoyed in other ways, however. Misty was taking hula lessons, and had hooked Sugar and Daisy into joining in. Meanwhile, Dr. Noyman and Clete discussed the less dangerous aspects of their experiments with Mr. Mallen, in terms of ways to produce larger pineapples. The conversation had to include mention of the more radical theories which resulted in the cultivation of dangerous plant life. Unknown to those involved in the discussion, this was overheard by one of Mallen's truck drivers.
That night, the driver arrived at a seedy bar along the coast. In the back room was a dapper fella of criminal persuasions, engaged in a pool game with a couple of flunkies when the driver entered the room.
"Mr. Donald," the driver kept his hat in hand, "I just learned of something that could be worth big bucks to the right party."
"Alright," Donald cooley chalked his cue, "does this have anything to do with the actors staying at your boss's place, Denny?"
"Not directly. When they showed up, they had a scientist with them. One of his experiments got out of hand and had to be destroyed, but I think it might have some value in the right hands."
"Why does a movie company have a scientist with them?" Jenkins, one of the flunkies, asked.
"They picked him up on an island after their ship had trouble. But get this, he was working on ways to make plants stronger. He ended up creating a mobile, carnivorous plant that nearly killed him."
"So?" Donald took a shot.
"You had me staking out Mallen's niece, thinking she would be a good snatch for ransom. This Noyman guy is an even better snatch. If we can get his secret, think how valuable a killer plant could be. It would make the perfect murder weapon, one that could never be traced back to the guy who ordered the hit. Tell me that wouldn't be worth plenty to the right party."
"It's an interesting idea," Donald paused to mull it over, "shows some talented abstract thinking. It could be very valuable to the right men... Okay, tell me everything you know about the guy."
TO BE CONTINUED...
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