LINE ~ By Richard M Johnson of Harbinger*33

Universal Studios Tour ala Serch

“LINE”

By ~ Author Richard M. Johnson

I never say anything unless I mean it. All my good friends will tell you that, because they, at one time or another have been on the receiving end of one of my honesty bombs. Granted, sometimes I have to change my words a bit - to get my meaning through other people’s filters, but the original intent will always remain the same.

Back in 1993, my ex and I had only been married a few years and we were still young puppeteers in love. We both worked the “American Tail Show” up at Universal Studios Tours and occasionally, after work; we would go to the Cineplex Odeon theaters and catch a movie.

That night we decided to go see Adrian Lynne’s “Indecent Proposal. You know, with Robert Redford, Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson?

            If you’ve seen it, you’re already aware that it wasn’t the best movie ever, but it wasn’t really terrible either, and it allowed us do one of the things we loved to do together, walk through Universal Studios CityWalk, stare at the neon in the store windows, and discuss the finer points of the film. What worked, what didn’t . . . and after about ten minutes of chat, she eventually said, “God, could that Demi Moore be any more beautiful?”

            I smiled at her, and in all earnestness, said, “I know. Me and Bruce Willis, we’re lucky guys.”

            Her whole face lit up and she turned to me with eyes that hinted that I might get lucky that night . . . Suddenly, her expression changed to one of incredulous-ness, and she shook her head like she was trying to clear cobwebs from her hair.  “Oh, you are so full of shit!”

            “No, really, I mean it!”

            “How long have you been saving that line for?”

            I took her hands in mine, and looked deep into her eyes. “I haven’t been saving that “Line” for any amount of time, I just said what I felt.”

            “Bullshit” She replied with a huff, and continued down CityWalk toward our car in the employee parking lot at the other end . . .

            And to my bad luck, nothing I could say, or do, for the rest of the night could convince her that I had meant exactly what I said . . .

THE END

It's no line, but a fact, Jack, that Richard came up with the HOOK, LINE & SINKER combo to pull this trio of great pieces together. He inspired his own piece in one swell swoooosh right out of a special back pocket place in his subconscious . . . and then leadership conspired and fired up the more the piece Jeanette had ready, waiting and in store. While I was out of town checkin' in on Mom and Dad in the Ohio homelands, our jaunty Mr Johnson recruited and fast-suited the supremely talented writer feller in his office to finish off the trio to triumph. All this harbingers swell.

But Wait! The credits are still rolling:

RICHARD M. JOHNSON is a writer/actor/photographer/producer/director... Although he prefers the word raconteur. (It's simpler and rolls easier off the tongue.) His writing can be found in the "6S Book of Love", "6S Volume 3", in the anthologies "Meeting Across the River" and "The Story Salon Big Book of Stories" -- All available at Amazon. If you want to read more for free, you can go to Hot Valley Writers on the web and look in their back issues for Volume 1/Number 3, Volume 3/Number 1 and Volume 3/Number 2, and he has a new story up at Six Sentences > RIGHT HERE! - Which is kind of the epilogue to this story.

Thanks again Richard for casting out

this memorable combo creation!

~ Absolutely*Kate
and our fine staff of renown 

*AT THE BIJOU*