“Cut” the director called.

  The giant, robotic T-rex stopped moving and clanked to the ground. I saw my agent at the snack table eating to his hearts content, the lard bucket. Angrily I ripped off the bird head that hid my own and stomped over to him.

  “How could you do this? ” I demanded “You ass! I am a drama actor. Not someone who does stupid kiddy shows”

  He continued to stuff his face. I knocked the food from his hands and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

 “Are you listening to me?  I have told you repeatedly that I want a real job! You get off your lazy fat ass and find me a real job or you are done! You are the one who said that if I left my brother’s company I would have better job opportunities. Is this the best you can do? ” 

I shoved the bird head in his face. It was a really fake one with googly eyes and brightly colored feathers glued on. The beak was made from a piece of cardboard box cut into a shape of a beak, was painted, and taped to the head.

  I pulled it from his face and said sternly, “You get me a job, a real one. Give me the proper information. That means the real time I have to be there, the script a week before, and make it fast or your gone. I don’t care how much you beg or plead. And I don’t want to catch you with the food ever again!”

  Later that day I placed my bag on the ground of my apartment. I flopped down on my musty old daybed and turned on the TV. What day was it?  I hit the display button twice and the date and time showed on the corner of the screen. Wednesday. There wasn’t anything good on till at least an hour. I lay back and stared at the ceiling; paper cranes hung there. I made so many of them I don’t even know how many were there. I made them for no reason. I made them, and now they hung there slowly turning in circles to the point where the string was so twisted that it would change direction.

  Then it hit me, “Wednesday! My brother was bringing my little niece and nephew over today”. How could I forget! I hastily began to clean the messy apartment. I gathered all the clothes from the floor and shoved them in the already full hamper. I went into the only bedroom and pulled the two cots out. I made them ready to sleep on. Then in the small kitchen I set to work making a meal. I was just about done heating the soup when I heard a knock on the door followed by the shouts of two small voices “Auntie Marie, Auntie Marie, it’s us!”
 I left the soup and went to the door. The two tiny kin bounded in laughing and running around. Ace walked in carrying two backpacks stuffed with toys and a suitcase. “These are the essentials they packed and this is the essentials Ginny and I packed. Now Jason’s meds are in there and Kristen has this rash on her arm so we packed a little cream for it. Just put it on and try to keep her from scratching”

  I chuckled “You worry wart. This will be easier than taking care of Lydia and Nick”

  “I’m not a worry wart. So what’s up with you?”

  “Oh, I got another bad job”

  “Why don’t you just fire the guy?”

  “I’m giving him one more chance”

  “Why don’t you come over to my set?  I’m starting a new picture. It’s called Oh Hapless Bird”

  “Please don’t talk to me about birds. I was one all day today”

  “Just read the script. I’m sure you’ll like it”

  “Alright, I’ll take a look”