Macdonald Hall #6: Lights, Camera, Disaster!

At the Corner of Nothing and Nowhere

"You mean after all that you're still not in Academy Blues?" Boots asked in disbelief.

Bruno sighed wearily. "It's a conspiracy. You can't be in a stunt unless you belong to the stuntman's union. They should have told me that before they tried to blow me off the face of the earth."

"You're the one who made such a big deal about the scene where they were fixing the sewer pipe. You said, 'How can it be broken if it didn't break yet?' Well, today it broke."

"Yeah," said Bruno. "But nobody said it was going to break on me. Who would have thought one little grapefruit could do so much damage?"

"You've got no right to complain!" said Boots hotly.

"You make your own problems. Mr. Dinkman didn't exactly handcuff you to that bike and push you down the hill, you know."

Bruno crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to his ears. "You've made your point, Boots. And let me tell you, I am finished with the movie business! I don't want anything to do with an industry where they take a guy and put him through what I went through today, stuntman or not. I've never been so scared in all my life!"

"Boy, was Mr. Dinkman ever mad!" said Boots.

"No kidding. He said it's going to cost eighty thousand dollars to reshoot that scene." Bruno sighed heavily. "At least he's not telling The Fish. That would be the finishing touch to this perfect day. I'd get on that bike again before I'd face The Fish over this."

"Lucky for us, so would Dinkman, " Boots replied. "The Fish would kick the whole movie company out if he knew one of us got caught in a stunt, even if it was our fault." He climbed into bed and reached for the lamp. He paused. "I guess Jordie's not coming. "

"Guess not," mumbled Bruno sleepily.

Boots hesitated. "Maybe we should go over there, and — you know — say good-bye."

"Not me," was Bruno's reply. "Cutesy knows where to find us. If he didn't come, it's because he wasn't interested."

"Yeah, but maybe with all the media people around he hasn't had a chance — "

"He's the big hotshot," said Bruno. "If he gets sick of doing interviews, he just has to say bug off'. Can we say that to our teachers when homework gets too heavy? Besides, if I get caught on the east lawn, I'm hamburger. Let Cutesy take some risks for a change.''

"Why are you being so stubborn?" asked Boots. "At least talk to the guy."

Bruno rolled over, and at first Boots thought his roommate was asleep. But then Bruno's voice reached him.

"Call me stupid, call me old-fashioned, call me a wimp — friendship is not a two-week hobby. Not even for movie stars."

Boots switched off the light, frowning. "I've got this weird feeling we forgot to do something."

Bruno groaned. "Whatever it is, it can't be as important as me getting some rest. The sooner this lousy day ends, the better."

"Good night."

Bruno was already snoring.

***

They were awakened by an insistent banging at the door.

Bruno rolled over and opened one eye just a crack. It was pitch-dark. "Are you crazy?" he moaned plaintively. "It's the middle of the night!"

"It's four forty-five," came Mr. Fudge's voice. "Get up, Walton. We're leaving in fifteen minutes."

"The trip!" hissed Boots, darting to the bathroom and splashing cold water on his face.

"Oh, yeah, the trip," mumbled Bruno. "How could I forget about the — uh — uh — whatever it was — " He sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed. That was as far as he got. His upper body slumped back to the mattress.