The Plan

The beer was good; Jackie went to the fridge and took another one. She then hopped back up on her perch by the Kitchen Island. The memories were so bittersweet. Wave after wave of nostalgia washed over her. If only she could go back.

Go back. She thought. And then the thought of why can't I go back? It had been eight years, but things did not change that much in Point Place. That's it. She would go back. Jackie jumped up and headed for the phone to make reservations; then came to a screeching halt. By going back she would cause the one thing she wanted to avoid; a lot of media attention. They would follow her to Point Place and her idea would be ruined.

Then it hit her; she would not be Jackie Burkhart. Jackie ran up to her room and decided to put her vivid imagination to work. Jackie stood in front of her mirror, what could she be? Then the idea exploded in her mind. In one of her first films she played a coed from UCLA. That is what she would be.

One thing Jackie knew and that was hair and makeup. On more than one occasion she had told the makeup artists that they had her all wrong and re did it herself. When done the skeptical makeup artists gave her a round of applause. On another movie Jackie did not like how the actress who was playing her sister hair looked. She stepped in back of the girl and told hair stylist let me. And when done the girls hair was totally different and perfect for the role. Jackie was told if she wasn't an actress she would have been queen of makeup and hair. One time when bored she tried to get on a makeup crew for a movie. Local 706 of their union went nuts. They told her she had to be an apprentice and join their union and also that she would be taking the food out of some ones mouth. Stick to acting she was told.

Now she had to transform herself from the glamorous Jackie Burkhart to a young UCLA college student. First the hair. She had beautiful hair that cascaded to her shoulders. So she took her shoulder length tresses and braided them into a sloppy French braid. Skillfully she applied her makeup to take attention away from her most recognizable features. The eyes. The famous miss matched eyes. Jackie thought for a moment and realized she had some blue contacts she took from a movie set. Actually she forgot she was wearing them and went home with the contacts still in her eyes. Jackie searched around her bathroom cabinets till she found the contacts. She put them in and looked at herself in the mirror. Jackie smiled. Just one more thing and she rummaged around and came up with a pair of rimless spectacles. The lens were clear glass; another movie prop. Jackie looked in the mirror; she was no longer Jackie Burkhart movie actress; she was now Beulah Burkhart; student. No one but no one knew that was her middle name. Jackie had the foresight of getting her driver's license with that name.

The next thing she needed to do was to use cash as much as possible so she needed to go to the bank, or better yet have her agent bring her the money and she could get a ride to the airport with him.

The happy Jackie dialed the familiar number and was rewarded by her agent Sal. Who answered Darling what can I do for you?"

"Sal I need you to go to the bank and withdraw five thousand dollars. Some of it should be in small old bills and then when you get here take me to the airport."

"Jackie my princess it's only a few days before Christmas and I am getting ready to go shopping. Can't you wait till tomorrow?"

Even though she was lonely and nostalgic a lot of her demanding personality was still intact. "Sal, what is ten percent of nothing?"

"Nothing?" He said.

"Right, be here in an hour.

Jackie called United Airlines and booked a flight from Los Angles to Milwaukee at four PM. That gave her three hours. Jackie ran to her large walk in closet and dug deep and found a lot of the clothes she arrived in Hollywood with. Plus she grabbed Faded Jeans and to her delight she found a UCLA sweat shirt. Something else she had purloined from that movie set. It was cold in Wisconsin and undoubtedly buried in snow. Jackie found her old boots gloves and coat. Everything was shoved into an old navy sea bag Red had given her years ago. She couldn't pick it up, but she could drag it.

Jackie went downstairs to await the arrival of her agent. Forty five minutes later she heard the knock on her door and let Sal in. He took one look at her. "What in the hell are you doing? Are you practicing for some role I don't know about?"

"Sal my bag is in my room. It's an old navy sea bag; would you please get it."

"Where are you going Jackie? Are you Jackie? You don't look like Jackie."

"Sal, give me the money, get my bag and don't worry about it." Jackie was actually very fond of Sal and they had an interesting relationship. She knew that he would do anything for her. "Look Sal." She said softening her tone. "When I figure it out I will let you know."

Jackie was quiet during the ride to the airport. She was getting into her role as a shy young coed. The thought that she could not pull it off never entered her mind. She was good and she knew it. "Sal, when we get to the airport don't go to the VIP entrance. Just drop me off in front of United Airlines."

Jackie, I hope you know what you are doing?"

"I do, don't worry about it.

Beulah Burkhart

Sal arrived at the United Airlines departure entrance. He jumped out of his car and took the sea bag out and set it on the curb. "Jackie you're scaring me."

Jackie who was now Beulah ignored him. She turned and smiled. "Thanks for the lift Mister. I appreciate it." Then turned and started dragging the sea bag behind her.

"Jackie, Jackie, come on Jackie." The retreating form never even turned around and acknowledged him.

The line for the flight to Milwaukee was not long and Jackie got in line and sat on her sea bag. Eventually it was her turn at the window. "Reservation to Milwaukee for Beulah Burkhart. The reservations clerk looked up and then checked her list. That will be one hundred and sixteen dollars and thirty four cents. Jackie took a wallet out of her worn purse and slowly counted out One hundred sixteen dollars and Thirty four cents. When she was done there as a pile of tens, fives and ones with some change in front of the clerk.

The clerk sighed and counted the money. "Miss you're a dollar short. Jackie rummaged around her jean pockets and finally came up with the missing dollar and presented it to the clerk with a flourish. "Sorry. My mistake here you go."

The clerk looked at her for a minute "Miss if you don't mind me asking is that your last dollar?"

"No, I have three more dollars."

"The clerk was taking pity on the scruffy young girl. Is there someone meeting you in Milwaukee?

Jackie's whole face lit up. "Yes my boy friends parents. He is stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. I haven't seen him in six months. I am so excited" And Jackie broke out in an ear to ear grin.

The clerk smiled at her. "You know you have the same last name as a famous movie actress."

"Yes." Jackie replied. Jackie Burkhart; I go to all her movies. In fact some people tell me I look like her."

The clerk looked at the young rather plain girl in front of her and thought. Not in your wildest dreams honey. But she liked the young earnest girl. "Look, this flight is nowhere near full. I am upgrading you to First Class. Merry Christmas."

"Oh, I have never flown first class before. Thank you, oh thank you. You have no idea, how much I appreciate this."

"No problem Beulah, enjoy your flight and Merry Christmas.

Jackie had the gentleman behind her help her put the sea bag on the scale and took her first class ticked and walked to the departure gate. Jackie was smiling. I am a friggin awesome actress.

The stewardess directed her to first class when she boarded. The other first class passengers looked at her and wondered how this rag a muffin of a girl was flying first class. Jackie walked around first class in awe and when the stewardess approached her she stuck out her hand. "Hi I'm Beulah and this is the first time I have ever flown first class. Is there anything I am supposed to know or do?"

The stewardess looked at the young girl who was obviously awed by her surroundings and took her hand and let her to an empty seat. "Beulah, Just sit here and we will take care of everything for you.

Jackie settled into her seat; very pleased with herself. She loved acting. If the stewardess actually knew who she really was she would probably faint.

Now for the next problem. She thought. How exactly was she going to make her appearance in Point Place. Of course she was going to continue the Beulah persona, but how would she get to meet everyone? The Forman's, She knew they loved her like a daughter and she knew that even though she hurt them when she never came back nor called, that she would be forgiven. Jackie had called ahead and made a reservation in a nondescript motel; she also reserved a car in her name Beulah Burkhart. Jackie would pick up the car and check into the motel and then take a ride past the Forman's house and see who was there. She wanted to meet them alone. No Steven, No Eric, just alone.

The stewardess in first class took pity on the frightened young girl who was flying first class for the first time and doted over her to the point Jackie felt guilty. When her filet mignon was served Jackie ordered a glass of red wine. The stewardess looked at her and finally said. Are you even old enough to have a drink? Jackie was twenty eight; a ripple of pleasure coursed through her body. She pointed to her sweatshirt. I am a junior at UCLA.

The Stewardess chuckled and said "I guess it will be alright." And fetched Jackie her glass of wine.

The plane landed and Jackie thanked the stewardess profoundly and told her that she made a frightened young girl feel at home. The stewardess gave her a little hug and told her to be careful and wished her a Merry Christmas.

Once Jackie deplaned she went to the baggage area and found her sea bag and started dragging it across the terminal. A young sailor approached her and took it out of her hands and slung it over his shoulder. "Where to?" Startled Jackie looked at him and said." I am going to rent a car." That was inane she thought.

"Hey my name is Bill and as you can see I am in the Navy. What is your name?"

Jackie smiled up at him. "Beulah and I go to college and she quickly added I have a boyfriend."

That's Okay, I have a girlfriend. I would just hope someone would help her if she was struggling like you. Rent your car, I'll walk with you and put the sea bag in your trunk. Is your boyfriend in the navy?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well you don't often see girls dragging sea bags around."

"Jackie was going to say that her boyfriend was in the navy. Then she realized that would open up a whole line of questioning. "No, I bought it at a thrift shop in Los Angles."

"Oh okay."

They arrived at the Hertz car rental desk and Jackie showed the bored clerk her license; which he barley glanced at and handed her the keys after she paid him. She walked to the rental area and found her car. The sailor put the bag in the trunk. Jackie thanked him and then impulsively asked him why he was hanging around the airport.

"I was getting ready to take a cab over to the train station and I saw you. You looked like you needed a hand so I decided to give you one."

Jackie sized the young sailor up. "Hop in; I'll drive you to the station." Jackie was fairly familiar with Milwaukee and knew where the station was.

The sailor chatted about his girlfriend during the ride and told Jackie that his leave started after Christmas and he would see her for New Years. Jackie spied a little restaurant that she knew had the best hamburgers and fries in the world. "Come on I'll buy you a burger."

They entered the cozy little restaurant and ordered two beers while they waited for their hamburgers. Bill took out his wallet and showed Jackie pictures of his girlfriend. Bill's girlfriend was a pretty girl with long blonde hair and a nice smile.

Jackie was very pleased with herself. Not even once did the sailor suspect she was the famous Jackie Burkhart. The sailor was funny and had Jackie laughing throughout their meal. This is what she craved. A normal fun time with a normal fun guy. If Bill knew who she was, he would clam up and not be the nice fun guy she was sharing a meal with. "Okay sailor; I have the check and let's go."

"No Beulah, where I come from the man always pays for the lady."

Jackie put her purse down and smiled." Your girlfriend is a lucky gal."

When they arrived at the train station Jackie jumped out of the car and opened the trunk. The sailor reached in and grabbed his bag. "Thank you Beulah for the ride. I appreciate it."

"Bill I appreciate the help you gave me with my bag. Have a Merry Christmas." Jackie then stood on her tip toes and kissed the tall sailor on the cheek. "Take care Bill and thank you."

Before the young sailor could answer she jumped into the car and drove away.

I should win an Oscar for this performance. She thought to herself. Jackie was touched by his kind gesture.

Well a one and a half hour drive and she would be in Point Place. Jackie was tingling with anticipation.

To Be Continued…