Chapter 37 Lets Talk
The chill off the river started to jog memories. Many of those memories were good, and quite a few were bad. Many revolved around this piece of ground, while others were involved with other parts of the country. Yet, somehow, in all the melancholy he always ended back here, on the River Court.
Sighing, he figured he could pack up his wife and his young daughter and leave here. Leave everything and start anew, and yet, somehow, and in some form, he would end up back here on this stretch of blacktop. It was a home away from home, a refuge and sometimes the place he had come to fear the most. But most of all it was where the broken road of his life kept leading him to.
"They told me you would be here," a male voice said from behind him. It sounded like it belonged to a man around his own age, there was a bit of sincerity in it and also a bit of slickness, a wheeler and dealer in the voice.
"It depends," Lucas replied.
"What does that depend on?" the voice asked back.
"On who you are, who you are looking for, who sent you, and what do you want," Lucas replied.
"My name is Julian Baker," he said, "I'm looking for Lucas Scott," was the second answer, "Someone named Haley sent me this way," and finally, "I'm the man that wants to produce a movie based on your first book."
"Well, Mister Baker, someone already tried, and they pretty much failed to get out of the gate on the movie," Lucas answered.
"Well, they had big name actors, and no script or budget to speak of. Also Vincent Chase isn't the most stable actor out there. He probably slept with half the cast before they even did costume fittings."
Lucas laughed, "What you're saying doesn't help your case any," Lucas said, still not turning to face him.
"The way I see your story is that it is down and dirty, basics, a kid discovering himself. Also, I wouldn't be looking at big name stars, most are too old anyways. I'd want fresher, young, hungry talent, to play these characters that are hungry. Hungry to find themselves to stand out, to reach for their dreams," Julian said.
Lucas snorted, "Yeah, but what is the price you pay for getting your dreams?" he asked.
Julian walked over and took a seat next to him, "Look if you're scared that we'd butcher your material, we can write in some controls, but I really want to do this movie," he said.
Lucas shrugged, "Do you know how many times that I've heard that line? How many times I've sat here with someone asking me the same thing, Mister Baker," he said.
"How can I prove that this is different, that the movie will be made and it will be made right?"
"I don't even know if you have the right vision for what my story needs. The story is deeply personal and in fact several of my closest friends and relatives also see it as a very close and personal story. You'll have to be accepted in this group of friends before I can even accept you to make this story. They all have to be comfortable with you," Lucas said.
"I'll do what you want me to do, I really want to make this movie and tell this story," he said.
Lucas nodded, "Well, simple, come back in May and spend the summer with us," Lucas said.
"What?" Julian asked.
"You heard me, get to know us and let us get to know you," Lucas said, and stood up and faced Julian for the first time, "Then we can talk about the movie," he finished and walked away, figuring that everything was done, and there would be no more talk of movies.