A Once in a Lifetime Experience
Chapter One
Katherine Peterson sat alone in the darkened theatre, watching a painfully mediocre movie flash across the screen. The rest of the audience was long gone. They had flooded out about five minutes in.
"Phff!" she sniffed. "No-one appreciates real art anymore." She sighed to herself. On the screen, there was a man, with handsome, prominent features, and a smile that lit up the entire room. His name was Edward D. Wood Jr. Some said he was the worst filmmaker of all time. But not Katherine. She was a big fan. The biggest, in fact. Probably one of the only fans, she reminded herself mutinously. Ed Wood wasn't exactly the most brilliant moviemaker of his time, to put it mildly. However, she thought, he was the one with the most inextinguishable dreams--and a taste for women's clothes. That was the premise of Ed's newest movie, Glen or Glenda. He had a certainâfondness for angora, and he decided, as a way to inform the public without actually mentioning his own name, that he'd write, direct and star in a movie depicting what he-as a transvestite-went through every day. Katherine was hit with a tidal wave of admiration. In her eyes, Ed was fearless. Most men would shudder to tell anyone-let alone Hollywood executives-that they liked girl's clothes, but Edâoh!
Determined not to be discouraged by the constant doors slammed in his face at the idea of Glen or Glenda, he kept trying, and finally got somewhere! But unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain, as the movie was a flop. A stabbing pang of sympathy hit Katherine hard. She knew the ups and downs of the film industry very well. At one time, she'd been an aspiring young actress, and everyone was sure that she'd make one big picture and her career would skyrocket from that point on. One problem, though. The first movie that she'd chosen to make was terrible, and maybe twenty people in all of Los Angeles had gone to see it. After that, she'd even been refused the part of a solitary secretary, clicking away in the background, as the handsome male lead sloppily kissed the pretty, strong-willed female starâshe grimaced and balled her hand into a fist. The time to hold grudges was not now, she reminded herself sternly. Her heart really went out to Ed, and she wished she could tell him so, but she didn't know where to find him.
She whimpered as she thought of Ed's girlfriend, Dolores Fuller. She was in all of his movies. She was beautiful, talented, and Katherine, in spite of herself, knew that she'd be a star someday. In fact, she quite reminded Katherine of that "female star" that she'd been lamenting about only a moment before. But in spite of all this, no matter what Dolores said, Katherine could se that-in truth-she didn't really support Ed. In fact, Katherine thought she was threatened by the fact that her boyfriend had a better sense of style than she did! She sniffed disapprovingly. Dolores acted as though she knew that Ed would be around forever, so she just ignored him. Katherine's insides burned and writhed with anger. The man that she loved shouldn't be treated that way by anyone, especially his girlfriend! If I were his girlfriend, she griped stormily, as a hot, angry tear slipped stealthily down her face at the injustice of it all, I'd never take Ed for granted like Dolores! I'd always care for him and support him no matter what! At that, she stood and left the theatre, with a last glance at Ed's deep, passionate eyes. She looked up into a clear, starlit sky. A shooting star whizzed overhead. She decided, even though she knew she was being childish, that she'd make a wish. "It's worth a try!" she giggled gently, and whispered, "I wish that I were Edward D. Wood Jr.'s girlfriend, just for a day, so that I could show him what real love feels like." Katherine beamed sheepishly up at the glittery sky, her pretty face aglow with girlish giddiness.
Maybe it was the shooting star, or maybe the passion that she had for Ed, or perhaps the desire to prove to herself that she was better than Dolores at something, even if that something wasn't acting, but some unknown force was behind Katherine's wish, seemingly egging it on, almost willing it to come true, and the next day, Katherine's life would be changed forever.
