The following is a type of alternate universe... sort of. Due to the fact that it is my sole desire to screenwrite for JAG, I decided to come up with a story that describes me meeting the crew of JAG (rather accidently) and the situations that take place afterwards. I would like to stress that this story revolves around me as a central character (cheesy, perhaps, but something that I have been thinking about doing for quite some time). Further, as this story does revovle around me, many themes will be central to my own life, namely my faith in Christ. If ya'll have a problem with this... then don't read it. However, I do believe (cockiness aside) that good writing will be prevelant within the following stories. That said, "Buckle your seatbelts, a new JAG (literally!) is about to take off!).
JAG: Jaidyn Style
After driving past the same insipid billboard for the fifth time, I finally broke down crying. Pulling off to the side on the busy California highway was quite the task, but once there the cries turned into hysterical sobs.
The choice to move to California to pursue my master's in screenwriting had been mine and mine alone. My family wanted me to teach, namely because it was the family profession. I had put my time in with teaching, getting a degree in Secondary English Education and Communications and even teaching at a boarding school for a time. Now, I wanted to pursue my own desires. I knew I could write. People told me I could write. I was going to write.
Before I could write, however, I had to overcome the task of actually finding the college where I would work... not the easiests of tasks coming from a small town where the only thing confusing was the occasional one way streets and roads with no names.
Glancing in my rearview mirror to see how difficult it would be to pull into the 7-lane highway, my breath caught in my throat. Someone had pulled up behind me and was getting out of their car. Please, God, don't let it be a terrorist...or a murder... or... or...
Hoping beyond hope that God had heard my prayer, I cautiously rolled down my window a few inches while simultaneously locking my door.
"Hi, can I help you?" The words registered before the face did. I suddenly realized that I was looking into the face of David James Elliot, alias Harmon Rabb Jr. Again, I found myself not able to breathe.
For some reason the sobs started again. Leaning against the stearing wheel, I burried my head in my arms, not able to think.
"Hey... it's okay. I can help you if you need me to. Is there someone I can call? How can I help you?"
After a few minutes of sobs and David trying desperately to calm me down, I slowly unlocked and opened my door. David moved out of the way and then came and knelt beside me, placing a hand on my knee.
Looking me directly in the eye, he asked again, "How can I help you?"
Oh boy... where did I start? Did I indulge the fact that all I wanted to do was screenwrite for the TV show that he just happened to be in? Would he leave me to my own non-existent resources if I told him that?
"I... I'm lost."
"Where do you need to get to?"
My voice broke before the next words came out of my mouth. "UCLA. I am going to college there."
"Oh, sweetie, you're about an hour away from there yet." Checking his watch, he noticed the time: approximately 8:00 pm. "Listen, have you had dinner yet?"
Again, my voice broke slightly. "Umm... no. I ate around noon."
"Right now, you're in Valencia. That's where I live. We're about fifteen-twenty minutes from my house. I am sure that my wife wouldn't mind one more for dinner? Do you want to join us?"
Everything in me told me to say no. He was a strange man; my mother would have a fit.
The non-rational side of me, however, screamed "yes!" I hadn't eaten in quite some time. I was stressed to the max, not to mention my leg kept cramping due to the lack of room from all of the stuff in my car.
"Ye... yes, thank you."
"Great. Umm... how about you follow me. There is a police station not too far from here. We can leave your car there, and you can grab your essentials. You don't look like you're in too much of a position to drive and I don't want to lose you. Is that okay?"
I had already spoken too much. Nodding my head, I agreed.
"Alright, I am going to pull around so I can be in front of you. When I go, you go. I will make sure there is enough room for both of us, okay?"
Again, I nodded. David stood up and closed my door, locking it as well. I watched him as he went to his car and pulled in front of me. The drive to the police station was a blur. I followed him as he said, but I couldn't have repeated directions from where we had come. Grabbing my purse from my car, I felt his hand on my back. Startled I jumped and backed into my car, as if trying to move away.
"Didn't mean to scare you. I just called my wife and told her the situation. She suggested you grab some clothes and other essentials for night and spend the night. Personally, I agree with her. Unless you need to be there tonight?"
I shook my head in the negative and grabbed my backpack and threw in a few clothes and my toothbrush.
David waited until I was ready and then walked me over to his car. Opening the door for me, he waited until I got in, gave me a worried look and then closed the door. A few seconds later, he climbed in on the driver's side. I think he wanted to ask me questions, but he could tell that I didn't really want to talk. The silence and warmth of his car encouraged me to drift into a nap. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head against the back of the seat.
To be continued... Reviews appreciated ï
