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43
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Ed showed up to Howard's filming studio, excited about their filming and ready for anything in store for them.
He sat in a director's chair with another empty director's chair next to it (that one being Howard's) and waited along anxiously. Howard was talking to the set workers, explaining how everything should be placed and so on. Ed watched Howard speak from a distance and, even though he could not hear what he was saying, he could tell from the hand gestures that Howard was making to the set workers that it was probably something really smart.
Howard spread his hands apart from eachother, gesturing a long object to the set workers. "I want a foot-long sub for lunch, okay? You got that?" He looked behind his shoulder and saw Ed sitting in the director's chair watching him, gave him a friendly smile, then turned back to the set workers. "Make that two," he said holding up two fingers to the workers. "Ham and swiss on a rye bread. And a side of coleslaw. And some soda. Is that clear?"
The set workers nodded in unison. "We got it all down, Mr. Brinkley."
Howard nodded to himself, proudly. "Good." Then he began to the director's chairs to join up with Ed.
As he approached the empty chair, Ed said, "Some pretty hard stuff, directing. Eh?" Howard eased himself down into the chair, which was looking to be too small for a man of his... physique.
"Darn chair..." Howard muttered, then looked up at Ed. "Oh, yes. Yes. Quite a doozy."
"Yeah. But you looked like you really had it under control over there. I'm sure everything's gonna work out fine."
"Uh, yeah. Those guys were all over the place... but I set them straight, I did. Yep yep."
"Well, anyways, I guess we should start filming now." Ed rolled up his sleeve to look at his watch, then put it back down and continued, "We're already off schedule."
"Off schedule?" Howard asked, fidgeting around in his too-tight-of-a-fit chair that was pinching areas of him that he didn't think Nadia had ever even pinched before. He groaned and lifted up his sleeve to look at his watch as well. "Ed, you're crazy. We've got plenty of time. Ouch!"
"Tsk, Tsk, Mr. Brinkley. If you want this film completed by the end of next week you're going to have to get a move on."
Howard shook his head and sighed, annoyed at both Ed and the chair. But the chair was winning by a long shot. "Edward, I know you want to call the shots here but... well... this sort of is my movie, you know. You're just like... helping. So when I say something, that's what we go by and that's it."
Ed scoffed at Howard. Outrage and anger had replaced his anxiousness. "I... I'm just going to step out for a little bit, if you don't mind," Ed said, got up from his seat and moped away slowly, Howard watching him disappear into one of the empty makeup rooms. The door shut and then there was nothing to look at but the painted surface.
Ed slouched against the wall of the room. He put a hand to his cheek and began to think. A depressed look came upon his normally handsome face.
He wondered what he had gotten himself into... Wondered if maybe he should just get up and leave and never come back. Howard would be better without him, he supposed. Yes. He would leave and rid Howard of all annoyances and nuisances that were associated with Edward D. Wood Junior.
He straightened out and away from his slouching on the wall and stood for a brief moment. He was just about to start out of the door, when he felt his legs become all rubbery and with a loss of feeling.
"Oh, I've gone and stressed myself out now," Ed said to himself quietly. Holding onto the wall for support, he staggered over to the makeup counter which had a row of chairs placed in front of a large mirrored area outlined with bright circular lightbulbs, and collapsed into one of the chairs.
"Oh! I'm swooning!" Ed said dramatically, though in a soft voice. He quickly began fanning himself with his hand, hoping it would reverse his sudden fainting feelings.
After the light dizzy spell wore off, he leaned his elbows on the makeup counter, placed his head in his hands and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Such strange things, mirrors, he thought. He blinked and watched the reflection blink back. He winked and the reflection kindly winked back.
"You copycat," he said to the reflection, playfully. He was beginning to forget all of his woes.
He stuck his tongue out and the man in the mirror did so as well.
He was studying his tongue when all of a sudden: "That's no way to stick out a tongue, boy. You'll never frighten anyone like that. You've got to do it like this..."
Shocked and confused, Ed turned to look at the empty chair next to him, only it was not empty anymore. If was filled with... Bela Lugosi!
"Bela!" Ed said, amazed. He surveyed Bela, who was sticking his tongue out at him, and noticed that for some reason he just didn't look right. He looked very worn... very pale... and there was this unmistakable quality of... transparency.
"Bela? Is that you? Or have I gone crazy?"
"A little bit of both, Eddie. A little bit of both."
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be... um..." Ed could not bring himself to say the words, but with his index finger he pointed to the ground as if to signify 'six feet under'.
"Oh, I am. But I'm not really even here anyways. This is just your imagination."
Ed nodded. "Ahh... I see."
"Yes... Well, I saw that you were having some trouble and I just wanted to stop by to give you a few pointers."
"Well, point away."
"You seem to be getting worked up over silly things. Why is that, my boy?"
"Oh, Bela. It's so great to hear that lovely Hungarian accent of yours again. I've missed it so, you know."
"Yes, yes. This lovey-dovey crap is really wonderful but I don't have all day, you know. A spirit's got a hectic schedule. Fuck. Let's get on with it. Now, tell me. Why does it make you so upset?"
"I dunno... It's like... this whole time we've been working together as a team and then all of a sudden he springs this on me. I mean, I thought I had some say in things. He never said that he was calling all the shots."
"Did he?" Bela asked, precariously.
"No. Never."
"Well then, think back. Think back to the first time that he called you. What were his exact words?"
Ed summoned his memory of his and Howard's first conversation and clearly remembered Howard saying,
'I thought that it would be great if you could assist me with some of it'
Bela looked at Ed sternly. "See, Eddie? Assisting with some of it is hardly the same thing as making important decisions. If there's anyone to blame for miscommunication, I'm afraid it's you, my boy."
Ed thought it over for a moment, then it all clicked and he looked up at Bela. "Wow, Bela. I didn't realize that. You've really opened up my eyes! Thank you so much. What could I ever do to repay you?"
"You could get me a fucking bigger coffin, Christ almighty! Jesus is that thing ever cramped! Talk about small! There's no fucking space in that goddamned thing!"
Ed looked down at his feet, ashamed at the words that came from Bela's mouth. He was a nice guy, but he always had to use such... icky words. Ed cleared his throat and Bela looked at Ed, ashamed of himself as well.
"Hah, I'm just pulling your leg anyways, Eddie. I'm dead, remember? I don't need anything. But thanks for asking."
"You are? Oh, yeah... My imagination. Aw, cracker jacks..." Ed said, gloomily. He looked up at Bela with bright, yet teary eyes. "Well, you'll visit me again, won't you? Say you will."
"I don't know about that."
Without thinking, Ed suddenly reached a hand out and grabbed Bela's own hand. But it simply went through just as though Bela's had been made of fog.
"Goodbye Eddie, my dear."
"Goodbye," Ed said sadly. "Thanks bunches. You've really made me feel tons better."
"Don't mention it, kid," Bela said and vanished into thin air.
Ed stood up, forgetting of his previous swooning incidents, marched to the door and pulled it open. He stood in the doorframe for a moment, feeling a power surge through himself, then continued back to Howard and the director chairs. He sat down next to Howard without a word.
Howard looked at him. "You okay?"
"Never felt better."
"You know, when I was alone here, I got to thinking. And maybe I was being a little too harsh. Besides, if we shoot it your way we'll save tons of bucks. You're a genius."
Ed simply sat there and smiled.
"Thanks, Bela," He whispered to himself.