The Backstage Raccoons Chapter 6
Written by Brother Ralph
Back at the studio the recently reunited gang had been separated again to continue filming 'Going It Alone'. Bert and Ralph had met up with Cyril and the pigs to film the scene where Cyril tries to stop Bert getting up the mountain and Ralph is in pursuit. Meanwhile Melissa and Schaeffer are on the other side of the studio filming her scene getting him to help them. Schaeffer was lying down asleep outside the tent and next to a warm fire.
'….and….ACTION!' the director shouted.
Melissa ran onto the set from the right.
'Schaeffer.' She whispered, and then a little louder, 'Schaeffer, we need your help.'
Schaeffer woke up and turned his head to look at her. 'Melissa? What's wrong?' he asked
'It's Bert. He's gone off to climb…' Melissa line was cut off by Broo running out of the tent and licking jumping into her arms.
'No Broo!'
He took no noticed and yapped happily away while licking her face.
'CUT…cut.' The whole team sighed again. This was a short scene and should be taken in one shot but Broo had messed it up for the fourth time. 'Never work with children!' the director was as frustrated as everyone. Broo had taken a liking to Melissa and all he seemed interested in was jumping on her at every opportunity. That was when he wasn't barking during people's lines or running madly around the set.
One of the writers came in and whispered something to the director. He nodded in agreement and turned back to Melissa and Schaeffer.
'Alright, we'll try this again tomorrow. Hopefully the little brat won't be so wound up by then. The others are ready for you two to join them so I guess we'll crack on with filming that section.'
Melissa's heart sank a little, she'd been glad to spend some time away from Ralph. But she supposed she'd be working with him for a long time yet, so she'd best just learn to live with it.
When she came round the corner Bert and Ralph were relaxing with a pair of cigarettes waiting for her and Schaeffer.
'Hi Melissa. So…er…didn't finish that scene with Broo eh?' Bert asked, 'Heh. Don't worry about it. I can't tell you much difficulty we had with him in The Lost Star. It took us ages to film!'
'So which scene are we skipping to?' she asked, trying to keep things strictly work related so that she didn't have to think about any social problems they were having.
Ralph spoke from his chair without looking at her. 'We're going to the part with Bert's stunt double. Apparently he's going to fly up out of that crevice by holding onto a pink balloon with his mouth. Then one of the pigs is going to shoot it with a pea shooter and he's going to fly off towards the top of the mountain. They've got 8 camera's set up so we've only got one shot at this.' Melissa noted how depressed he looked and sounded. She felt guilty that she'd hurt him, but also blamed him for the whole situation.
She was even considering saying something encouraging to him, hopefully they'd still come out of this as friends. But at that point the director came over and said.
'Now team, this is the big shot of the episode. Everyone thinks Bert has plummeted to his death so you are all relieved to see him. More than relieved, overjoyed, I don't want anybody holding back. Oh and by the way we've changed the script slightly. When we do a close up of the three of you on the cliff edge there are no hi-fives anymore. Schaeffer, you're just celebrating and waving your arms while you two hug each other. We're going to practice it now so you know exactly what to do. We only get one chance to do the real thing so get into position and we'll how it looks first'
Bert watched amusedly as Ralph, Melissa and Schaeffer clambered up to the fake cliff edge, looking down into a camera.
The director watched from behind a screen. "Ok, Bert's just rising up on the balloon…and…ACTION!"
Schaeffer raised his arms and cheered and Ralph put his arms around Melissa, pulling her into himself happily. Melissa laid her hands awkwardly on his shoulders, keeping a small distance between their faces.
"CUT!" the director came striding over "No..no…no. Melissa and Ralph, what was that? Aren't you happy your best friend is alive? You have to look happy! Hug each other"
The pair stood awkwardly looking at each other.
The director looked impatient "well, come on hug each other!"
They put their arms on each others shoulders. Ralph gave her a nervous smile while her expression remained solemn.
The director merely glared at them in exasperation. "Oh…come on guys! Where's the passion! Stand closer to each other." He demanded and Melissa felt Ralph step into her personal space. The director came over to the two and put one hand in each of the smalls of their backs, pushing them gently together until their white tummy's pressed against each other. The director turned their heads sideways and pushed them close together so that the couples' cheeks rubbed, and repositioned the arms around each others waists. He perfected their position as you would manipulate a doll. "There…perfect. I want you to get into this position when you see Bert rising, so remember every detail. Do try to smile though Melissa."
The couple stepped apart again and Ralph nodded that they were ready "OK, got it this time."
The director jogged back behind the screen. "OK everyone…and…ACTION"
Schaeffer repeated his previous movement professionally, and Ralph pulled Melissa into a tight hug, mimicking his half of the position perfectly. Melissa remained standing rigid, her arms by her side, her lower lip trembling as she tried to force herself to be affectionate. If she couldn't be affectionate to Ralph she knew she'd lose her job too.
"CUT! Melissa! What's going on with you?!"
Melissa stood trembling, looking helplessly at the director. Ralph stood in front of her and looked honestly into her eyes. "Melissa…please…tell me what's wrong so I can fix it." He pleaded with her.
"I'm sorry I just need a few moments…" Melissa said through a sob and ran off-set towards the women's toilets, hoping no-one would try to follow her.
She ran into the nearest cubicle and threw the small bolt across. Melissa put the toilet lid down and sat on it, holding her heavy head in her hands she let herself cry. This part had been so perfect, she'd wanted to give her best performance, and now this stupid event was ruining everything.
From where she sat she heard the bathroom door open and close and someone padded slowly across the room. She stopped crying and sniffed loudly. 'Hello?' she called inquisitively.
'Are you OK?' came a male voice from the other side of the door.
'Yeah I'm fine.' She said, but there was a noticeable quiver in her voice.
'Why don't you tell me about it?' the voice came again. It wasn't Bert or Ralph, and Melissa really did need to talk to someone. Perhaps it was because she didn't know the owner of the voice, perhaps it was because she couldn't see him, but whatever it was she found she was able to talk to him.
She told him about the club, and about how she felt people were seeing her as unattractive. She opened up to him, telling him how people never truly wanted her, they were just acting.
"Melissa…that's not true at all. Lots of people want you…" there was a long pause "…I want you".
Melissa looked up confusedly. She sniffed again and got up, slowly sliding the bolt back and opening the door. As she glanced out she saw Simon…poor sweet Simon…leaning against the wall and blushing furiously at what he's just said through the door.
"You're beautiful Melissa" he said frankly "Everyone knows that, I don't know how you've come to think they don't. I know what Ralph did. I watched him stumbling into the bathroom with her while we talked. But Melissa, he was so drunk he didn't know what was happening. I don't think he wanted Lisa at all! I think he wanted you."
Melissa felt tears welling in her eyes, the gentle meercat obviously finding this conversation difficult, but continuing for her sake. She moved over to him gratefully, giving the embarrassed meercat a warm hug, drying her tears onto his soft fur. She smiled at him. "Thank you Simon"
Simon smiled back down, awkwardly glancing to the sides "Ha,ha…it was…er…it was nothing."
"Simon…I…"
"It's OK Melissa." He interrupted her "You don't have to say it. I know it's him you want, not me. I film you…watch you together. How happy you look in your scenes with him, how close you get to him offstage. When you're together…you just don't have to act like you love him, because you do. And I think you should forgive his drunken mistake."
Melissa winced at the meercats pained words, but they struck true. She wondered how obvious she had been, or whether Simon was just extra sensitive to these things. "Can we be friends Simon?" she asked, wondering if he'd rather not be near her after she was with another man. However the friendly crewman nodded and said simply "I'd like that very much"
Melissa stepped back from him, brushed herself down and straightened her pink tanktop. She dabbed her eyes and checked herself in the mirror. "Right. Let's film this scene." She said confidently, feeling her strength returning.
Simon nodded to her, pleased with her return of colour. As she turned to leave the bathroom he quietly informed her "Ralph looks at you the same way. Go for it girl".
Without turning back she smiled to herself
Melissa returned to the set and the director immediately got up to lecture her.
"Melissa…can you tell me…" but she silenced him with a wave of her paw.
"Never mind" she said "Let's film it" she clambered up the fake cliff and took her position between Schaeffer and Ralph. The director looked at her a little uncertainly .
"OK Melissa but try to concentrate this time. Perhaps if you get the practice right before the end of today we might be able to film the scene properly tomorrow!"
"No." Melissa cut in again. She looked at Ralph and smiled. He saw her and a warm glow of hope seemed to flow through him as he wondered to himself whether he could still bring her back into his friendship. "Film the real shot now" she asserted recklessly.
The director looked a little concerned at taking such a risk, but seeing the two raccoons smiling at each other confidently he wondered if he ould catch that look on film. It would be perfect. He paused for a moment, and then slowly said "…alright…we'll do the real scene. But you'd better not choke guys…this is an expensive shot to screw up!"
He signalled the stunt Bert to get into position, and he attached himself to the pink balloon offscreen, currently held down with ropes.
"Everyone ready? Well then…I guess…ACTION!"
The ropes were cut and the balloon began rising with the stunt double holding onto it.
"Look!" Ralph cried "It's Bert!" Schaeffer celebrated, and Ralph punched the air before turning to his onscreen wife for a hug. The director also punched the air silently in success as Melissa hugged her friend passionately back, a huge grin of delight on her face. The shot was perfect.
Cyril sneer snapped back into the camera view, and shouted "What! He's still coming? He must be a cat in a raccoon skin suit!" followed by a pig with "Allow me sir!" The pig fired a pea at the balloon and they all held their breaths as they waited for it to hit. The stunt was pulled off marvellously and Bert went spiralling up towards the mountain top, or at least in the direction that the team were going to simulate the mountain top graphics.
"and CUT! Brilliant! Excellent work again!" the director advanced clapping the team. "Well done you two. Brilliant acting" He said fondly as Ralph and Melissa hugged each other again happily.
Melissa shook her head "No sir…we weren't acting at all" and grinned childishly back at Ralph as she slipped her paw comfortingly into his, noting the confused expression on his face.