Chapter 3
Cross Examination

"Well, hello there!"
Startled, I look up and force a smile when I recognize Katherine Parkinson – an old … can I call her … friend?
"Hi, Kathy," I greet her.
"Long time no see," Kathy says as she sits down beside me. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm …"
"You are not still an extra, are you?" Kathy asks, palming her face. "Oh, God, that must do your head in!"
"I …"
"You know I'm an actress now?" Kathy continues. "I portray Kitty Riley in this episode."
"Yeah, I saw you in the public gallery before," I reply. "I was one of the jury members."
"Right … and how long have you been an extra?"
"Supporting artist," I improve.
"How long have you been doing that now?"
"About …"
"I only did it 18 months and then I was plucked out of the cesspool," Kathy interrupts. "No disrespect."
I shake my head.
"None taken."
Kathy leans in to me.
"Now, guess what," she whispers.
"What?"
"I have got a scene with Benedict Cumberbatch later," Kathy informs me.
"Okay," I reply, unimpressed.
Kathy beams.
"God, he is gorgeous," she gushes. "Don't you think?"
I shrug, evenly.
"Well, I just did a scene with him …"
"Yeah, but … I mean, I have got an actual scene with dialogue," Kathy explains. "Not just a fuzzy blob in the background. No disrespect."
I smile, humourlessly.
"None taken, again."
"Oh, hang on!" she says, when her phone starts ringing with an annoying melody, and pulls it out. "Oh, it's Kenny Bowers. I have just got to take this."
"Okay."
"Hello, darling," Kathy flirts into her phone and throws a couple of artificial laughs. "Listen, listen ... No, Ken, can I just call you back? Sorry, I'm just with a friend."
"It's all right," I hurry to say. "I'm all right."
"Yes, she is female," Kathy answers into her phone, then she turns to me. "Oh, he says can I take a picture of you? Hold on a sec, hang on."
Before I can object she has taken my picture with her camera phone.
"I will text it to you," she tells the man on the phone. "You are a dirty old man. Bye."
She hangs up and lowers her phone.
"Actually, he is not old," she informs me. "He is 28 and he has got his own yacht."
"Well done …"
"He is quite a catch, really," Kathy adds, but embarrassment is not too long in coming. "So where are you living at the moment? Have you got your own place?"
"Yes, I have got my own place," I confirm.
"'Cause you were renting before," Kathy continues. "That grotty little council place behind Tesco Express, if I remember correctly."
"I'm still there," I reply, dryly.
"You are well, though?" Kathy asks, concerned.
"Surprisingly, yes."
"Yeah, well, that's the main thing, isn't it?" Kathy responds. "Even if you have got nothing else, at least you have got your health, eh? At the moment …"
"Yeah."
"Talking of bad luck," Kathy goes on. "Did you hear about Joanna? Charles has left her for a younger model. She is devastated, honestly, all alone, crying herself to sleep every night in that big house. She has got her own house, at least, which is something."
"Good for her."
Again, Kathy's mobile is ringing.
"Oh, that will be Kenny again," Kathy supposes and glances at the display. "No. It's Susan."
She makes a dismissive gesture.
"Ah, never mind."
"You might as well take it," I tell her. "That's alright with me …"
Kathy contemplates, then she picks up and for about five minutes I have to listen to her jabbing, until she finally comes to an end.
"Okay," she says, chuckling. "No, okay, bye. Bye."
With a sigh, she presses a button on her phone and looks at me.
"Sorry about that," she apologizes. "Just a call to do a small part in a film, but I just had to let them down. I'm too busy, you know …"
I nod, understandingly.
"I wonder if they would want you," Kathy muses.
"I wouldn't have thought so," I reply.
"Oh, hang on," Kathy says, quickly. "Why don't I give them a call?"
"No," I refuse, but Kathy doesn't want to hear of it.
"Oh, come, come, let me try to help my bloody mates," she says, mildly, as she dials a number. "God knows, you need the help."
"But I'm not even a proper actress," I add for consideration.
"Yeah, hang on," Kathy tells me. "Hi, Susan, listen, about that job … I have got a friend who is available and I was wondering … does she have to be good looking?"
I frown.
"Oh, does she?" Kathy says with a sigh. "Oh … Oh, I don't know, mid 40s, perhaps."
I take a deep breath.
"I'm 38," I mumble, but Kathy is discussing another thing already.
"I would say … mousy," Kathy supposes, examining my hair.
"Blonde," I improve.
"But she is a lovely girl," Kathy insists. "Great personality and absolutely desperate for anything."
She bites her lips.
"No?" she asks. "All right … well, I tried … Okay, cheers."
She hangs up and looks at me, apologetically.
"Sorry about that," she says. "It's not your lucky day, I guess."
"Apparently."
"And unfortunately I have got to leave you now," Kathy says in a regretful tone, standing. "I have got to get prepared for my big scene with Benedict."
"Yeah, of course you do."
Kathy smiles at me, broadly, and so do I as I watch her walk away.
Alone again – finally, some good news …