Adventures of Hollywood Jim Ch. 69

"I'm not the first guy to make the trek to La-La-Land, you know." I said with my back to her as I started to refill my drink.

"True...but you're the only guy I've ever met with 'Hollywood or bust' written on the back of his Honda." she said behind me.

The words sent a thunderbolt through me.

"How do you know about that?" I slowly asked.

"Look on your wall." she said confidently as she pointed to a framed photo.

Sure enough, what she was implying all came together as I looked at the photo. It had been taken by my late business partner Chris Foster when I first arrived in Los Angeles. Just before I'd left home, Chris had the idea of writing 'Hollywood or Bust' on the trunklid just above the license plate, adding in a pair of huge tits in the middle of the word "bust". The photo was his twisted way of acknowledging I'd made it. And I still had it, I'd largely forgotten it, and was now reminded of it in the most unlikely way.

"I recall giving a private dance to a naïve kid in the club and then meeting up with him in the parking lot later on." she said with an increasing smile.

I was too stunned to reply. This was all just too weird!

"Anyway, I noticed the writing on your car and you told me all about where you were going, turns out I was going the same way...just not that night."

"I wonder why I didn't offer you a ride?"

"You did! But, uh, I had to decline." she said.

"Why was that?"

"I loved Vegas, still do." she continued "I left when the club closed down, but man I had fun. I still keep in touch with the girls there."

"So when I first met you in Jeff's office that day you knew it was me?"

"Oh no! I don't have THAT good a memory!" she laughed.

She was referring to the day in Jeff Murphy's office at Artists Unlimited when she was accompanied by Gary Mackas, the head of VCX Productions. Gary introduced her as the company's new starlet du jour.

"It was that photo that jogged my memory. Some thing's stick with you, they just need a kick to be remembered."

"That's so weird..." I said, my voice trailing off.

"Why?"

"Well, it was a photo that brought down Senator Geary, remember? And now this..."

As I stared at the photo, Laura stood close to me.

"What goes around, comes around, Hollywood...but in your case it's in a good way."

"You might be right."

"Of course I am! It's why you're Hollywood Jim!" she laughed, adding a peck on my cheek for good measure.