Matt's Adventures

"Right. Give me the address of the office and I'll go there now."

* * *

Matt found the job uninspiring. The office girl was old and ugly with a nice voice and because all inquiries and complaints were phoned in it didn't matter what she looked like. But she moaned all the time about anything, especially her husband. He stuck to it thinking he might try to wriggle out of his contract after two years. Three months on Anna called and told him to meet her at a restaurant.

Over seafood crepes Anna told him, "Matt I regret to advise your job is about to disappear. I have been approached to sell my property holdings to a corporate operator."

"Oh."

"You'll be compensated."

"Good."

"I'm really sorry Matt and this will happen soon, with planned settlement in ninety days."

"The only downside of this for me is I'm in the process of establishing myself in LA."

"I know but crap happens. Look I'm giving you three months' notice when your salary ends and you'll receive a termination payment of $200,000 in compensation for early ending of your contract."

"Make that one mil."

"Funny boy."

They stared at one another and Matt folded. "Okay I accept."

"Thanks. I'm off so you pay for your meal and for Mrs Gunn who will join you in about ten minutes. She is at the hair salon. She'll offer you a business proposition."

That didn't work out. Mrs Gunn, widow of an attorney, wanted Matt to be her chauffer and boyfriend. She was just shy of turning forty but appeared clapped out on drugs or booze or both.

Matt let her down graciously and when she said she didn't want any more wine or food he said he'd pay the bill, including for her salad and whiskies, on the way out. She didn't bother to thank him.

Despondent, angry that his purpose in life was turning into dust, Matt drove to the beach and leaving the car was struck to the ground by a jogger and she hurled over him and he somehow bounced and rolled over her.

"Get off me," she groaned. "God you are heavy. I apologize. Is anything hurt?"

"Just my pride. I didn't look did I?"

"Nope."

He pulled her to her feet and amazingly for such a big impact collusion she still had on her sunhat and big eyeshades.

"Jesus you're Hanna Weaver without an 's'."

"How did you manage to recognize me under this sunhat and me hiding behind these big glasses?"

"Your forehead at the hairline is a give-away. Also your cute nose and the size of your tits..."

"Hold it pal, I don't want you dissecting what I have below my belt. Yes my hairline is distinctive, a couple of photographers have told me that but that only shows when I have my hair pulled back like this."

"Are you hurt?"

"No I come off a ranch. Ranch girls are bred tough. Are you an agent or some kamikaze mug attempting to be hurt in accidents to win insurance claims?"

"No, it's because of our names that I became a fan and had a big publicity photo on my bedroom wall before it was destroyed when I burnt down our house."

"Oh god, you're a crank?"

"No way."

"A stalker?"

"I'd love to stalk you but no."

"What then?"

"My name is Matt Weaver without an 's'. Most people meeting me call me Weavers."

"I experience that too."

"So Hanna, the only motivation to make me a fan is your surname. You know your acting is only so-so."

"God you are rude."

"Let's go and have coffee. I owe you."

"What for being rude to me? I'll have you know nobody has ever criticized my acting to my face before this."

"No I owe you for allowing you to knock me down cleanly. We could have had accidental sex in the collusion or even worse you could have been hurt."

"So you'd rate having sex with me as being bad?"

"Did I say that?"

"Yes more or less."

"Sorry I've had a bad day; I am to lose my job."

"Join the club. My agent called an hour ago that I've lost a major role that we both thought I all but had in my palm."

"I could tell you what to change to make you a better actress."

"What wear fewer or no clothes?"

"Oh why didn't I think of that?"

Hanna smiled and said she would have coffee. "There is something almost appealing about you. I'm not saying I not longer regard you as a threat but my anxiety about that is diminishing. The fact that you asked me for coffee rather than a drink has helped allay my concern."

Matt grinned. "I was going to suggest booze after coffee."

"God you are impossible," Hanna giggled. "Come on, let's get coffee and then tell me your woes. Aunty Hanna has a sympathetic ear Mr Weaver.

"You are much warmer than you appear on-screen."

"Oh god, here we go again. I've never been told that before, not even by the hardest-ass director."

"I've only said these things because I believe you need to know if you are going to turn your career around."

She sighed and looked irritated. "I pay big money to conceal that fall-off and you come in off the street and reveal you know about it?"

"Perhaps I'm your biggest, incisively critical and supportive fan?"

"I wonder. Here's our coffee. Spill out your heart sailor."

"Huh. Oh yes... my first knowledge of you was in that low-budget production, your second film. You played Rebecca and performed strongest when in the bar in Tokyo as a European bar prostitute when propositioning Hank Rigg, an oilman from Texas."

"Ohmigod, you really are a fan with a great memory."

"Thanks. Do you know of a woman here called Anna Watkins-Mace?"

"Who doesn't? That super bitch is becoming a legend."

"I arrived in LA just over three months ago, having walked out of my job as a management executive in a big law office after being back-stabbed by my boss. I arrived without a job, without prospects and feeling dejected but knowing that would pass in a couple of days. The next day I answered an advertisement seeking a property manager with special talents and possessing, quote, unremitting honesty, unquote. For the last three months I have been managing Anna's $40 million property portfolio and she met me for lunch today to say she is pulling out of property and my employment with her ceases in three months. So that takes me back to square one..."

"... without prospects and feeling dejected but knowing that would pass in a couple of days."

"Exactly. Good memory. Now let's talk about you. Are you able to meet the producer and director behind this part that has just slipped through your fingers?"

"Perhaps but I'm obliged to do that via my agent."

"But could you ask to meet them with a friend and do that without your agent's knowledge?"

"Matt, agents are used as an intermediary to shield..."

"I know to distant directors and producers from crying and over-emotional male and female actors."

"That's rude."

"That's the truth, the reality. Try the producer. Just ask has the part gone to anyone else and if he/she says no then you ask for fifteen minutes to talk about a reconsideration."

"I'll be laughed at and told no way."

"And then you say you need the meeting to clear your concern that his/her decision was defective. That amounts to an attack on ego."

"God, I'd get my head bitten off."

"That's exactly how you are expected to think. The system has you by the balls...er whatever."

"Vulva hair?"

They laughed.

"Go off and make the call now. With luck he/she will be having mid-afternoon coffee."

"It's Bryon Galt."

"Great. With a name like that he's likely to be a focused person and will be appalled to hear someone accusing him of defective decision maker."

"Do you know Mr Galt?

"No."

"Then this is all bullshit."

"The principle applying here is known as 'turning seized mental wheels' and all it takes to make it work is huge self-belief, confidence and aggressiveness."

The actress looked interested. "Actually you sound as if you know what you are talking about."

"I read about in an article by a Russia with a name I cannot pronounce or for that matter remember."

"Oh am I being stupid or what? I'll be back within ten minutes having being abused and told to fuck off."

"Didn't I just say it takes huge self-belief, confidence and aggressiveness?

She hauled out her phone and walked after making an obscene finger gesture.

Hanna returned white-faced and sat and slumped.

"What?"

"Tomorrow morning 11:15 to 11:30 and not even thirty seconds longer and yes I may bring a confidant."

"You used the word confidant?"

"Is that a crime?"

"Oh shit."

"What?"

"You've involved me. I wanted him to believe this is all you. Right on your skates, we have strategy to plan. Where do you live?"

"Is this a plan to get into my pants?"

"Hanna please...huge self-belief. Don't lose focus."

"Right let's go to your car and please don't knock me over."

They went to her apartment and sat facing each other and talked to develop strategy. Matt left shortly before 11:00 and thought Hanna looked uneasy about his lack of interest in her beyond talking and voicing his opinions.

At the door he kissed her firmly and whispered, "I'm not gay."

As he walked away Matt grinned thinking her smiled meant she was so relieved to hear that explanation. But then his smile faded as he had a negative through.

"Christ, she was probably thinking thank heavens he's leaving at last; what a bore."

And then it became even worse. Matt modified that to what a condescending, crashing bore.

He looked around to kick a cat but they were hidden in the shadows.

Fuck.

It was so frustrating. He'd been able to explain his intensity in trying to show Hanna she needed to lift her game a few notches if she were to succeed.

Matt decided to stick with what he'd started until the momentum he'd created for her ran out of puff.

* * *

The producer Byron Galt, sitting with a male aide, heard Hanna's presentation that lasted just ten minutes."

"Is that all?"

"Yes Mr Galt."

"You have been totally unconvincing but I rather liked the concept of challenging me. Very few people do. It was intelligently conceived and you articulated it well Hanna but the decision stands, the lead goes to someone else. Thank you and nice meeting you Mr er non-related Weaver (Hanna had introduced Matt in those words)."

"Thank you Byron. You've made yourself clear. So is the part of best supporting actress in this planned film available to Hanna?"

"Show them out Lonny."

Walking to Matt's car Hanna sighed and said that was a waste of time and Matt had embarrassed her further by asking for a role for her.

"Sorry. I get passionate."

She smiled almost knowingly and said they should go somewhere for coffee.

"No dump me now and go off in a cab. Eliminate me incisively."

"No Matt."

"Why not?"

She looked across the roof of his car at him as he opened his door. "Because I'm thinking of dumping my two casual boyfriends and taking up with you if you're interested. As you say you have passion and I think that's what I need round me and you are also fresh into LA. I was going to suggest this move over coffee."

"Jump in," he grinned. "We're off to have coffee."

Over coffee they agreed to live together to see how it went. They decided on Hanna's apartment because it was larger and more luxurious.

"Hanna, will you do something for me?"

"Yes providing it's legal?"

They laughed.

"If I give you $20,000 will you take advanced acting tuition, one-on-one with the request to be taught intensively how to act with soul."

That startled Hanna. "You'll know nothing about acting?"

"Ah but I know what I like as a viewer and I am quite expert at dissecting comparisons in a great number of situations. You act with passion as appropriate but never quite convincingly for me. I think the missing link is slightly hold back your total commitment to what you are doing as a performer. You soul needs to tell you that you are performing, not acting. If I am correct a good tutor might help you get that right."

"I can't believe you will risk investing in me."

"You can keep the money if you can't afford to pay my interest-free loan back."

"You don't understand. I have plenty of money and my parents are wealthy. It's just... (she swallowed) ... your depth of interest in me."

"Nice of you to say that Hanna and I can't wait to get my hands on your body, but I would like your comment on my allegation about that missing link?"

"Well how about this. I will contract for tuition, but using my money. I have no work ahead of me at present. As for getting your hands on me, let's go to my apartment right now."

"Excellent responses Hanna. You do have exceptional talent."

They laughed and left arm in arm.

Hanna didn't have much to take off because she'd dressed to look sexy for the interview.

Matt unhooked the bra and buried his mouth but heard her giggle and say, "I think that proved you've got a girl out of her bra many times."

He bit a nipple in response.

She howled and seized him in developing passion.

Matt knew it was the best body he'd ever slobbered over. He skin and the contours were all so beautiful and he liked the way she'd left some hair round her pussy. He lifted a foot and kissed the toes with painted nails and thought she was being rocked with orgasms. Perhaps it was only her writhing, urging him silently to get on with it. She'd told him she preferred not to suck and he'd said that was fine. But she jerked him for a while and did so softly and he thought perhaps with feeling.

Although Hanna looked far superior to most women, Matt was almost astonished to discover pussy was pussy. The inner lips protruded slightly and the arousal odor was what he was used to. He had no idea what he'd been expecting but shrugged in acceptance.

The twenty-five year old short-cropped blonde helped steer it in and she certainly felt good and soon adjusted to squeeze around him. Her encouraging 'oohs' were appreciated.

The sex was good. Yes, only good. Matt knew he'd been overly optimistic expecting it to feel like being hurled into space. Although Anna looked so near-perfect and looked something like a sex goddess, this had been their first encounter and anyway, good was almost good enough and perhaps it was his performance that had been slightly off.

He went to the bathroom as Hanna scrambled for her cell phone. When he returned she was looking at Matt in awe.

"What?"

"That was my agent. I am required to commence auditions for a role this Friday."

"Good. You seemed pleased."

"Mr Galt wants me to audition for the principal supporting female in the film about Olivia Hampton. The role is Nikita, Olivia's best friend. I had been considered to play Olivia. This opportunity has come because of your bullish pitch."

"Bullish?"

She laughed and reminded him she'd been raised on a ranch. "The meaning is uninvited aggression but I now love you for bucking Hollywood protocol. Nikita in the novel is a disloyal bitch; so being a person without soul I ought to be perfect for it."

"You have soul. You just limit your passion, perhaps unintentionally."

"Oh do I buster? Then come to bed for your reward. I'll show you passion."

Matt got to really blow his rocks off and decided well the drama coach wouldn't have too difficult a job. He'd just discovered Hanna could release passionately when pushed.

She was almost asleep.

"You still will take advanced coaching."

"Yes."

"Promise."

'Yes."

"Good girl."

She kissed him a fell asleep.

Matt lay awake. He was assisting Hanna to realign her professional direction but what about realigning his own life.

He wasn't to know Hanna would do that for him.

Next day Hanna and Matt were having lunch in a classy, quiet restaurant. She'd said she was paying as part of her reward for Matt being 'so inspirational'.

Matt noticed the reserved table was set for three but did not comment on that. Instead remembering what had happened when they awoke at dawn he grinned and said, "I really enjoy being fucked by you."

The beautiful pink on Hanna's face was a joy to see.

An over-weight guy in an ill-fitting white suit but long graying hair pulled back and fastened into a ponytail approached the table. He appeared to be fifty-plus.

Hanna jumped up and hugged him and Action Man or whoever he thought he was kissed her cheek while taking in Matt with a one-eyed cool stare. The other eye was blocked from view.

"Hi baby."

He didn't pat Hanna's ass.

"Matt Weaver, this is Barrie Stone, my agent."

The two men greeted with a handshake, using each other's first name.

"So you are a fast operator, taking up with Hanna just hours after meeting her."

"Did Hanna tell you that?"

"Yes."

"Then it must be true."

Barrie grinned. "My advice to you son is go carefully where you put your nose in this city. LA has more revenue-grubbing attorneys than any other city on the planet."

"It would pay me to remember that advice Barrie."

Barrie smiled and said, "Yeah he does have a way with him baby."

Hanna blushed and said, "Thank you Barrie. I knew you two would gel."

"Huh?" Matt muttered.

"Hanna has dragged me here despite my busy schedule to meet you."

"Busy schedule? Is that code for saying you were doing nothing so accepted the invitation?"

They grinned.

Barrie said, "She thinks you should be working for me."

Matt's grin evaporated. He looked at Hanna and she smiled cutely.

Matt wondered how a one-man business could afford him. Hanna had screwed up but why hadn't Barrie told her that?

"I run an agency that's in the top ten and have seventeen people on my payroll. Hanna has suggested I revive my office's property investment consultancy that lapsed when I failed to find a consultant I could trust."

"Well you are not in the position to know you can trust me."

"Yeah right. You wouldn't be fucking Hanna if she didn't trust you and besides when that insufferable bitch Anna Watkins-Mace says she'd trust you with her life that's as big as any testimonial gets."

Matt asked stupidly, "You know Anna that well?"

"She invests in some of my fledging clients, underwriting their living expenses while they try to get going and she retains a small percent share on their earnings if they get going. So do you accept? Anna paid you a hundred thou. Let's see how you go, staring on 89K. What do you say?"

"Let me look at what's involved and learn more about you first."

"That's a quality answer buddy. I wouldn't have been too sure of you had you said yes and accepted."

"I would have thought you would have known Hanna would only accept a quality person so I gave you the response you expected."

"Oh very sharp," Barrie said and they laughed. "Well let's have more beers and mineral water for Anna."

He raised his hand and a waitress came almost running.

* * *

After three intensive weeks of drama coaching and winning the contract to play the role of Nikita, Hanna took a 10-day vacation. She invited Matt to accompany her if Anna Watkins-Mace would allow him to take that time off; he was only marking time with her anyway because business deals had ceased.

On the flight to Houston Matt asked, how large was the ranch.

"Not very large, just enough with a little over to provide hay to feed the 300 or so cattle that dad and my brother have in feed lots. Grain and other supplementary feeds are trucked in."

"Oh I thought the family would have a million acres and heaps of guys punching cattle."

Hanna really laughed at that. "God you've seen too many Westerns. Those days are about over and although there are more than thirteen million beef cattle in Texas, these days cattle tend not to make ranchers millionaires and in fact bankrupt more and more of them."

"But I thought your parents were wealthy Texans?"

"Actually we hail originally from Montana. Dad and mom made their money investing in real estate in Houston and Dallas. You may be surprised when you meet dad. See him in a suit and listen to him talk and you could easily think you were talking to a high powered businessman from LA or Phoenix."