Little White Lies (9 page)

Ultimately the value of all this talent is the ability to put it together and work as a team. Individuals can work and learn by themselves, but teamwork comes only when we learn and train as a team. And that’s what I’m after… a security staff that works as a team.

Getting the security people in place has been well timed since business started picking up as soon as neighbors and fans alike learned about the great Himself living here. Predictably, the reaction to A.J.’s new residence has had mixed reviews among the neighbors and townsfolk. So far, however, the intruders have been harmless and the neighbors practically invisible, since no one is that close to begin with.

Many of the uninvited visitors are the types of people who seem to pester stars from all galaxies, whether it’s sports, entertainment, or the media. Some of them seem to think it’s their constitutional right to go anywhere they please for the autograph, picture, piece of clothing, or whatever it is they treasure. Intrusions to the property have occurred frequently. Knock on wood, to date there have been no real problems and no one has come close to getting in the house.

While our security is tight, we try not to overreact and do more than the occasion calls for. We have to remember that our A.J. is a star and these people are his fans… no matter how weird, so the gloves are always on. Usually we give them an autographed picture of A.J. along with a stern lecture informing them of the probable outcome should they trespass again. To make our point, we photograph and take fingerprints of every ‘fan’ we apprehend. It’s probably illegal as hell, but so far no one has complained. Only the people from other planets would not realize they have crossed a line they would cross again with far more serious consequences.

The point we try to make is that it simply would not be worth it. While the trespassers have not been that many or that frequent, it would take only one person with the wrong intentions to do serious damage, so we take every situation seriously until we know otherwise. While it’s not a numbers game, we do focus on a number and that particular number is one. All it would take is one, if it’s the wrong one. That one doesn’t have to be evil, crazy or even unbalanced. He just has to be in the wrong place at the right time. He would be sorry with tears streaming down his face, vowing it would never happen again, explaining how he didn’t know what came over him, etc. … all too little, too late. We aim to see that ‘one’ doesn’t happen.

Over time A.J. and his family have grown more used to the security staff around them. Hudson says good security people are like furniture… not exactly in the way, but always there in case you need them. The men themselves like working with the family. That’s considered easy duty. The tough duty is covering A.J. when he leaves the estate. The moment he passes through the gates, he’s ‘on’, and as a result, hebecomes an instant security nightmare. While the guys know they’re not guarding the president of the United States, which a couple of them have actually done at one time or another in their careers, we have a man who presents a similar set of problems. In each case, their man’s livelihood depends on getting up close and personal with the public. Things might never go wrong, but if they ever did, they could go real wrong in a hurry.

When it comes to cooperation, the kids are the easiest. Jeff-Jeff usually does what he’s told without an argument and certainly Shana is no problem. Sheri is the next best client. At first she was tough to handle, but we talked and I was able to get her to understand that she was being inconsiderate to people whose jobs depend on keeping her and the kids safe. That’s all it took. I think Sheri always has thought of herself as considerate, but she simply had not thought of security in terms of other people’s jobs and their sense of duty. But the boss makes up for all of them when it comes to control problems. Although he is the main security concern, he is the least concerned and the least considerate. In short, he’s a pain in the ass, but everyone just smiles when it comes to A.J. It’s difficult not to like him.

As time passes, operations here at the estate are slowly falling into a routine. When A.J. is away the place is quiet and serene… even when the kids are acting up. But when he’s here, a cyclone-like wind seems to blow through the house. The air sort of crackles with electricity, as though there is a large transformer in the basement. Since A.J. has become his own manager the phone never stops ringing. During the last several weeks I have been fielding a lot of his calls. Actually it’s a good way to spend my time as more and more of the daily chores around the estate go on autopilot.

I don’t know much about A.J.’s former business manager other than his name, Monte James, and the fact that he was fired a day or two before I was hired. I suppose it might have had something to do in some way with my getting the job in the first place. Having dipped into the money pot without telling the boss, A.J. found him out and told him to hit the road.

Since I’m here all the time, many of the people trying to reach A.J. simply call me when looking for answers. The nature of the problem is usually far more organizational than technical. I have to admit, however, as I learn about A.J.’s various activities, it does get more and more interesting.

Basically, A.J. has two main enterprises: music and restaurants. The restaurant business is easily explained. A couple of years ago he opened a restaurant on a lark. Apparently it was something he had always wanted to do. He serves very good food at modest prices. Cleanliness is an absolute fetish. Good food and his hot name became another hit and a business was born. Since the first restaurant opened a little over two years ago, he has opened four more, each as successful as the first. So far he has been able to keep all this going by himself, but he’s running out of hours in the day. It really hits the fan when he’s onthe road because his mind is elsewhere and he’s virtually out of touch with his managers for extended periods of time. Not a good thing.

A.J. has been traveling about the country on a series of what he calls mini-tours. He packages a group of his fellow entertainers into a full show. They take it on the road and do two or three cities in ten days to two weeks and then head home. The process tends to feed on itself since the financial success of these tours has created tremendous pressure for him to spend more and more time on the road. CD sales go through the roof after every concert.

One night, not long ago, I talked with A.J. about his touring company and he revealed a deep-seated concern over what every entertainer must fear… that tomorrow or the next day it might all be over… his fifteen minutes of fame would have passed. He feels he has to make the money while it’s there. He said he knows he’s a bit paranoid on the subject, but he’s seen too many of yesterday’s ‘stars’ reduced to working in small clubs. basically back to their beginnings. or worse than small clubs… not working at all. He told me he has been good with his money and if things ended tomorrow he would be all right, but in the meantime, he intends to make all the hay he can. A.J.’s no dummy. He’s got his head on tight and right.

A.J. is leaving this afternoon on another one of his tours. We have been trying to have a meeting for the last two days, but something always gets in the way. Now, thirty minutes before he is due to leave, it looks like we are finally going to get it done. I’m sitting in the library when he comes sailing in ten minutes late. He looks a little pissed. It’s his meeting, so I’ll let him start.

He has a bunch of stuff on the house and grounds and the big party on the fifteenth of next month. There’s always a lot of work to having a party come off right. He dumps a long list of things to do, regarding the restaurants, on me… all phone calls and other low-level tasks, and then it’s my turn. I only have about ten minutes worth and from my side of the fence, and it’s a wrap. The agenda is finished, but A.J. remains seated. Something, obviously, is on his mind. We both have to get going, so I decide to prod him.

“Anything else?”

“Yeah, I guess there is.” Long pause. “I’ve been thinking about your work here and your pay… “ He looks at me like I’m supposed to know what he’s talking about. But I don’t, so I decide to wait and hear what else he has to say. “I’ve been thinking that perhaps it’s time to recognize all you have been doing here… shit, Phil, I’m not very good at this. I want to give you a raise. What do you think about another five grand.”

So that’s what this is all about. Hell, I’m not here for the money, so five grand one way or the other doesn’t mean anything. On the other hand, I want to be polite. Unfortunately my initial silence is misinterpreted.

“I mean ten grand… that’s what I meant to say… ten grand… what do you say?”

A.J. never has a problem when he wants to voice his displeasure about something, but he seems to have more difficulty throwing bouquets. This is getting funny and I’m having a little trouble keeping a straight face. I can’t believe he’s in such a dither over this. My guess is Sheri has been on his ass about my pay for some reason or other. Once again I’m about to respond when…

“What’s wrong? You think I’m a cheapskate, don’t you?” He’s pointing his finger at me like a prosecutor during a cross-examination. “No, don’t deny it. I know you are probably thinking I paid that skunk, Monte, a hell of a lot more for a hell of a lot less… but it’s more complicated than that.”

Well, I wasn’t thinking anything of the sort, but maybe I should have been. Now I know Sheri’s been chewing on his ass. He’s on his feet. Here we go again.

“All right, it’s a good point. I’ll give you that much. I know you are doing a lot more than we had originally discussed, but that’s not entirely my fault. I mean. it’s not as though I am trying to take advantage of you… which to listen to my wife, I am… but I’m not. Dammit, you have to remember, with the travel and all. I’ve got a lot on my mind. I mean, shit… give me a break. To listen to you two, all I do is sit on my ass trying to think of ways I can make you do more for less money. That’s bullshit. It’s just that I haven’t thought about it… that’s all. I mean. I don’t spend all my time thinking about how much money people make.”

Suspicions confirmed. Well, I don’t want any more money and I’ll tell him that. But again he cuts me off before I can say anything.

“All right!”

Oops, here we go again.

“Okay! Dammit, nobody cares if I go broke. I’ll pay you the same as Monte. We’ll discuss this thing when I get back, but then that’s it! No more money or talk about money until next year! In fact, one more word out of you on this subject and I will get really pissed. I think you will find I have acted more than fairly. That’s what you are always talking about, isn’t it? Being fair? All right, in my view, this is a fair approach and if you don’t like it, then take a hike! That’s it, not another word!”

So I’m to be paid the same as Monte, whatever that means. I guess I probably saw what he was making somewhere, but it slipped my mind. It really doesn’t make any difference. I never made any comparisons or even thought about it for that matter. I wonder if I am now expected to manage A.J.’s affairs as well. That could be interesting although I have no clue when it comes to show business. Anything I do for the restaurants is all low-level administrative stuff, including today’s list. Ah well, everything in its own time.

“There is one thing I would like to say, if I may.” A.J. is looking daggers at me right now… he has really worked himself into a state. “I would like to say, thank you.” What the hell, my sainted grandmother alwaystold me to take the cash, so I’ll let him think that’s what I’m going to do.

The words no sooner leave my mouth than there’s a knock at the door and Sheri walks in, all smiles.

“How’s everything going, guys?”

As if she didn’t know. My guess is she was outside the door the entire time. My relationship with Sheri these days is more like having an impish kid sister. I never forget the fact that she’s my boss every bit as much as A.J., but she is always hatching some plot and it’s hard not to be drawn in to the next scheme. She’s full of energy and has a playful personality. Her mind is always going, so unless she’s directed into something positive, she’s quite likely to be into some mischief. She’s always harmless, but generally conjuring up some sort of stormy weather for her husband to sail through.

A.J. walks around the desk and whispers in my ear, “Ixnay the payday. Women are so goddamn tight with money when it comes to the help… she would never understand. I mean, she wouldn’t tip a quarter for tomorrow’s stock market report.”

I look at A.J. to see if he can say this with a straight face. He can.

“Come on, Honey,” he says to Sheri. “Phil and I are finished here and I’m late as it is.”

Sheri smiles at him as he takes her arm and leads her out of the library. Crossing the threshold she turns and gives me a big wink. Like I said, suspicions confirmed. Screw him. I don’t want the money. He’ll forget all about it by tomorrow anyway.

A.J. reminds me of the boss of a friend of mine. It was some time ago, but my friend told me he had been fired no less than thirteen times by the same man. Each time he would report to work a few days later as though nothing had happened and neither he nor the boss would refer to the ‘termination’ that had taken place a day or two earlier. I think A.J. is a little like that except he wouldn’t forget about firing me. If it ever got to that point it would be permanent.

CHAPTER 7
 

A.J. has been back on the road for a few days now and life is almost normal, whatever that is. The budget continues to be a moving target, but it’s coming around. I’m not going to worry about it. A lot of movement and guessing is to be expected during the first year in an operation like this. Some of the other things we are trying to arrange are a bit more mundane, but just as important. The general rule we try to follow is that the family comes first. Everyone should understand what we’re trying to do and each person should think for himself. So far I would have to say that most people are trying… but, as always, we can get better.

I have found A.J. to be very interested in everything that goes on here at the estate. To his credit, whenever anything has to be done, he wants it done right. Cost is never his concern. However, experience has shown me that I have to keep cost in mind since he often forgets some of his pricey suggestions when the time comes to pay the bills. Then I am usually called to task for not talking him out of the more expensive spread. The more I stand my ground, the more he likes to get into it. Sometimes I think he just likes the action, even if it’s an argument. Some people are like that. I’m not, but some people are.