My Life as a Stuntboy (11 page)

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Authors: Janet Tashjian

BOOK: My Life as a Stuntboy
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Before Frank's operation, I ask Mom if I can take the day off from school tomorrow to take care of him. She tells me I already missed two days this week for filming and insists I go. She's been incredibly supportive about the fact that I almost killed our monkey; Dad, on the other hand, is using all the discipline he has not to explode like an angry volcano.
supportive
blockage
He places the horse Mom took out of Frank in the middle of the table. “Do you see why we asked you to keep your toys away from Frank? Do you see how something like this could cause a blockage in his digestive system?”
I nod yes, but most of my energy is focused on my toy horse. Frank's stomach acids must've tried to break down the plastic because the horse looks a bit worn. I want to pick it up and examine it but realize this would push Dad past his breaking point.
“We're going to have to tell the people at the monkey placement organization about this. They might decide we're not a good foster family and ask us to return Frank.”
Dad didn't need to tell me this.
Losing Frank is all I've thought about since this happened.
He rushes to the side door to let Mom in. She's carrying Frank, who's bandaged and still groggy.
I ask Mom if I can hold him. My expression must look pretty sad because she says yes.
groggy
I sit on the couch and she lays Frank in my lap like a newborn baby. I want to hold him close to me but know he needs to be treated with care.
“I'm sorry,” I whisper into his ear. “I'm really, really sorry.”
It's probably just my imagination, but it seems that when Frank looks at me, he smiles. Of course, it might just be the drugs from the operation. I hold him for a long while until Mom takes him to the kitchen to
give him water with an eyedropper. The horse with the red banner still stands in the center of the table as if he's guarding a fort for one of my knights. I throw him into the trash can and bury him under the coffee grounds and orange peels.
 
 
I ask Mom another fifty times if I can stay home to watch Frank, but she drives me to school anyway.
“You haven't been in class for two days,” she says. “You must be excited to see Matt.”
For some reason, almost losing Frank yesterday makes me spill my guts to Mom about what's going on with my best friend. I tell her Matt
hasn't been himself since I got hired for the movie.
acknowledging
“I only have two more stunts to do, and part of me wants to just get it over with so things can return to normal. But another part of me is furious with him for not acknowledging that I've just done something cool.”
“Matt's been under a lot of pressure,” Mom says. “Jamie hasn't worked in months and just hangs around the house sleeping. His mom is really worried, so I'm sure that's affecting Matt too.”
vegetarian
Jamie is Matt's older brother who's had lots of jobs since he graduated: he's been a clerk at the DVD store in the mall, a waiter at the coffee shop in Westwood Village, a dishwasher at the vegetarian restaurant on Wilshire, and even mowed lawns
for Carly's mom at her landscaping company. Last time I saw him, it looked like he hadn't showered in a week. When I said something to Matt, he told me he didn't want to talk about it.
“Still, Jamie having problems is no reason for Matt to make fun of me,” I say.
“I agree. But people don't always do things that make sense, do they?”
I know she's right, but some of the sadness and anger from yesterday's encounter still remains.
“Remember when you were mad at Matt a few years ago because he planned his birthday party at the bowling alley on a day you couldn't go? You two worked through that, didn't you?”
If I'd known the ride to school was going to turn into a therapy session, I would've stretched out on the backseat and pretended it was a psychiatrist's couch. Besides, I don't see how reliving a torturous event back in fourth grade will help Matt and me get back to normal—which is all I really care about. I tell Mom I'll be back right after school and race to my locker before the bell.
encounter
psychiatrist
torturous
Carly, Maria, and Denise are waiting for me.
“Did you meet Tanya Billings?” Carly asks. “She's in the movie, right?”
“I love her,” Denise says.
“Her movies are
amazing,
” Maria adds.
I open my locker and throw in my gear as if it's another normal day. “Yeah, I met her. We hung out for a while—she's really nice.”
Maria and Denise actually start
jumping up and down like they're on pogo sticks. Thankfully, Carly calms them down.
They make me tell them about Tanya in excruciating detail, and as I do, three girls turn into five, then eight, then twelve right before my eyes.
excruciating
“Okay, what's going on out here?” Ms. McCoddle asks. “Everybody into the classroom.”
Carly tells Ms. McCoddle what we've been talking about.
“Maybe Derek can write a report about his day on a movie set and present it to the class,” suggests Ms. McCoddle.
I panic at the realization that two days off from school could lead to extra work. “I'd love to, but I already told everybody everything. There's nothing left to write about.”
“Did you tell them you're doing stunts for a girl?” The smirk on Joe's face makes me want to hide inside my locker.
Carly stops snapping her gum. “You're Tanya Billings's stuntperson?”
Before I can answer, Swifty interrupts. “Must be nice skateboarding with a wig on.”
I don't think I've ever had a conversation with Swifty—so why is he suddenly acting like an expert on me?
“Is that true?” Carly asks. “Did you have to wear a wig to pretend you were Tanya?”
I look around and notice Matt. He's got a huge grin, the same one I've seen on his face a hundred times, usually when he's anticipating one of us making an awesome jump.
But right now I don't feel like he's waiting for me to land on my feet; this time, he wants me to fall.
I don't intend to.
“Tanya is
great,
” I say with bravado. “But she's too afraid to do the obstacle course and climb over the wall, so that's where I come in.”
bravado
I turn to Carly. “You should've seen us on the set yesterday—both wearing matching pajamas with these dogs all over them—hanging out at craft services—that's what they call the trailer with all the free food. She was really supportive. When I was doing my stunt, she was standing with my dad, cheering me on from the sidelines. She already gave me a nickname—she calls me Doc. She asked my dad what day I was coming back so she could be there.”
lasso
Carly, Maria, and Denise go crazy, and I manage to lasso Joe and Swifty too. Joe asks me all kinds of questions about the free food, and Swifty wants to hear more about Tanya Billings. If Matt had some jealous plan to embarrass me for filling in for a girl, it didn't work. For the rest of the day, everyone asks me about being on the set.

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