"Hello, this is 'Good Morning America'. We will bring you the news on time at 7 o'clock every morning Eastern Time..." Ronald became more and more like a New Yorker, while he was busy having breakfast, while listening to ABC's Morning
Time news.
"Meg, I made you a ham and egg sandwich, and here's orange juice."
After experiencing the events of the past few days, Meg became more silent than before.
"Thank you, Ronnie, I'm fine." Meg picked up her breakfast and took a bite. After a while, she took another bite.
"Drink some orange juice. It's the Sweet Tree brand advertised by the football star nicknamed 'Orange Juice'. It tastes very good." Ronald handed over the orange juice.
"Thank you" Meg still ate slowly.
"Rona Barrett, what do you think of 'Apocalypse Now'? Can it compare to the two-part 'Godfather'?" The TV was talking about "Apocalypse Now", and Ronald looked back.
"Good Morning America" is not just a news program, it also invites some guests to talk about current affairs every day. Today we invite a gossip entertainment reporter.
"I think it's a disappointing failure, it's Coppola's Waterloo..."
She went on a nationally syndicated program to lash out at director Francis Coppola.
"I'm done, Ronnie"
Ronald turned around and looked at Meg, who was still a little dull, and felt a little sad.
"I'm going to help you register for Stella Adler's training class today, can you go with me?"
"Okay, Ronnie, I can go." Meg regained her energy after hearing about the acting class.
Help to register for Stella Adler's actor training class, 280 US dollars / 8 classes. When there are no classes, you can also go to the training class to practice, the price is much more than Lee Strasberg's
.
Meg happened to run into Irene, and Irene pulled her in for a chat, and then made an assessment to see if Meg's mental state was good and whether she could participate in acting studies normally.
Ronald, who had nothing to do, went out and looked for some newspapers at the front desk to read.
"Daily Variety" published another article, supporting "Apocalypse Now", calling it Coppola's weird and magical masterpiece, worth the wait.
"It's no problem. Meg has basically recovered from that blow. Never use the emotional memory method again in the future. You have to take good care of her these days, Ronnie." Eileen saw Meg recover.
The situation has greatly improved Ronald's attitude.
After that, Meg went to the acting center almost every day. Acting classes actually didn’t teach much, but required more practice.
Although Stella's course is comprehensive and safe, like any orthodox training method, it is not that fast at first. Meg has to do a lot of homework every day. Today she is imagining herself as a chicken, and tomorrow she is imitating a big chicken.
Like walking.
After browsing the teaching materials that Meg brought back to the apartment, Ronald gradually understood that acting is a profession that requires experience. If you have not experienced it, you must also have strong observation skills and learn from others.
The method of emotional memory is actually a bit opportunistic.
Meg is Ronald's peer. She has always loved taking ballet classes since she was a child. She used ballet to escape her stepfather. Because she practiced a lot and danced well, she won a scholarship to enter ballet school.
After being immersed in ballet training for a long time, Meg actually didn't come into contact with many people and things. Many of the so-called experiences were learned from her sister Jennifer.
For example, when we went to the Lee Strasberg School of Drama for a refund. According to the advertisement, Meg could get a refund for the courses she had not taken yet. But the staff there argued that Meg had withdrawn on her own and it was not a refund.
scope.
Meg was so angry that she argued with the staff, saying that the emotional memory method had caused her psychological harm, which was caused by their performance methods. The staff overcame her and said that she was not qualified enough to understand it.
Ronald grabbed Meg, who was about to come forward to argue, and whispered that he would solve the problem.
Following Erin's instructions, I called the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, to report that the Lee Strasberg Theater School's advertisements were deceptive. Because they did not indicate on the advertisements that voluntarily withdrawing from study does not constitute withdrawal.
payment range.
The next day, I received a call from the college to apologize and send a check in full.
The relationship between the two became closer, and Ronald could have dinner with Meg every night.
This was mainly because the "Hot Lunch" crew had made no progress in negotiations with the acting high school. Throughout May, they had to be busy interviewing audition candidates recommended by various organizations.
As an assistant and driver, Ronald's main job every day is to take Polaroid snapshots and organize files. He happens to be able to go home with Meg, who is taking an acting training class.
Over time, the crew has accumulated a lot of qualified actor files and selected several minor roles. However, no suitable candidates have been found for the eight protagonists in the audition.
Meg's improvement in acting skills was recognized by director Parker, who upgraded her role from an extra to a higher-level permanent role. The short-term contract of US$225 per day was replaced by a long-term employment of US$785 per week.
contract.
Although it seems that the daily salary has dropped, the long-term contract means that as long as you are on the set, you will get paid regardless of whether there is a scene that day. After Meg was promoted, she will have more scenes, which will probably last throughout the entire filming time. Can I get more?
Less money.
Meg was inspired and wanted to move up a level to a minor role or a starring role. She went to Stella Studio and became more active.
On the last weekend of May, Ronald asked for leave from the director and returned to Staten Island to help Aunt Karen prepare for the Memorial Day party.
In contrast to World War II veterans who are generally respected by society, Vietnam War veterans are quite discriminated against in America. They generally cannot find good jobs and have no social status.
The anti-war movement throughout society lasted as long as the Vietnam War. The government's military conscription system forced the sons of the people to go thousands of miles away to fight in a war that had nothing to do with America. This resentment was inexplicably transferred
It’s up to the veterans.
The main body of soldiers in the Vietnam War were still ordinary middle-class children. The older people mainly had a pitiful attitude toward them, but they were resistant to news about the army's indiscriminate killing of innocent people in Vietnam.
The younger generation hates veterans participating in an unjust war, but is more sympathetic to anti-war people like "Hanoi Jane".
Vietnam War veterans have become marginalized people in society, and returning to their families and society has become their greatest wish.
The party was hosted by the Hansen family, a large landowner and factory owner in the town of Toteville. Douglas Hansen Sr. was a World War II veteran and it was his family's bounden duty to serve his country. One of his sons died in the Vietnam War, so
He attaches great importance to the veterans and widows in the town, and the factory also employs many of his own people.
Under his influence, the town of Totville has a pretty good attitude towards veterans.
Douglas Sr.'s grandson, Douglas Hansen III, is Ronald's classmate. He will work in the family business in the future, so he also attends a public high school in the town and gets along well with his classmates.
He was forced by Hansen Sr. to join the wrestling team and was Ronald's classmate and teammate. Speaking of which, Ronald's first car, a Volkswagen Hare, was a second-hand car bought from Hansen Sr.
The commemoration event was held on the lawn of Hanson's house. The pastor led everyone to read a passage from the Bible, then a veteran dressed in military uniform gave a speech of thanks, and finally a widow in black dress spoke on behalf of everyone to remember the deceased.
Then everyone gathered together, and the parents chatted briefly about the past year. Aunt Karen specially brought cookies she baked for everyone. Ronald also put on a suit and tie and spent the whole day socializing with his aunt.
Activity.
Little Hansen was also very happy to see Ronald back. When he learned that he had entered the film industry, he quickly dragged him aside:
"Are there many beauties in the film industry? Have you met Farrah Fawcett?"
Farrah Fassett was the blonde angel in the popular TV series "Charlie's Angels" a few years ago, and was little Hanson's dream girl. She quit the TV series last year and entered the film industry.
"No, Hollywood is very big. I just work on a small crew."
"Good boy, when will your movie be released? When you become a big director in the future, don't forget to introduce me to big stars." Little Hansen punched Ronald, and the two of them seemed to be back on the wrestling team.
years.
Aunt Karen also became very talkative and energetic, as if she had returned to her youth. Ronald knew that on this day of the year, Aunt Karen would be the carefree girl she was back then. The rest of the time
, she was occupied by work and the role of mother.
When she returns home and changes her clothes, she becomes the waitress again.
Sure enough, Aunt Karen put on the sweater she had knitted when she got home and resumed her housewife look. She asked Ronald to wait for her in the living room.
Aunt Karen took out a bag of old clothes from the closet. She also took out a file bag from the bedroom, which contained various coupons she had collected from everywhere. Finally, there was a stack of coins and one-dollar bills, which was about less than $50.
"This is for your uncle Steve's black comrades, the family of Bud Davis." Steve and Bud were members of the same combat class. Mrs. Davis, who is also a widow, brought three
Children live.
Although Aunt Karen was in difficulty herself, she always collected some coupons and old clothes for them. This time she asked Ronald to send them to them, as well as a box of cookies baked by herself.
Ronald wanted to add some money, but Aunt Karen said he couldn't give too much. She didn't have a man to support her family, so it was not good to give too much money. Ronald thought for a while and added a few small-denomination cash notes.
.
I found out the address of the Budd family, which is in Harlem, northern Manhattan.
Thinking of all the horrific legends in Harlem and his experience of being robbed in downtown Los Angeles, Ronald hesitated.
Aunt Karen noticed his hesitation:
"Don't be afraid, kids. Harlem is full of poor people like ours, just with different skin colors. It's the rich people who live on the Upper East Side who should be afraid."
"In the past few years, I have sent them by myself. You have to state your identity and the person you are looking for. The people there are very friendly. As long as you don't go before sunrise in the morning or after sunset in the evening, don't go to those government buildings.
Just a public housing estate.”
Aunt Karen said.
"Don't go in the morning, don't go in the evening, you can't go to the public housing." Ronald thought to himself, this was scary enough, and he didn't know why Aunt Karen wasn't afraid.