After throwing a 25-cent coin into the toll box, Ronald passed through the turnstile and boarded the orange Staten Island Ferry, the John F. Kennedy. After getting the signature contract, Ronald decided to go back to Staten Island.
Take a vacation and relax your tense nerves.
Sitting on the shabby wooden bench in the cabin, he recalled the scene of treating the lawyer lady to dinner that night.
At the pizza parlor in Little Italy, Ronald took out two checks, put them on the table and pushed them to Miss Lindsay Dole. One was for $850 and the other was for $1,000.
"I remember our agreement was US$850," the lawyer lady said.
Ronald had been hungry all day and was stuffing a piece of devil's pizza into his mouth. This pizza with Italian salami tastes good and is more suitable for customers who like meat. However, Ronald sprinkled too much chili oil.
At one o'clock, I quickly picked up the Coke and drank it hard.
"Hiss...hoo..."
Ronald put down the drink, "Our agreement is 850 US dollars, but you helped me get extra compensation..."
"A contract is a contract. We originally agreed on $850. You just need to pay me according to the provisions of the contract. If you are satisfied with my service, you can hire me as your personal lawyer in the future. You will have other options in the future.
If the contract needs to be reviewed, I can provide you with services at any time."
Lindsay pushed back the $1,000 check.
"No, that's not what I meant." Ronald waved his hand and took another sip of Coke.
"Not long ago, my former boss told me that a contract is nothing more than a legal fixation of the mutually beneficial aspects of a business."
"You have obtained the benefits I deserve from my oral contract, which has exceeded my expectations. I would like to ask you to take charge of my legal affairs in the future.
My intuition tells me that although you are a newcomer, you are very capable, and the other party's lawyer Mickey Kanter also admires you. I believe that you will soon become famous in the New York legal community."
"This $1,000 is the retainer I paid you in advance. Soon you will be very busy in the legal business, and the level of your clients will far exceed mine. I hope I will need you in the future.
When I need help, you can still take time to help me."
"Okay, let me lend you your kind words." The lawyer lady thought for a while and accepted the check. The employment fee is deducted based on the length of service in the future, and any excess will be refunded. She has just graduated from college and really needs some money.
Installation. "I'll send you the bill."
The two of them continued to eat.
"By the way, will you go to the crew again in the future? If possible, I would also like to see how the movie is shot."
Ronald shook his head.
"The director doesn't like me, even though I told him it's not amicable. But I've got what I want, and I don't want to appear in front of him anymore. But if you want to go to the filming, I can introduce you to Anthony
Ya, she is one of the leading ladies and can issue permits to visitors."
"It's not necessary, I already know her and I have her contact information." The lawyer lady said with a smile.
"Do you smoke?"
"What?"
Ronald's memories were interrupted.
"I asked you if you smoke?" It was a lady dressed as a working girl next to her. She took a box of cigarettes, knocked out a few cigarettes, and held it up to invite Ronald to smoke one too.
"I don't smoke, please do it yourself." Ronald replied.
The woman opened the lighter with a snap, lit the cigarette in her mouth, took a deep drag, and then exhaled the smoke.
The woman looks to be in her 30s, wearing over-the-top eyeshadow makeup, bright lipstick, a high hairstyle, and styling it with mousse, which exudes the smell of cheap perfume. Her blond hair is already a bit withered.
Seems like he is an employee who works hard and doesn't have time to dress himself carefully.
...It may also be because there is no money. The price of men's haircuts in New York is ridiculously expensive now, and women's haircuts must be even more expensive.
Ronald watched her smoking heavily. At this time, there were very few people on the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island.
"The ferry in the morning is very empty. When I take the ferry back to Staten Island every afternoon after get off work, the place is full," the girl said.
“Yeah, the Staten Island Ferry is a route that a lot of people use to get to and from get off work.”
Ronald felt that this woman wanted to talk to someone.
"Aren't you going to work today? You'll take a boat back to the island in the morning."
"I was fired. My boss was a bitch. She lost an important bond trading client because of her own mistakes. She put the blame on me and told me to pack my things and get out." The woman threw the cigarette on the table.
On the ground, crush it with high heels.
"Oh, my shoes." She reacted quickly, leaned over and took off her high heels, carefully wrapped them up, and put on the sneakers in the bag.
"Sorry, the ferry is too dirty. It's inconvenient to wear high heels when getting on and off the boat. I changed my clothes for get off work every day. I didn't have time to think about this today..." It seemed that in front of strangers, she relaxed and said some words Want to talk.
"That's really unfortunate. There are too many selfish bosses now."
"Yeah, Wall Street gets these bitches and jerks all the time."
"What are you going to do?"
"I will try the employment agency again. If it doesn't work, I can only go back to my hometown of Staten Island and work as a restaurant waiter."
"That's okay. My aunt is a waiter in a restaurant. Most of the customers on the island are from the same country. Although the tips are not as good as those in Manhattan, there are less messy things." Ronald smiled.
"Thank you, my name is Theresa Kate", the lady extended her hand and introduced herself.
"Ronald Lee." The two shook hands, and Ronald noticed that her fingers were all yellowed by cigarette smoke.
"Are you from Staten Island too?" Teresa asked.
"Yes, Toteville on the south end of the island."
"Ah, I grew up there too. I danced ballet when I was a child. I went to work in the Financial District of Manhattan for America Dream. Unfortunately, I only had a high school degree and could only work as a secretary through an employment agency. I ended up living in Manhattan.
After ten years as a secretary, maybe I should go back to Toteville and try my luck."
"Woooooooo..."
The ferry blew its whistle and docked.
After saying goodbye to the unemployed secretary, Ronald got on the train and returned to his aunt's house for a vacation.
"Ronnie, how are you doing on the set?" After three days of rest at home, my aunt took advantage of her free time to set up a chair in the yard and trim Ronald's hair.
"It's not bad. I'll get a screenwriter's signature."
"That's good, but don't forget that you will start school in September." Auntie is more concerned about her college studies. "This is your parents' last wish. You must get a college diploma."
"I will, Aunt, I will."
Aunt Karen trimmed the hair at the back and swept the scraps into the trash can.
"You should find a hairstylist to cut your hair from now on, Ronnie." Auntie fiddled with Ronald's hair, which was quite neat.
"Aunt Karen, you do a great job cutting it."
"You always make me happy, Ronnie. When will you return to the set?"
"I won't go. My task has been completed. Next, I will go to the casting studio more often to help them update the actors' audition photos."
Taking advantage of the time when his aunt and little Donna were free, Ronald took the whole family to watch the newly released "Rock and Roll High School". The three of them went to the largest theater in the town, but the backward Staten Island made "Rock and Roll High School" a hit.
This kind of exploitation film with low copy rental fee was introduced for the first time.
"Awww..." I saw the Ramones took over the high school and held a live concert in the school. The audience began to applaud in line with the rock rhythm in the movie.
Then an audience member started stamping his feet, and immediately everyone else started stamping their feet too, causing the seats in the screening room to shake.
Ronald looked around and saw that most of the viewers who reacted strongly were high school students and teenagers.
Aunt Karen was not used to such noisy exploitation films, but little Donna enjoyed watching them.
"Ronnie, Ronnie, are you the one with the beard who proposed on the phone?" Little Donna asked in a low voice.
"Yes, I wear a fake beard."
"I think your performance is better than the main character Tom. That schoolgirl Kate, why do you say you are not her type?" Donna began to carefully study the plot of her role in the exploitation film.
After the film ended, the lights in the screening hall began to turn on. Ronald stood up and looked across the crowd at the screen. He wanted to see how his name appeared in the subtitle list.
To the sound of the theme song of the same name from the Ramones' "Rock of Ages", the subtitles in red cartoon font gradually rose.
Second Unit Director: Jerry Zucker
Second Unit Director: Ronald V. Lee.
Finally seeing his name on the screen, Ronald smiled, pulled up little Donna, and said, "Let's go."
"No, there's your name below, Ronnie." Little Donna said, pointing to the screen.
Ronald looked up and saw that there was a separate line in the subtitles, and his name appeared again.
"Special thanks to: Joe Dante and Ronald V. Lee".
What a surprise! Ronald happily watched the subtitles rise to the top and disappear.
"I also think Ronald, you are a better actor than the leading actor." While having dinner in the restaurant, Aunt Karen also agreed with Donna's point of view.
"Hahaha" Ronald laughed. His family still liked him appearing in the movie and encouraged him.
After watching the movie, Ronald continued to rest at home until he took the early ferry to the casting studio on Saturday morning to update the audition photos of their actors.
"Ronald, where have you been? Producer David Da Silva is looking for you everywhere. I called your home phone but no one answered."
When Margery saw Ronald, she said with a slap in the face.
"Why are you looking for me? I'm going back to Staten Island for vacation these days." Ronald wondered, "The deal between me and them has been completed, and director Allen has also approved my script."
"You'd better call the producer. He sounds worried."