Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [247]
Boaz is my lawyer but he's acting now more in the role of an agent, press agent.
Its all become like a circus.
Oh baby wish we was just back in Spanish Fork tending your little garden, making love.
Nicole arrived at her grandfather's funeral a little late. Kathryne thought she looked real sad, standing in the front with the family, and noticed that she didn't go up to the coffin for a last look.
Kathryne kept thinking, "Oh, God, she's brooding about Gary and his turn." Afterward, Nicole asked if she could take Kathryne's car.
Wanted to run down and visit Gary once more. Kathryne tried to complain that Nicole had already been up there today, and didn't have a driver's license but kept getting no for an answer, "I won't get in no accident," until Kathryne finally said, "Oh, my God, take it."
Nicole didn't get home until evening, and by then Kathryne jumped on her. Said, "You didn't even go to the prison." Nicole said, "I know. I called, and they said I couldn't come in, so I just drove around. It felt good looking at everything."
Now David Susskind was on the phone to Dennis and really talking contract. Dennis liked Susskind's approach. The flow was suave and stimulating. A lot of energy running around but well schooled.
Then there was this fellow Larry Schiller who called and said he was a former photographer for Life magazine and now a producer of motion pictures for theatre and television release. Dennis didn't like his voice. Too intent on the importance of getting his point across.
A super hard-sell salesman. Very professional sounding. Dennis was uneasy.
When they met downstairs in the coffee shop of the Hotel Utah, they didn't get along too well. Dennis just felt distrustful. The coffee shop was in the basement and big and empty and gloomy.
Schiller had a full black beard and a mustache that grew into the beard, vigorous curly black hair, handsome head. He could have looked something like Fidel Castro, but much too overweight, Dennis thought. It was as if you'd taken the head of Fidel Castro and plugged it into a wide body. While he didn't know much about Schiller in advance, he'd asked a couple of reporters and heard that the man had picked up the rights to Susan Atkins's life in the Charlie Manson case, plus the last interview Jack Ruby ever gave. A guy to watch yourself with, somebody warned Boaz. Gets in when people are dying.
Still, Boaz was entertained by the conversation. For one thing, Schiller was offering more money than Susskind. He kept talking about all the projects he'd brought off. Boaz made a point of being flippant in return. "Gary isn't Susan Atkins," he would say. He really enjoyed being arrogant these days. What did he care if Schiller disliked his guts? It wouldn't cut down the bid for Gary.
"You better get an agent," Schiller said in conclusion.
It brought Dennis short. He had to admit he was enjoying the feeling of going back to Susskind with a higher offer. How did this relate to his nature as The Emperor and The Juggler? Could he handle all the bones that would be thrown in the air?
Saturday morning, Nicole called and said she needed the letters back. Sounded distrustful. Tamera couldn't understand. They'd left on such friendly terms. She wondered if Gary or Boaz had told her to get them returned. Anyway, Tamera informed Nicole it was no problem.
It wasn't. She had her Xerox. So, she asked the fellow she was dating to drive her to Springville that night and by the time they arrived, Nicole was apologetic at the trouble it caused.
They stayed a couple of hours and had a real good time. The boy Tamera brought along was from Philadelphia and Italian, not Mormon, a real character at BYU. His last name was Millebambini and nobody ever got to hear his first name, since he translated Millebambini as A Thousand Bastards, said that was the true meaning, and they just rolled on the floor with shock out at school.
Some student started calling him Milly from Philly. Just wild. That was his name thereafter. Milly from Philly. He was an intense person and had so many funny