The Trouble With Eden - Lawrence Block [42]
On the other hand, there was the excitement of a new play always in the wings. One could not go stale in a role. The most loathsome play never took more than a few weeks of your life. One was sustained by the knowledge that it would be part of the past before too long. Nor could any play fail as plays failed on Broadway. Good or bad, critically praised or damned, they played out their run and drew about the same size house regardless.
There were still occasional moments when he would forget that he did not really want fame. He would see an old friend on the Cavett show and would have to remind himself that he did not want to be on the Cavett show, that it was sacrifice enough on his part to watch it. He played enough ego games and played them well enough. He needed no additional ones.
He had worked his way through the Times to the television section and was on his third cup of coffee when Peter sat down at his table. He folded his paper and sighed.
“I’m sorry about that, Warren.”
“You’ve no reason. I just hope that didn’t precipitate a scene.”
“It didn’t. We gave Robin a bath and put her in for a nap, and Gretch was tired and decided to take a nap herself. So I thought I’d see if you were still here.”
“And here I am.”
“And here you are. What was all of that about?”
“It’s too long to go into, and it’s ancient history anyway. I hope you didn’t ask her.”
“I wanted to but she acted as though nothing had happened, and I thought it would be uncool to bring it up.”
“Wise of you. She looks good, by the way.”
“She’s been good.”
“I can see it, and I’m glad for her. And for you. I take it she’s working.”
“Not too many hours a day. The important thing is staying clean. But she’s working.”
“That’s very important. And you too are working, which is also important, and I believe you were telling me with a certain amount of glee that the show stank.”
“You haven’t seen it?”
“I played the album just last night. I saw it on Broadway with Merman. A solid show. Not much book, but the music and lyrics are more than enough to carry it. Of course,” he added casually, “you do need a star.”
“That sums it up.”
“Vanessa, I take it, shall not a Merman make.”
“I never even heard the album, let alone saw show. The thing is, it doesn’t matter whether she’s good or not. She has everybody around so uptight that they can barely walk on and off the stage. Either she’s coming on to you with this phony sugary routine or she’s screaming like I don’t know what.”
“Like a fishwife, perhaps?”
“I guess. She has Tanya just about ready to give up show business for life, and Tanya’s hardly in the fucking play. I don’t know how she found an excuse to give the kid hell, but she did.”
“Oh, dear. Tanya does not deserve that sort of treatment. I suppose you get your share of abuse.”
“It doesn’t bother me. It’s a pain in the ass but she acts that way to everybody so I can’t see taking it personally.”
“You’re wise.”
“She isn’t always yelling at me. The rest of the time she’s groping for my cock.”
“I think I’d rather be yelled at.” He shook his head. “I would not work with that bitch in a royal command performance. I worked with her once the summer before last. She deliberately made me look bad four times on opening night. Cheap tricks, Peter. She came in as a big name star and had to feed her ego with the tackiest sort of bits. Things you learn how to do in high school drama groups, and then in college you learn not to do them. She went from one lucky Broadway role to Hollywood, and if she knew anything about acting