CHAPTER ONE — YOUNG LOVE
The afternoon sun shines on the sprawling sleepy San Fernando Valley suburb of Van Nuys in Los Angeles, where giant food stores in mini-malls stand next to quiet residential streets.
In a corner of the living room of the one-floor ranch-style home, with its vintage 1970s furnishings in 1990s Southern California, JARED PLEINE, 18, plays on a set of drums.
Jared, dark-haired and tanned, with languid brown eyes and a taut but not too muscular frame, attacks the set of drums with fervor while singing in his high-pitched tenor above the percussion.
His plump mother, NAOMI, 42, washes lunchtime dishes in the adjacent kitchen. Her blonde-gray hair and lighter skin contrast with her son’s darker appearance.
She throws down a dish towel, then lights up a cigarette, takes a couple of drags of relief, and says:
“Damn it, Jared, your drums drive me crazy! Can’t you just stick to the singing? It’s much quieter!”
“Okay, okay -- got carried away. I’m sorry.”
“You really should be looking for work, like your father used to say, not banging on drums all day!”
As the doorbell rings, Jared yells:
“It’s open!”
Coming into the living room is EDITH NORMAN, 17, Jared’s girlfriend, brash, pretty but by no means your average Valley Girl.
She throws school books on a chair.
“Hey Jared! Mrs. Pleine…”
“Hello, Edith. Good day at school?”
Edith throws herself on a sofa.
“Um-hmmm -- I’ll be glad when I graduate -- finally!”
“Then what?”, Naomi asks, as she extinguishes her cigarette.
“Community college?”
“Or maybe I’ll just help Jared, huh Jared?”
“Yeah.”
“His father wanted him to get a real job.”
“But mom, music is a real job! And dad’s not around anymore -- he couldn't care less!”
Naomi puts down her dishtowel and strides into a nearby bedroom.
Edith gives Jared a kiss on the lips.
“You know, I’ll back you, no matter what you do.”
Jared kisses Edith briefly, perfunctorily.
“Thanks.”
Jared picks up a guitar and serenades Edith with a plaintive ballad.
She responds with a long, loving kiss on his cheek.
“That is so…nice!”
She jumps up.
“Wanna go out for a soda? Or take a walk around the block?”
Jared shrugs.
“Love to, but I’ve gotta practice before rehearsal tonight.”
“Oh, that play you’re in…"
“That Musical. Yeah, I got the lead. Ash expects a lot from me, so I gotta be ready.”
“I hope you do well in it…"
“Ash is great -- he’s really going somewhere as a director.”
Edith sounds somewhat discouraged.
“If you say so.”
Edith picks up her books from the chair.
“Well, ‘bye for now. Good rehearsal!”
Edith yells to Naomi.
“Bye, Mrs. Pleine!”
“See you later, Edith. Tell you mom hello for me.”
As Edith goes out the front door:
“Will do!”
Jared turns to the manuscript for his show, sits down on the sofa and begins to dig in, learning his lines.
“Let’s see if I can remember these lines…”
INSIDE A REHEARSAL HALL IN BURBANK later that evening, ASH ASHTON, 33, trim and athletic because he works out in Gold’s Gym regularly, directs Jared in a scene from a Broadway-style musical for presentation in community theater.
A few assorted young CAST MEMBERS, 20’s, stand off to the side of the bare hall, watching and listening.
Jared concludes the final bars of a song on top of a table and jumps off the table jubilantly to put a button on the number.
Ash applauds enthusiastically. He likes the rehearsal performance — and the boy.
“Good work, Jared!” And then to the cast, “Let’s take a break -- ten minutes!”
“I think I finally got it, Mister Ashton.”
“Call me Ash, Jared. I’m not that old!” He chuckles. “You’re doing a fine job. Is this what you want to do for a living?”
Ash puts an arm around Jared’s shoulder. They walk over to chairs on the sidelines and sit.
“Sing, yes -- but not always in community theater. Maybe in clubs, TV, on tour -- you know the drill.”
“You’re ambitious,” Ash observes. Then, after a deep breath, “Maybe I could help you…”
“Yeah, how?”
“Well, I know something about music -- and directing -- I could coach you.”
Jared stands up and asks, “How much?”
“Not for money,” Ash responds, standing up himself. “But when you start to succeed -- maybe I could manage you.”
“Hell, I’m not ready for a manager…”
“But you will be -- and I know what to do when that time comes.” Ash touches Jared’s arm. “What do you say?”
“Guess I’d be a fool not to consider it. Although…”
“Try me -- see how it goes,” Ash says insistently.
“Thanks for the offer -- you seem to really believe in me…"
“I do, Jared. You’re a promising talent -- and a nice guy. I’ve worked with others -- found it very rewarding. When they did the work that’s required.”
“Oh, I’m willing to work, all right!”
“Keep your focus on your dream, Jared. We’ll talk.”
He claps his hands together. “Okay, everybody -- back to work!”
Ash stands up and pats Jared on the shoulder as he moves away.
Jared feels looks as if he’s encouraged. He is, but doesn’t want to show it too much.
