It was a charge slip from central casting and it read:
One uniform (captain)
Six service ribbons (assorted)
Six medals (assorted)
Actor’s Name: Lawrence Douglas…(Personal Charge to Catherine Alexander—
MGM).
Catherine looked up, her face flushed.
“No!” she said.
He stared. “What shall I tell them?”
“Tell them I’ll pay for his medals if they’re awarded posthumously.”
The picture finished shooting three days later. Catherine looked at the rough-cut the
following day and approved it. The film would not win any awards, but it was simple and
effective. Tom O’Brien had done a good job.
On Saturday morning Catherine boarded a plane for Washington. She had never been
so glad to leave a city. Monday morning she was back in her office trying to catch up on
the work that had piled up during her absence.
Just before lunch, her secretary, Annie, buzzed her. “A Mr. Larry Douglas is on the
phone from Hollywood, California, collect. Do you want to take the call?”
“No,” she snapped. “Tell him that I—never mind, I’ll tell him myself.” She took a
deep breath and pressed the phone button. “Mr. Douglas?”
“Good morning.” His voice had the consistency of hot fudge. “I had a hard time
tracking you down. Don’t you like roses?”
“Mr. Douglas—” Catherine began. Her voice quavered with fury. She took a deep
breath and said, “Mr. Douglas, I love roses. I don’t like you. I don’t like anything about
you. Is that clear?”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know more than I want to know. I think you’re cowardly and despicable, and I
don’t want you ever to call me again.” Trembling, she slammed down the receiver, her
eyes filled with tears of anger. How dare he! She would be so glad when Bill returned.
Three days later Catherine received a ten by twelve photograph of Lawrence Douglas
in the mail. It was inscribed, “To the boss, with love from Larry.”
Annie stared at it in awe, and said, “My God! Is he real?”
“Fake,” retorted Catherine. “The only real thing is the paper it’s printed on.” She
savagely tore the picture to shreds.
Annie watched, dismayed. “What a waste. I’ve never seen one like that in the flesh.”