I was given a script to take with me to see if I was interested in the part. It would have to be pretty bad before I said no.
Outside I apologized to Ed for blindsiding him on the money issue. He took it well. Based on that and the way he handled himself, I told Sharon I would like to give him a chance. Would she see about getting a contract setup? I know fox and henhouse, but she had earned my trust.
There were people waiting at my car. They were very disappointed that it wasn’t Sean Connery’s. I headed back to Oxford. I felt the day had gone well.
Sunday was a quiet day. I ran a few extra miles. After my East German experience, I wasn’t going to let it slide.
While I ran I gave some thought to how far I had come in life. For some reason, my mind got stuck on my tryout for the play in high school. The teacher told me to forget about it.
I wonder what she thought now. There was the girl who dumped me because I didn’t get the lead. I couldn’t even think of her name at the moment.
I spent the afternoon reading up on what my next lectures would be about. I had got behind with my prisoner exchange adventure but was now back on track.
Monday was a normal day up until lunchtime. I went to my usual lunch place, a small restaurant on campus. I usually sat at a table in the corner by the kitchen, it was almost always the last one taken.
Today it was taken. I had to do a second look at the person sitting there. The last time I had seen her was behind the counter at a Chinese laundry in Los Angeles.
She gave me a small wave so I joined her. I had never been given a name, and it wasn’t offered now. That saved her from having to tell me a lie.
“This is a surprise. What can I do for the government of China today?”
It didn’t take a great intellect to figure out she wasn’t here for a vacation or that the Chinese government would be doing anything for me. I may have been wrong on the last thought.
“Rick, always straight to the point, you wouldn’t do well in business in China.”
“I seem to be doing okay, I see the reports on the Chinese, Indonesian, Australian exchanges.”
“True but we have to hide you as you are too blunt for our business people.”
I had to laugh at that, “Point to you. I really don’t have a lot of patience for small talk.”
“That’s why we like you, this is too serious for small talk. We need your help in a large way.”
“What sort of help?”
“China is facing a great famine and we have to import food or our people will starve. We can’t let it be known on the world stage or the government will lose face.”
“If I understand, the government will let people starve rather than lose face.”
“Sadly that is the way it must be.”
“What can I do?”
“We need to import as much rice and wheat as we can using your connections. We would like to pay in the same way so we are not seen to be buying on the world market.”
“I do know that the rubber market worldwide is getting to be saturated so we would have to introduce something else into the mix.”
“Rick, we also know this, we would like to use gold and rare earth ores.”
“Gold I understand, the market for rare earth’s not so much.”
“They will be needed for advanced transistors and what are being called chips, which are many transistors on a single chip of silicon. We know Texas Instruments and Bell Laboratories are already looking for new sources of those materials.”
“I will have to talk to my company and the heads of my governments.”
“Ah yes, you are a dual citizen. It can be hard having two masters.”
“Not so far, but you never know. I would have hated being caught between the British and the US over the Suez Canal.”
She gave me a funny look.
“That has to have been the most egotistical remark I have ever heard a young man of your age ever make, except you probably would have been involved.”
Talk about shot down in flames, at least she let me eject.
“Please make this a priority, many lives depend on it.”
“I will act today.”
“I will be back here each day until I hear from you.”
At that, she left.
I went back to The Meadows as fast as I could. The first phone call I made was to Mum and Dad. It was still early morning there so I caught both at home.
When they were both on the line I explained the situation. They agreed that we should try to help but that the British and US governments should be made aware and express support upfront. Also that I should start at the top. So much for dumping the problem on my parents.
We talked a little bit more, I told them about Pinewood Studios and their plans for me. They were both excited about the fact that Pinewood wanted to keep my image, ‘upscale.’
They thought it neat that I used Mary’s, “do I get a finders fee,” as my inspiration for my audition. I found out that she did get a finders fee for bringing Buster Brown shoes into her line of products. She would end up worth more than all of us.
After talking to my parents I called the Palace and asked for the Queen. I wasn’t put directly through. A secretary asked what I needed her for. I explained it was for guidance from the Head of State on whom
