Change at Jamaica Station

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

he Latest Show                                          Tabetha Caulfield,                NBC Studios, NY

We are an odd group of five standing in the dim narrow hallway that leads to the dressing rooms of the TV studio. I'm in full makeup having just come off the set and I'm getting itchy to take it off after running around under hot lights for the last three hours. It never looks hard when you are sitting at home in your flannel PJ's woofing down cheddar popcorn, but it is a lot more work than I ever expected.

"Well, I didn't put it in the script!" I raise my voice defensively, as if it isn't obviously clear to everyone here that I don't write the lines for the show. I shrug and my hairstylist stops primping me for a moment. I smile at her and mouth "Thanks, not now." She nods, smiles.

"OK, Sally, sorry, I mean Tabetha." The stylist, Simmi, responds and they all stare at me, now officially 'Sally Marder' when I'm on the set on West 65th Street. Why is she touching me? Why do all these people want something from me suddenly?

"No, honey, we know you didn't write it, but you didn't say the line exactly the way it was written. What you said was even better because you nailed the coffin on a small social media scandal by using the same words, verbatim, that are now trending like crazy!" Simmi explains it to me as if I am a small child. The others give her an unwelcome look, and she scoots off quietly, and I wish she wouldn't go, as she is the only one who speaks in full sentences to me.

"What's trending? What did I say? I'm sorry I didn't get my lines right," I say to everyone in a defeated voice.

"So, we are trying to not get political, on a political, made for television, drama? Something is wrong here." Seth Baxter, Marketing and Publicity associate, says to the group. I like Seth for his common sense in a world full of overreactive artsy types and corporate looking money men.

"We have to walk the line here. Tabetha did us a favor by getting all this attention, but we need to handle it, so we are not too political. It's just too hot right now." Andy, our producer says, and I give him an odd look so he continues, "Tabby, your doing great. Just to clarify, your character responded to her boss with the exact same words that have been trending in a social media war between Chrissy Teigen, the model and wife of John Legend, and the president.

The old me would be cringing right now, but I'm taking it one challenge at a time, and I tell myself every day that I can always leave, but I have this quiet strength that I get from my Matthew dreams. I am clueless as to what is going on. The show 'Protect', so I am told, is a combination of 'Law and Order' and 'Homeland' combined, but I wouldn't know as I never watched either. Now that I'm the lead on 'Protect', I feel it would screw me up if I did watch them, and I just don't want to mess with my good Karma. The network is paying me a small fortune and I have no idea why. This is just a little adventure I'm having, to spread love. It beats being lonely.

"And the president just called Chrissy a 'filthy mouthed wife?" Seth states as he is staring at his phone.

"I honestly don't even remember what I said or was supposed to say. I was in the moment, playing mad at my boss."

Everyone around me is nodding their heads. "Exactly." Several voices say at once.

"You stuck up for yourself!" Seth chimes in.

"You stuck it to the 'Man'!" Simmi adds holding up a fist before retreating into wardrobe.

"Why is the president of the United States engaging in wordy wars with fashion models on social media? Isn't he supposed to be running the country? Am I missing something?" I ask.