Chapter 51

I get home to find my girlfriends, including Jen, already there. They must have come directly from school. When Sam and Zlata aren’t around, we have started using the love seat they normally occupy. I typically sit on the couch with a girl on either side and the two girls that are left out cuddle on the love seat. It is a lot more comfortable than having them sit on the floor between our legs. Today I share the couch with Jen and Moira.

For some reason, we are watching The Flintstones. When it comes to a commercial, I say, “Now that the businesses run themselves, we can’t just sit here. We have to do something.”

Jen picks her head up off my chest to look at me and asks, “Like what.”

Before I can answer, Dahlia says, “We need to start a study group like we had last year.”

“You already have us cycling six days a week, and Carol has been teaching us self-defence twice a week,” complains Moira

“I forgot about that. I don’t suppose you girls would mind if I took over from Carol,” I ask.

Moira answers, “She is hard enough on us as it is.”

“Don’t be a drama queen,” chastises Dahlia.

Carol adds, “I would love to see what you would teach. You are right in saying every martial art gets predictable.”

“Why haven’t you told me you girls were training in self-defence. I want to learn too,” Jen complains.

“That settles it. Jen, you are now invited, and I am teaching it. On the days I can’t come, Carol will be the instructor.”

I think for a minute then suggest, “We have a lot to prepare for to be ready for after graduation. Sam doesn’t get home until six every day. I say we do the same. Two days a week, we do self-defence. One day a week, we train with kayaks and two days a week, we are at the range. That still gives us the same amount of free time he gets.”

Dahlia says, “You are cutting into girl time. If we do that, then two days a weak, we do the study group followed by something we can all do, including our friends. Then each of us girls get one evening alone with you, including Jen.”

“I don’t like every day filled like that. It’s time we let loose and have fun. I will agree to your proposal in principle, but you only get a date with me three times in four weeks. That leaves Saturdays and Sundays open. It also means your night rotates, so it isn’t always on the same night of the week.”

Before anybody can say anything, Moira and Dahlia shout in unison, “Agreed.” Carol just shrugs, and Jen doesn’t know what to think.

I pull Jen’s head to my chest, kiss her forehead, then say, “You will get used to it. Dahlia and Moira tend to gang up on us like that.” Dahlia blows a raspberry in my direction, and Moira hits me in the arm. “See what I mean. They’re bullies.”

Moira responds, “If we are bullies, then I’m going to force everybody to hit an early movie.”

I don’t need to look at the schedule. I inform them, “You girls saw Pretty Women without me, thank God. That leaves one choice, and I want no complaining.”

Moira deflates a bit and asks, “What is it?”

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

“Oh, I wanted to watch that,” remarks Carol

Moira complains, “Dahlia and I aren’t the only ones that gang up on the rest.”

“Stop your bitching. If Trent suggested it, there is a reason,” Carol says, defending me.

It is Jim Henson’s last movie that he completed. He ends up dying because he refused to go to the hospital. He is busy with the latest Muppet Movie, and he doesn’t want to delay it by taking time off. Eventually, his estranged wife convinced him to go to emergency when he starts coughing blood, but it is too late. He dies of a lung infection because he thought his Muppet projects were more important than his health. His son ends up taking over from him and does a good job of it.

Jim had won the Courage Conscience Award. They created a new category for him, the Children’s Peace Award. I have to save this guy. There is no sense saving the world if we can’t enhance the joy in others’ lives. I quickly get up, causing Moira and Jen to fall on each other. I don’t hear their complaints as I take off for the home office.

Having been from the 2030s, the movie doesn’t meet my standards, but the girls enjoy it, especially Carol. The film reminds me of the collapse of the movie industry in North America in the 2030s. I spend most of the movie in deep thought.

After the movie, we drop Jen at home first. As soon as I get back in the SUV from walking her to the door, Carol asks, “You were distracted the entire movie. What gives?”

“To start with, that was supposed to be Jim Henson’s last completed project. Within two months, he is supposed to die. Hopefully, I changed that.”

While I mention Jim’s death, the girls look shocked. The guy is only 53. When I say that I might have saved him, they appear relieved. Before I can continue, Dahlia asks, “What is supposed to happen? What did you do to stop it?”

“Right now, he thinks he has a head cold. The bloody moron doesn’t realize his sinuses aren’t plugged. He ends up dying from pneumonia. One of the things that piss me off is how people try to benefit from other people’s misfortune like this. The attending doctor that called his death listed the cause as streptococcus pneumonia. Fifteen days later, another doctor, wanting the notoriety, contradicts the original diagnosis and discovering the quote, real cause of death, unquote. He listed it as Streptococcus pyogenes. In other words, a specific type of streptococcus pneumonia. The first doctor was correct but lost credibility because a pompous ass wanted notoriety.

“Anyway, when I left the living room in a hurry, I wrote Jim a letter, warning him of his death. We stopped off at Paul’s on the way to the movie so that I could give him the letter. He will make sure it is delivered, and Jim reads it. I don’t expect him to go to the doctor’s right away. My hope is with each time he becomes short of breath, he thinks about it and eventually sees a doctor. Aside from kidnapping him, there isn’t much more we can do.”

Moira comments, “Nice try, buster. We all know that isn’t enough to occupy both sides of your brain. You would have been able to be interested in the movie and not be staring off into space the entire movie.”

“You’re right. I was thinking of the demise of the film industry in North America and how to fix it. How would you girls like to own Hollywood?”

The girls are awestruck and speak at the same time.

“Really!!!”

“Far out!!!”

“Cooool!!!”

I laugh at them and explain, “It isn’t that difficult. Between the cramped space and the inflating costs due to the union issues, more and more movies are filmed outside of Hollywood. Once computers get in the mix and North American computer graphics companies start gouging the industry, production companies start growing broke. A blockbuster needs 200 to 300 million just to break even in 2020. By 2035 a typical action or sci-fi movie costs over a half billion. For a movie of the same quality in Russia in 2020, it only costs 5 or 6 million. North American greed, both in Canada and the US, causes the downfall of the greatest movie industry on the planet.”

“Wow, that sucks,” exclaims Carol.

Dahlia asks, “So what’s the plan?”

Dahlia and Moira are always interested in my business plans. I’m not sure if it has something to do with my making them my executive and personal secretaries or if my business ventures just turn them on. It is likely a combination of the two.

“It’s time to stop messing with Apple and bring it into the fold. They have, by far, the best platform and programming for media. Until we get supercomputers online, they will have to do. It is the perfect timing for it. In 1995 Waterworld was released, with the first realistic water rendering. It became the most expensive movie to date, almost doubling the budget for True Lies, the previous record holder. After that, the cost of movies almost doubled.”

Carol asks, “What is rendering.”

“The automatic creation of a picture using a computer.”

“So, who are we going to get for this project? You aren’t becoming a workaholic again. We just got you back,” says Dahlia.

“It is obvious the people I need for this. When Star Trek: The Next Generation switched to using CG in every episode, it raised the average cost of an episode to 1.5 million. At the same time, Babylon 5 had more and better CG but only cost 650k.”

Moira comments, “Wow, that is a big difference.”

“It’s the difference between one guy using antiquated computers ganged together in his basement, trying to do the impossible, pushing the envelope, and a greedy company trying to squeeze as much out of the production company as possible.

“The downside to Babylon 5 being permeated with CG is that CG changed a lot in the next few years, so if you went back and watched it, even just a couple years later, it didn’t look very well done, even though, it was the best of its time. It wasn’t given the recognition it deserved, even though it changed how TV series were done. It had a long list of firsts for the industry.

“My first big goal will be to rescue B5 from obscurity, and by doing so, build a big enough CG company to achieve my primary goal of reducing the cost of CG and save the movie industry. Moving Hollywood north of the border won’t hurt either.

“So, what made Babylon 5 so good,” asks Carol.

“Many people argued whether it was good or not. I liked it. The thing was, it influenced a lot of series and had a lot of firsts. Star Trek stole a lot of the storylines. It was a regular TV show, but it was similar to a soap opera in that it had an ongoing story. Unlike a soap, you didn’t have to watch every episode. Each episode could stand alone. What is even more impressive is that it was almost entirely written by one man. After B5, it became common to have season-long story arcs in a TV series.

“It was more than just a story and CG. TV was changing. People were renting movies and didn’t want the sides cropped off to have the picture fit on the TV. Widescreen TVs were becoming popular, so B5 became the first show to be filmed in the widescreen format. High definition TVs were being developed, so B5 used a higher film quality to match it. Even the audio changed. Instead of mono channel sound like TVs have today, people bought home theatre systems with surround sound like in a movie theatre. B5 was the first TV show to utilize the new sound systems.”

“That sounds like an awful lot considering an episode costs just over a third what it did for Star Trek,” observes Carol

“That is why we are going to need Michael Straczynski. He was the creator and brains behind B5. His movies never cost more than 200 million and almost always made around three times what they cost. Despite being a writer, he has the potential to revolutionize the industry, if only a few more people would listen to what he has to say.”

We have been parked outside Carol’s place for a while now, so we do our farewell kisses, and she departs.

I want to make a call as soon as I get home, but Jean-Paul is still in the UK, and it is only 6 am there. I know he will be up at seven, so I wait an hour, cuddling on the couch with Dahlia while Zlata and Sam cuddle on the love seat.

Zlata mentions, “I hear we are going to have another teen move in here. Does this mean you will have another girlfriend?”

“Lisa is in no shape to be anybody’s girlfriend, and I’m not looking for another. I was happy to have three, but it looks like I may be back up to four again, thanks to your daughter’s meddling.”

Defending herself, Dahlia says, “Jen needs you. It was the right thing to do.”

“I’m not complaining, but by that reasoning, I should have well over a hundred girlfriends, trying to help most of the girls that were victimized.”

“Only the ones that will fit in with our relationship.”

“Half the time I can’t tell if you are joking. I’m not sure I want to know. If you are serious, I would like to feign cluelessness and go on living in ignorant bliss.”

Her reply is to kiss me as Sam and Zlata laugh.

When the evening news comes on, I head to the home office to make a call.

“Bonjour.”

“Hi, Jean-Paul. How’s it going?”

“Magnifique, we are just putting the finishing touches on the deal. I expect to be home by Friday.”

“To be honest, that isn’t what I called about.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“I’m expanding the holdings of your part of my business and wanted to give you a heads up.”

“I’m busy with this. I don’t have the time, nor does my team.”

“I understand that. I’m willing to get things started and then hand it off when you have the time.”

“I can’t imagine what pot you are sticking your hands into now.”

“TV and Movie production. I have a specific project in mind that I want to start, but I want you to expand on it. I’m only sticking my nose in this one project for now. As usual, I will give you a report on how I want you to proceed and give you a ton of leeway.”