Chapter 37

When I woke Monday I was a mass of bruises, all on my chest and back. It hurt to move. I took some more aspirin and tried to do my workout but couldn’t do it. Instead, I took a long hot shower. I called Dick Wyman and asked him to come over, we needed to talk.

I left my shirt off so when he showed up he could see the problem.

I explained what happened, “Two guys ambushed me at the door as I was unlocking it.

They said, “Hello from Paul Grant” then kicked the crap out of me.

He wanted to know if I had called the Police.

“And tell them what, that I was assaulted by two unknowns.”

“You need to get this on record. Have you called your parents?”

“Not yet.”

Dick used my phone and called my house. Mum answered and he gave her the details. She asked to speak to me. When I told her that I was okay except for being sore all over she told me to take it easy for the day. I had expected her to be upset instead she was very cold and factual about the whole event.

She then asked to speak to Dick again. They talked for a while, he recommended that I rent or buy a house in a gated community that would give me some protection.

When he hung up he told me, “Your Mom has asked Janice and me to help you find a new place to live.”

“Okay, I understand that I really do need security right now.”

Dick asked me what my plans were for the day. “Right now I’m going to see if I can run some of this off, I don’t want to tighten up any more than I am.”

So we did our morning run at the high school. I made the distance in about twice the time. but it did feel better the more I went. At home, I was able to do pushups. but the sit-ups were beyond me.

Fortunately, my scenes didn’t include any action. We did our walkthroughs. I was spending less time with my voice coach all the time. I was getting better at delivering lines. I wasn’t ready for Shakespeare but I could do a conversation on film in a normal manner.

I had to take more aspirin halfway through the morning. Ellen and her mother noticed I winced several times. I told them I had a little problem with a horse. This happened regularly on set so it was no big deal.

After lunch, I went over to Hollywood High. This was my second week of lab work there. One more and I would be on a full-time shooting schedule.

Nina and I had fun in the lab, there was nothing gooey to cut up, we just had to organize our notes and prepare a presentation on how nervous systems worked. She told me that she had shared my “from Paris” remarks with her girlfriends. That was why so many girls had looked last Friday. They thought I was romantic.

Actually, this was high praise from a critical audience. These kids had been living with movie lines all their life. Later I found out that one of the girls shared the whole line with her father, a writer and it made it into a movie.

Nina wanted to know my plans for the weekend. When I told her I didn’t have any she asked me if I wanted to join a group surfing down by the Santa Monica pier.

“Sure that sounds like fun, though I haven’t ever surfed. I had a problem with a stunt and I’m stiff and bruised but think I will be okay by the weekend.”

“You will enjoy it. I will borrow one of my dad’s lighter boards for you. I think we have a wet suit that will fit you. I think half the actors and stuntmen in Hollywood are bruised at one time or the other.”

After class I returned to the studio, checking up on the shooting which was proceeding on schedule. From there I went to the stunt area and did my sword exercises. I found that I couldn’t do the moves, but could hold the swords out with both hands. The weights were about half and half, some I could do, some I couldn’t.

I went over to the boxing area and talked to the trainer, Mr. Palmer. I told him I was assaulted last night. I didn’t bring Grant’s name into it. After looking at my bruises he told me that I had been worked over by professionals, lots of bruises but no permanent damage. He agreed that I should skip practice today and try again tomorrow.

I was feeling pretty tired by then so I went back to my apartment earlier than usual. I picked up a LA Examiner from the box on the corner. Since it was a nice sunny day I took a Coke down by the pool and read the paper.

The Entertainment news section had a quote from Paul Grant when asked about my comments on Jack Paar’s show, he replied.

“That punk will get what’s coming to him one of these days soon.”

The paper continued that he was in New York for a fashion show where a new line of teen clothes in his name was being debuted. They made a big deal about the show this evening, which was apparently at one of the better fashion houses. They gave all the details of when and whereas if people would want to go. The fashion house name meant nothing to me.

I think maybe that day Grant referred to had already arrived. I tried to think of something I could do, but couldn’t think of anything legal. Anything illegal would cause me more problems than it was worth. I would have to suck it up until a chance presented itself.

I fixed dinner at home and spent the evening studying. By ten o’clock I was very tired and went to sleep without reading.

Tuesday was better, but I was still stiff and sore. I was able to do all my pushups and half my sit-ups. By the time I finished my run I had loosened up enough that I knew I would get through the day okay. Sore, but okay.

I checked out my body in the mirror after my shower as expected it was ugly. The bruises had started to change color, by tomorrow I would be in Technicolor. I think I’ve been in show business too long already.

Dick questioned me when we ran about how I felt. The fact that I could do the run must have reassured him. He still thought I should file a police report, but for some reason, I didn’t think that was a good idea.

I didn’t want to create a link to Paul Grant and violence. It wasn’t logical, but Mum had always told me if I felt strongly about something that I should pay attention to those feelings.

At the studio, I was cornered by Mr. Wayne. He asked me how I was doing. I wasn’t surprised that he knew what had happened.

“Dick told me you didn’t want to file a police report,” he started.

“Mr. Wayne I couldn’t describe my assailants other than the fact someone beat me up professionally, what do I have to go on? Besides I don’t want to build this up in the press because if it wasn’t Grant and his people it might encourage other copycats.”

“Well you have a point there, what do you intend to do?”

“I don’t know right now, but I will think of something if I can be certain it was Grant and company. I don’t get mad, I get even.”

“I like to get mad and even,” he said with that trademark grin of his.

We both laughed and went to work. Considering everything the scenes went well. Ellen and I clicked on the screen. Our romance in the movie was to form a deep attachment that wouldn’t be concluded in this movie.