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Thanks for the flowers
The Stereotype Alive
‘You can go.’ I say to Hughes who turns around as if I’ve slapped him. I smile at the very thought of slapping him by dismissing him for the day, turning for the plaza entrance where a big burly guy is standing ‘is there a security threat in the area?’ I jovially inquire. Considering Sadie told me to meet her here I won’t be shocked if she’s planned a protest of some sort ‘Name?’ he inquires unearthing a book from under his armpit. If my name was there, which I’m sure it isn’t seeing as Sadie doesn’t know it, then it was probably covered in sweat! ‘Sadie.’ I announce.
He looks at me with a snarl ‘do I look blind; I know Sadie Weema. She’s a fine young thing! Not a dark haired James Bond wanna be like you.’ He announces ‘actually some people say I’m a cross between Chris Pine and Pierce Brosnan.’ I helpfully offer ‘I think you’re a liar, now step back.’ He orders me ‘what I meant to say is that I’m here to see Sadie. If you could tell her is here you’ll be doing me a grand favour.’ I explain ‘you think just because you’re English you can trot up in here and trick me?’ he demands. I grunt and reach for my phone. If he won’t call Sadie then I will!
The phone rings for a bit then it picks up ‘please don’t tell me you’re cancelling on me or I will drive a very sharp pencil into your aquifers!’ she warns me in greeting ‘I’m outside some burly nice gentleman will not let me in.’ I report ‘it’s okay. We’re on our way out.’ She sighs mostly in relief. ‘I’ll be waiting right next to the guy in black.’ I lightly announce ‘we’re coming right out.’ She assures me. I wonder who we are. I turn to burly person and smile at him ‘she’s on her way down.’ I announce as his pager beeps. He looks down at it and then whistles through his fingers, a limousine pulling out as he turns and opens the door to a bunch of security detail and then just when I think someone important is about to show up, Ambrose Michael appears with Sadie in his hands. Today she’s in a purple frock with pale silver paisleys, the sunglasses mother will detest and sport shoes ’hey.’ she says waving at me and leaving his side. ‘Hey.’ I reply for lack of words. She’s American? Is she related to him? This should be utterly intriguing. A black American libertine with a blue blood aristocrat; is this history or what?!
‘That’s Ambrose Michael. We’re shooting a video for him today.’ She casually says. We shoot hip-hop videos!! Father would be most entertained! Not! How excellent is my taste?? By the end of this they’d be glad I settled for someone in the continent!! ‘Wassup sweetheart.’ He says making a finger sign I should learn ‘hallo.’ I reply ‘I was talking to her.’ He says as she smiles and turns to him ‘your boyfriend?’ he probes
‘My friend from school.’ She says ‘oh! So you go to DroughFox too?’ he asks seemingly impressed now ‘he does actuarial science.’ She fills in as Viola walks out in tiny shorts and stockings in a garish pink, boots and a vest ‘ready.’ She announces ‘then let’s go.’ Ambrose says clapping his hands together and leading us to the limousine, which is actually full of people! ‘Is it the same as last night?’ he is asking her in the limousine as we’re served some sort of hip-hop prototype of Champaign in a gold glass bottle.
I watch her explain something to him, catching Viola’s gaze on me once too often. I somehow manage to hold it, forcing her to smile at me briefly then shift her gaze away; my aquifers must be freaking her out. I smile into my glass of whatever this is as she takes a large swig at hers and grunts. ‘I like you.’ Ambrose announces with a smile. She smiles back ‘you haven’t put a few shots of tequila in me yet.’ She warns him with a bright smile then turns to me ‘you’re quiet Mr Charmer.’ She says lightly to me ‘I’m unfamiliar with everyone but you.’ I point out ‘I’d hardly say we are familiar.’ She retaliates ‘I gave you a choice and you led me down another path.’ I remind her. She smiles ‘Viola; this is . He came after me with the bill for Emery’s foot and I told him he could help out with the video.’ She explains ‘great.’ Viola says sipping into her glass politely ‘now would you say you are familiar with her?’ she probes ‘not really. I have to bump into people to be familiar with them.’ I declare frivolously, watching her chuckle at the innuendo twixt us two. The car comes to a stop...
‘This is the crowd scene! We need a crowd!’ she shouts into the PA system, a crowd quickly gathering. I was right! She is a libertine! Enough to attack the government as freely as she was doing with the help of Ambrose Michael with his bling bling and his designer clothes. I should take a picture with him! So far we’ve been through an anti-terrorist campaign and an anti-war campaign. It’s getting a tad late, which is exactly what she seems to want. Now we’re at anti-hunger. The song seems to be about not loving someone any more but with her intelligent mind she’s morphed it into not loving something anymore, even children not loving education anymore. I’ll be the first to admit its brilliant the way she’s expanded the song, and it will definitely become a slogan for many things! And it will definitely sell more this way!
‘What’s with the smile?’ she pries tetchily ‘you’re good at this.’ I shrug. She turns to me with a smile ‘you figure this out after seven hours of shooting? Didn’t I have your confidence at the appearance of Ambrose Michael?’ she wonders confidently. What a way to take a compliment! ‘I thought maybe you’re related.’ I reveal ‘you know for someone who’s meant to be charming you suck at it.’ She announces. I smile ‘I didn’t know I was here to be the charming rogue. I thought I was the handy boy who’s keeping my hip hop icon happy.’ I argue ‘get me a glass of passion juice while you’re at it. My throat feels sore.’ She orders me ‘I could kiss you and make it all better.’ I say. She turns to me ‘the pitcher’s over there.’ She declines like a tease. I consider taking her into my arms and actually doing it but she’s the libertine, not me! She watches me like she’s expecting something but I smile and turn for the pitcher. Mother will have a fit knowing I was the water boy at a hip-hop video! But so far there have been no naked women much to my chagrin!
‘Are you ready?’ she is asking Ambrose ‘you know what it is.’ He replies with a smile ‘great. It’s dark enough. I think we can do it now.’ She announces. It ought to be dark enough! It’s well past midnight! ‘Let’s do this then.’ He says clapping his hands together and frolicking onto a glass shell. ‘Watch this.’ She excitedly says to me as Viola shouts orders and then lights hit the shell like a glorious kaleidoscope that rises into the night sky like a moon of some terrific planet, spreading over the crowd with its brilliant illumination before it fractures into Ambrose Michael, his skin sparkling like the very kaleidoscope ‘if it comes out perfect he wants it as his album cover.’ She informs me with a sigh of relief as Viola announces that it’s a wrap. ‘Congratulations Sadie.’ I say turning to her with a smile ‘thanks.’ She says brightly. ‘How about dinner?’ I probe roguishly staring at her lips like I was about to devour them. She steps back and right into the shining Ambrose Michael, yelping at the sight and jumping into my arms. He gave her quite the fright it seems!
She chuckles and slides out of my arms as though she hadn’t enjoyed her brief stay there. I know I did! ‘You scared Me.’ she explains still chuckling softly ‘it’s aight Shorty. When’s the after party?’ he investigates ‘I’d love to come but I have to help Viola edit the video.’ She says catching her breath ‘then we’ll have it tomorrow.’ He announces ‘we’re not editing it overnight. It might take a while.’ She says ‘it’s okay. We’ll party tonight and you can sort it out afterwards.’ He says taking her hand ‘could you wash that out first?’ she requests pointing at the glowing skin ‘you don’t think it’s a great party look?’ he pries lightly ‘not unless you party at the carnivore’s house of horrors.’ She decides as he leads her into the dark abyss, illuminating their path and leaving me by my lonesome. Methinks she might have more in her plate than she ought to handle at such a tender age. She’s obviously younger than I! Isn’t he too old to be flirting with her this way? I feel I have been slapped if this is indeed her dismissal of me after a hard day’s work!
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The stereotype alive
