Sunday, February 3, 2013

The Extra




(A True Ghost Story)

 

               I can’t tell you who the actor was but get this; I’m sitting on a wooden stool having my lunch off to the left of the set.  Everyone else has gone.  I’m just sitting there with what they call a Hot Set, which means nobody is supposed to touch anything.  In fact, someone from Continuity comes in and checks the set before filming starts up again just to make sure everything is just as it was left.  Anyway, I take a bite of my bologna, lettuce and cheese when this actor comes walking back in.  He doesn’t see me and I don’t make a sound.  I just chew very quietly and watch.

 

               He is still in costume and make-up and steps onto the set, sits on the sofa and starts this dialog.  It’s weird.  What he is saying wasn’t from the storyline because I’ve been here all morning and I pretty much know what the play is about.  This guy is talking as if there is someone sitting right next to him.  Then he is quiet for a bit, like he is listening, and then he starts in again but this time louder, like he is arguing with this non-existent person. 

 

               OK, so I say to myself, maybe this is some actor exercise he’s doing, but then I hear this loud slap and the actor falls over on the couch.  Now I didn’t see him hit himself or clap his hands, and I didn’t just imagine the sound.  I heard what I heard and I saw him fall back.

 

               Without thinking I stand up and say, “You Okay Pal?”

 

This startles the actor who jumps to his feet, turns and stares at me, like he’s not sure if he should be mad at me for being there or what.  Finally, after a moment, he waves a hand at me like – I’m fine, it’s all good, and he walks off the stage and out of the sound studio.

 

               After he’s gone I look up to the control booth and yell, “Did anyone else see that?” Of course the control booth was dark, which left just me and I wasn’t about to go around telling stories about a major star like that.  They fire people for a lot less.

 

 

 I. deClair

 

1 comment:

Pauline said...

Hummmmmmm.
Now ya really got to wonder
if he did see what
he thought he saw!