Child of the Theater

INTRODUCTION

The assistant director called "Next" and a six-foot-three slender guy with dark-eyes and dark hair slicked back was pushed on-stage and the assistant director sighed and patted her pussy and whispered, "Down girl."

"Name?"

"Eugene Ejack."

Those around her laughed but Pauline kept a straight face never knowing when and where a union spy was hovering with a desire to close down the theatre while an investigation into alleged abuse of the civil rights of a minority race person was conducted. Five minutes of negotiation with a check for $5000 could of course end the matter, but not always. Sometimes the union wanted to flex its muscle in court.

"Occupation?"

"Unemployed aspiring actor."

"Age?"

"Thirty-two."

"Address?"

"Currently Ball Park under the grandstand."

"Previous experience?"

"None but I'm here ma'am for experience."

"Thelma, give him something to read."

The guy pushed away the microphone and in a deep, rich voice read the first eight verses of the 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. It was brilliant and people passing had stopped to listen.

"There's your guy for the part of the orator," said Thelma, a veteran of the stage and Pauline's unpaid assistant.

The guy got the part, as this was only small city theater. He had no money so Pauline took him to her 'apartment' and gave him soup and some bread. She decided he could stay the night and never in her life had she been shafted so well. He virtually had her hair standing on end, pubic hair that is.

He stayed and the show ran for thirteen weeks by which time she was pregnant and then during the melee after final curtain call on that final night Eugene disappeared, never to be seen again by Pauline.

The baby was a beautiful girl, conveniently arriving in August when the theater was closed for three months over summer. Pauline's friends gathered round and she came through her ordeal very well of being an unmarried mother, the legacy of an absconded lover. Pauline Jarosinski decided not to lumber her daughter with her surname so drew of up list of twenty-five names she preferred and asked her friends to vote for a name. Her second favorite was voted most popular and so the baby was named Augustine Jack in memory of the absconded father and incorporating the month of her birth.

CHAPTER 1

By the time Augustine Jack turned four her mom Pauline Jarosinski had become principle director of the Palladium Theater in Ashburton City, Pennsylvania. Pauline had been a child actor and had acted professionally until retiring when she was almost thirty to switch to theater production. Mother and daughter lived in a loft above the theatre store and it was inevitable that Pauline would want her daughter to find her love for theater.

It wasn't difficult to foster. Augustine had the run of the theater including all ancillary services rooms and the pretty and gentle-natured child was much loved. By the time Augustine began school she'd already appeared on stage in five productions, small parts of course. At the age of seven she won her first minor role and on it went from there and she began receiving drama training.

Alas when Augustine was 16½ Pauline died of complications triggered by influenza, seven days after becoming ill. A messy legal situation hung over the child who was taken in by Pauline's assistant Lisa Cobb, who had been made acting-principal director, and that seemed to satisfy the authorities because no further concern about the child's legal status followed.

Pauline's attorney Rick Reid read the will to Augustine and Lisa her unofficial guardian. That revealed Augustine was the sole beneficiary which wasn't much by way of real property and available money but the value of investments came to just over $40,000 of which $29,000 was invested in a film about cleaning up the problem of street kids in a fictitious city. That production appeared ready to 'bomb', being eight months behind schedule.

Five months later Augustine's attorney called to say he had received a repayment check, first installment, of $7000 on her investment in the film. The film was in theaters and going quite well. Augustine had to sign authority for him to reinvest the money on her behalf because she was under-age to invest in stock. Asked what stock she wanted him to buy she was caught unprepared, having no idea, but seeing the name Apple on the computer on the desk where she was signing the power of attorney she said, "Apple Computers and add to this authority I want all further money generated on my behalf placed into Apple Computers stock."

That was done and the addendum initialed.

The film was panned by critics but that was disregarded by younger people and theaters began running extra screenings and the film began showing in more theaters. Soon the media was reporting 'Street Clean-up' had become a cult and older people began going to see what the fuss was about.

Rick the attorney called Augustine two months later to say she now had $84,000 invested in Apple Computers and the stock price appeared to be in decline. He advised to begin diverting money from the film investment to some other stock.

"No Rick, I'm fine with it going only into Apple stock. Let's keep it simple."

"Okay, listen something on a personal note. My wife is away so what about coming out for dinner with me?"

"Naughty boy Rick Are you forgetting I only sixteen and turn seventeen on Saturday week?"

"Ohmigod, how could you think like that; the invitation was only for dinner."

"That's fine Rick. Invite me out only for dinner when I'm eighteen."

Augustine smiled thinking should she change to a female attorney but then thought Rick was a good guy to work with and did not appear to be screwing her... financially, she giggled. She had decided her virginity would stay until she was ready for it to go.

She was out for dinner with Lisa near her final year at high school. Lisa was her confidante as well as her 'unofficial' guardian and they rent-shared the loft and living expenses, Lisa insisting Augustine only pay 40% of outgoings by giving Lisa a check at the end of each month. Lisa bought her own clothes out of cash she'd gotten from Pauline's estate. Even so, Lisa brought her dresses and shoes and refused to take money, saying she felt Pauline would have loved her for doing that.

"Lisa what age did you begin having sex?"

"Ohmigod."

"Why bring him into it?"

"What?" said Lisa, half-stunned, and then got the joke and practically hee-hawed in unrestrained laughter.

"I'm waiting."

Lisa fended. "No you're not, you're not really interested."

"Oh yeah, do you want me to tell Paul you are also having it off with Roger and for me to tell Roger about Paul?"

"You wouldn't."

"You are tempting me Lisa."

"Oh god, I'm talking to a child."

"It's you last chance."

Red-faced Lisa told her.

"Ohmigod," laughed Augustine. "And you call me a child?"

"Plead Augustine," Lisa wheedled, "Make that the end of this particular conversation and withdraw your threat about interfering in my personal relationships."

"Yeah sure; you met my request so the threat is cancelled. Oh one more thing. Don't you get tired of guys jerking in and out of you?"

"Augustine, for goodness sake. We are having dinner."

"So?"

"Please eat that spinach."

Augustine smiled, thinking that was as far as she could take that conversation.

* * *

For the second year running Augustine played the lead female role in her high school's main production of the year with 18-year-old Gavin Paynter the male lead. They were both widely acclaimed by people who attended and enjoyed their success. As they would be graduating from high school in a few weeks Gavin invited her to a picnic with him on Fowler Park on Saturday, the day after the show ended, to enjoy the calm before the run up to exams began. She happily consented, thinking he might have romantic inclinations. He'd already had her sitting on his knee on one occasion and had rubbed her right breast.

Gavin insisted on bringing all the food and produced a bottle of wine. They both drank wine at home so it wasn't a novelty but got them going well. He ended up tonguing her and playing with her breasts but Augustine withstood his pleadings to be allowed to do more. That made him angry.

"You bitch. You are a big tease."

"You should have warned me. If I'd known of your desires I wouldn't have come here alone with you."

"You're a baby. You know nothing, have no feeling for a guy."

"Shut your wicked mouth you vindictive liar."

"What?"

"Oh that's a line out of a play I did last year. It was actually came during a verbal outburst between two women. Does your mother know you go around trying to have sex with under age females? I'm still seventeen."

"She suspects because I don't hang around with women and has asked why do I have condoms in my pockets."

"Oh why do you?"

"In case I get lucky. Sometimes I do but not with you. The dumb thing is all the nice girls like you don't do it."

"Oh Gavin, what a lovely thing to say to me. You can be so charming."

"Thanks," he said, looking surprised but then spoilt it. "I hope you remember this big chance you threw away."

"Regard it like auditioning Gavin. You win one occasionally, sometimes you lose out when you think you are on to a certainty."

"God Augustine. You are really great and not only as an actress. There are a few females who'd cheerfully murder you for getting that part over them, and the same thing would have happened last year. You know I thought I was up again a kid but you've turned out to be a woman."

"Oh god Gavin. Let's go. You are flustering me."

He laughed. They packed up and walked out into the open an arm around each other. It was just like a scene ending in a play.

Augustine's attorney Rick phoned and told her she had just passed the $150,000 mark in investing in Apple Computers, thanks to the runaway success of the film she had money in although income from the film was slowing..

"As I predicted, Apple's price is in a slide."

"Rick the price will lift again. It does each time the company launches new product, so I've read."

"Well yeah but what if it doesn't and the price collapses?"

"That's what risk is all about Rick. You only have authority to invest on my behalf, not to sell stock, so I'm safe in that direction so my risk is limited to market forces."

"Oh thanks for the slur that I conceivably might be dishonest."

"Down boy. What are you doing Saturday at noon?"

"Nothing."

"What will you wife be doing?"

"Taking the kids to her mother's as she does one Saturday a month."

"May I take you to lunch Saturday, somewhere you are unlikely to have her friends seeing you lunching with me if that would save you from being uncomfortable?"

"Trillo's in Main Street."

"That's in view of everyone."

"So, what have I to hide? It's not illegal for me to lunch with a seventeen-year-old. Oh yeah, you've just had it. How did the birthday go?"

"Fine I didn't send you a letter thanking me for your present because you didn't send me one."

"Bitch."

"Oh that's rather radical for an attorney speaking to his client."

"For some reason I don't understand, we have become friends."

"Oooh, I like that confession."

Rick protested. "It's not a confession. There is nothing sneaky about that comment."

"Oh I'm so glad my attorney is an honorable person. To keep you relaxed may I say lunch on Saturday without sex?"

"You may."

She laughed and said, "Noon at Trillo's. I'll book."

"Thank you. I guess this relates to you passing the $150,000 investment mark."

"Something like that. Bye."

* * *

Rick arrived at Trillo's looking very natty in white trousers and an Italian-cut black shirt that made him look very athletic.

He found Augustine dressed summer casual in cream with a bright red neck scarf, no make up apart from lipstick and her hair in a pony tail.

"I'm disappointed you are not dressed up to look sexy," he said, kissing her lips lightly.

"I thought you'd appreciate if I looked very much a schoolgirl."

He grinned. "Good thinking. Mr Reid and... um..."

"Lolita?"

He grasped his chair for support and whispered, "Jesus."

"White wine for me please daddy."

Rick winced. "They won't serve you liquor."

"I checked. Providing I'm with a parent they will serve a minor."

"Jesus."

"Relax Rick, you don't always have to be in control."

"How old are you?"

"You know my age."

"I was just checking. You are conversing like a very forward thirty-year-old."

"Oh darling, you are so complimentary."

"Shut up. Here comes the waiter. Daughters don't call their father darling."

"Daddy a white wine please, off dry I should think?"

"A Riesling?"

"Perfect."

"A bottle please waiter."

"Certainly sir. That outfit makes you look so young miss."

"Thank you Ivan."

Rick looked as if he couldn't believe this. When the waiter left he said, "You actually know him."

"Yes, he is Ivan Schneider, the older brother of a guy at high school I date occasionally."

They drank and ate leisurely.

While waiting for mains Rick pulled out a small box and said, "Happy Birthday. I overlooked giving you a present on time."

"Ooooh. Thank you. Oh it's lovely Rick," Augustine cooed. "Come over here for a kiss and put it around my neck."

It was a silver necklace, the letter 'A' on a fine chain.

"It's beautiful and I guess rather expensive. You are a naughty boy."

He beamed.

Their mains, steak and lightly grilled chicken arrived.

Leaning forward and whispering, Augustine said, "I invited you here today to mark my investment passing a new benchmark but also to ask you something. "Will you seduce me sometime during summer?"

"What!"

"Shhh, Keep your voice down. I've turned eighteen. Did I ever tell you I was born in August and that's why I was named Augustine by popular vote apparently?"

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. Please answer me."

Rick whispered fiercely, "No, I'm too old for you and besides I'm married."

"It will be with my consent. You are only making a fuss because you didn't come up with the idea."

"Exactly what do you mean by seduce?"

"To fuck me dummy. Jesus what are friends for Rick?"

"Augustine, keep you whispers down."

"No I'm finished. I await your answer and I better be the answer I wait."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Rick I'm not that dumb, I want your cooperation, not to send you galloping for the hills or to apply for a pathetic restraining order."

"Augustine, please give me time to think about this."

"No, you just say yes you will and you will plan for that event to happen. Just the one session, that's all I'm asking. I'm still a virgin. I want you to take it because I admire, respect and like you."

"What?"

"What didn't you understand about admire, respect and like?"

"Er nothing."

"Then give me your answer please Rick. Come on, don't be a naughty boy."

"All right, yes."

"There you go. It would have been much easier had you not decided to draw it out."

"Me draw it out?"

"Yes Rick. You. Normally when one asks a question an answer is given immediately. But it wasn't in this case but I'm not quibbling about it. Oh I think mid August would be lovely."

Rick leaned forward and whispered, "It will be adultery?"

"Oh have you only just worked that out?"

Rick appeared ready to blow a fuse.

Augustine leaned forward. "Rick if you find it necessary to chicken out I'll understand. I'll find some old drunk outside a bar late at night to perform for me."

Rick groaned and emptied his half glass of wine in one gulp. He then choked on it but waved away Augustine when she cried, "Daddy are you okay?" and went to hit him on the back.

Moping his face with a handkerchief, Rick whispered could they now talk about something else.

Looking haughty, Augustine acted a line from a play, "We really don't have much to discuss. You see we have little in common outside of sex."

Two women across from them looked at them curiously.

"Keep your voice down or I'm out of here."

"Then talk to me daddy."

He winced. "What college are you booked into?"

"None, I'm straight out to drama school so I'll be asking you to sell my shares in Goldcorp, well a parcel of that to produce say twelve thousand bucks because I'll be living in New York City to get into the best drama school I can."

"But that's a waste, you act beautifully now."

"You've seen me act?"

"Yes, my wife and I have been to your theater three times when I found you had bit roles."

"Well that is a surprise. But if you must know acting will be like law, you keep on learning for as long as you are a player."

"Attorneys aren't players."

"Aren't they? Rick law is a little about knowledge and techniques and hugely about dialogue. Just like theater."

"My god, that is a brilliant analysis. How old are you?"

Augustine looked pleased but said, "That wasn't original Rick. That was a line from a P. H. Spicer play written fifteen years ago and ran with three weeks in Dallas, where she lives, but it was not performed in many other places. The critics slammed it, saying it was too subtle, too involved. You must understand many critics and at least 40% of audiences are male."

Rick looked suspiciously at the mocking smile of the teenager. "You read scripts?"

"Yes like most of my female contemporaries read books. Our theater currently has rehearsals going for an upcoming midweek production called 'The Enchanting Misfit'. It's my first play."

"Ohmigod, are you starring in it? We must come."

"Oh don't bother Rick. It's just theater management being nice to me to give me something for my CV. I have been appointed director of the play."

"Really? They are ambitious for you. Is it a minor or major production?"

"I have to say major because it's our fourth most expensive production of the season. If you really want tickets I'll get them for you because it probably will be a sell-out attracting our loyal supporters. All profits will go into the Pauline Jarosinski Memorial Fund to support young child actors aged fifteen and under of one-parent families who are receiving coaching at the theater. At their age and arriving unaccompanied, they should travel to and from the theater in cabs and be given a meal at the theater café. Theater management supported my plea 100% to establish this memorial to my theater-loving mother."

"Augustine, that is brilliant. Please get me a flyer and I'll post it on our notice board in our work café and I'll attach a note appealing to people to support my youngest client. We have almost 300 working in our building, so you'll attract some of them. I'll get a big feature published in the 'Ashburton Daily Record'.

"They won't do that. Our promo lady has managed to get only two mentions in the newspaper's arts page on Saturdays. You see the play is unknown, the author is unknown."

"Leave it to me. My mother is associate editor of the Daily Record and has been for thirty-two years."

Rick's confidence was met and a two-page spread in Saturday's newspaper two weeks later told the story of the young playwright-actor and 'the world premiere' of her first play that she was also directing. The feature included a photo and sidebar story of the youngster's mother, Pauline Jarosinski.

Augustine was thrilled and had Lisa order two bottles of fine red wine to be delivered to Rick's office on Monday. He called.

"Oh you noticed the feature?"

"Oh yes, I was interviewed for it. Oh Rick it was wonderful and that piece about my mother made me cry. I wasn't expecting to experience that emotion."

"Well she was your mother."

"Yes and I have analyzed that as latent understanding that I retain emotional connection to her, and that makes me so happy. I have told Lisa about it and she kissed and hugged me and we both wept copiously."