Crystal Clear Ch. 27

Luck was with me. When I fell, my totally out of control skis turned downhill towards the next marker. I hit a mogul, and it bounced my body up from my nearly prone turtle-like position on my back. I pulled myself forward, felt my ski edges bite again, and finished the turn at probably about seventy miles an hour.

Suddenly, the slope opened up. A couple of other trails merged with the one I'd been on, the slope gentled out first to about thirty degrees, and then twenty, and suddenly I felt totally in control and I slowed my speed even more. I made a couple of pretend shots at a nonexistent helicopter and at pursuers that had long disappeared behind me.

Next, in the distance, I saw the area where the bottom of the 'hill' film crew had set up in the open. A large flag flew with the word "End" on it. I passed the flag at around a hundred feet per second, and schussed to a stop in a long sweeping curve back up the hill ending next to the camera site.

I sidestepped over to the camera crew and dismounted from my skis. My legs were shaking. My insides were shaking. My hands shook so badly from the fear I'd felt the entire ski run they were useless. The film crew was still filming up the hill. One of the production crew said to me, "Where are the others? You must have left 'em in the dust, man."

Over a minute went by, and we were approaching the end of the second minute when one by one my Ninja pursuers appeared with weapons drawn, heading down the mountain. They passed the flag, and pulled up behind the camera crew as I had.

One of the Ninja's pulled off his goggles and came up to me. He got right in my face and stared at me. "You are onefucking insane leading actor. I'm an expert skier – we all are. You had to be going a hundred-twenty or more down that mountain – maybe more. Fuck man! And, I have never seen anyone fly over an entire mogul field – just never. Shit; we had to bounce off every one of those suckers just to try to keep up with you. And you jumped like – I can't believe it. You went way out past the shallow jumps; you wouldn't have fallen so far if you hadn't been going so fast. You dropped a couple of hundred feet on that first jump; I hope the camera caught it – you were spectacular! You are one crazy man. I don't ever want to chase you down the hill again." With that, he turned and stomped away with his skis over his shoulder. His colleagues also shook their heads in disbelief at my ski run. I shook my head and shrugged in disbelief at my ski run too.

Just before I turned to ski down a gentle slope to the ski bus that would take us where we needed to be, I heard Mark Ang's voice come over a loud speaker near the camera crew. "Great shots all the way down the mountain. No need for a retake. Pack up for the day. Helicopter crew; we're done for today." I watched the hovering helicopter turn and head north to Berne.

A few hours later, after dinner, many of us sat in the common room of our inn. Mark and a couple of the camera crew had commandeered the television set in the inn's living room to show us the clips from the various cameras during my ski run. I sat with Crystal and Claire on either side of me.

The raw footage of my run down the mountain started to play in sequence from each of the cameras that had caught me racing by. For the next fifteen minutes either Claire, Crystal, or both were shrieking or screaming warnings to me on the screen. I'd never heard either one of them swear so much in one sitting. Crystal started to cry. She'd turn to me for a second and yelled, "You idiot!" But then, she couldn't take her eyes off the screen as the shots from the next camera appeared. Claire covered her eyes when I started through the copse of trees; Crystal screamed, "OH, FUCKING, NO! TREES!" My girlfriend didn't use the 'f' word very often, so this must really be a rough situation.

I thought how I'd had much the same reaction six hours earlier. In hindsight, I wondered how I had survived the treacherous ski run down the expert's expert trail.

The jumps had been beautifully filmed from the side, catching me shooting over the edge into open air and flying for many seconds, before landing on the steep slope below and accelerating away from the camera. The shot of me flying over the moguls was mind blowing, particularly as I hit the bottom couple of moguls at an awkward angle and had to correct. I never knew my body could contort the way it did in that scene. No wonder I was sore.

The Ninja's had started fifteen seconds behind me, but by the bottom of the hill I'd added another minute-and-a-half to our spacing.

The screen finally went blank.

Everyone turned to me with a look of awe on their face. I just shrugged.

One of the other Ninja's said, "Man, you are suicidal." Another said, "I've been to two winter Olympics, and I have never seen downhill skiing like you did. You're an expert's expert. Congrats on a great run. You should save these tapes; they'll make you famous." Everyone laughed.

Mark Ang walked over and shook my hand. "Jim, this afternoon you gave us the most fantastic ski run in recorded history. That run just popped the movie into the really 'big time.' I doubt anyone will ever be able to duplicate that. You raised the bar very high. Thank you."

Crystal stood as I did, and punched my arm really hard. She said in a loud angry voice, "Jerk! I thought you promised me you wouldn't take deadly risks." She stomped out of the room with an angry look on her face. Claire followed her with a worried look. I saw Ellen slip out behind them. I figured I'd better give them a little time to cool down before I tried to patch things up.

I hung out downstairs at our inn hoping Crystal would come back and cut me some slack about my run down the mountain. After all, I had lived through it. Instead, Ellen came back down about two hours after Crystal disappeared. I gave her a questioning look, breaking off a chat with Mark. Mark took that as an excuse to leave and go up to bed.

As she approached, Ellen shook her head and said in a near whisper, "No, she's still mad at you ... and, you won't like what she's been up to."

"Huh? What?"

Ellen sighed, "She's stoned. I don't know where she got it from, but as soon as we got upstairs she pulled out a couple of doobies and stoked up. She's smoked on and off for the past two hours. She blotto, to put it mildly. I don't think she knows what planet she's on. I couldn't get her to stop, until a few minutes ago when she had to go to the bathroom. I confiscated her stash and hid it. I don't know how best to get rid of it, but she won't find it."

I thought about our drug-free past, "She's never done anything like that. Where'd this come from?"

Ellen said, "I kept asking her, and all she would tell me was she'd gotten 'cozy' with 'a source'. She wouldn't tell me who. She also kept saying this would make her 'happy' although you had pissed her off, and when I asked her to stop, she said it was all just done for 'fun.' She kept repeating the word 'fun.'"

Crystal and I had agreed to a drug-free relationship almost from the first day we met. I couldn't imagine that she'd gotten so mad at me that she'd fallen off that wagon. I stood up and said, "Maybe I'd better talk to her. This is not anything like the Crystal I know."

Ellen said, "Save your breath. She is so stoned she won't listen to reason. She's happy and probably going to go to sleep if she isn't asleep already. She wasreally mellow when I came down ... except about your ski run."

I asked her, "Have you guys done this before?"

"NO," Ellen practically shouted. "Sure, we've stoked up a few times, but that was years ago in college. I agreed with what you two agreed, and that is to stay drug-free. I think the strongest thing I've had since then has been an Advil, and I haven't seen Crystal take anything stronger either – until today."

I dropped back into the chair. "I don't like this. I'll have to talk to her tomorrow."

Mark Ang asked over breakfast, "Is Crystal still mad at you? We need to film the two of you skiing together today, and I don't need her staring daggers at you all day."

I said, "She wouldn't talk to me last night and pretty much told me to sleep elsewhere. I ended up with her sister; at least Ellen's not angry with me." My sleeping habits were not news to anyone on the movie crew; they all knew I had intimate relations with Crystal, Ellen, and Claire. Mark remembered all the sexual romps we also had with Jill Danes when filming my first movie.

I didn't share with Mark that Crystal had been stoned out of her mind the night before. I didn't want him to think less of his leading lady in the movie, plus I wanted to talk to Crystal and see just what had been going on in her head the previous evening.

Mark said, "I'm ecstatic with you, if that helps. That ski run you did yesterday will be the highlight of the movie, plus it saved us several days of filming because we got it all in one ski run. I can already envision some of the material for the movie trailer: sun, sex, and skiing, plus the actual plot line."

Crystal and Claire walked up to the breakfast table where I sat with Mark. In a very business like manner Crystal asked Mark, "What are we shooting today? Do you need me?" She avoided looked at me.

Mark replied, "You and Jim will be skiing together. Nothing dangerous, and yes, I need you all day on various parts of the terrain. We also want to do some outdoor dialogue scenes with the Eiger in the background, so those scenes will be shot not too far from here. The sun will be at the right angle in the afternoon for those shots; this morning we have a few others to shoot."

Crystal nodded rather formerly to me; "I'll be with Claire – over at that table – having breakfast; just let me know when it's time to start." Claire shrugged behind Crystal as she gave me a hopeful look.

Mark nodded, and Crystal turned and walked away. I got the cold shoulder look. I shrugged as she left our table to go across the room. Now was not the time to start a discussion with her about her reefer madness the night before.

Mark said, "Yep; she's mad. I'll have to coax it out of her later so she relaxes."

I had an idea; "Mark, could you do me a favor? When you start shooting this morning, and after you've gotten some of our ski footage, could you conjure a scene where Crystal and I have to kiss – you know, to seriously make out in front of the camera for a minute or two."

Mark grinned, "No problem, bro." We bumped knuckles in agreement.

An hour later, I followed Crystal down the ski slopes near Wengen. Various camera stations filmed our approach and departure from them. Mark usually would have us hold up at various points, ride ahead with several others on snowmobiles, and then use a radio or bullhorn to tell us to start the next segment of our run.

After four segments like this, Mark told us, "I want to get some footage of you two making out and being all lovey dovey. The sun is perfect for it at this location. Could you two ski over by that little pine tree, face each other, and then do the kissing thing?"

Crystal looked a little peeved at Mark's request. I simply nodded my understanding and tried to look resigned to the scene with a reluctant actress.

Mark moved in next to a camera crew on an electric sled; electric because the sled made almost no noise. He yelled back up slope to us, "Ok, start your run now."

Crystal pushed off, and I followed a couple of seconds behind her. As she got to the key spot at the side of the trail, she pulled up and stopped. I swooped in from the opposite direction, and ended my turn facing her.

Our arms went around each other, and we embraced and kissed. I could feel Crystal melt in my arms. I whispered to her, "Crystal, I love you. I'm sorry I worried you yesterday – heck, I worried myself." I figured now was not the time to admonish her for anything, so I just concentrated on winning back her affection.

She looked into my eyes. She was nearly crying. She pulled off a glove and ran her hand down my face.

I went on, "The run yesterday was way beyond me, yet I lived through it. I just don't want you mad at me. I don't want to lose you." As I said the words, I suddenly realized that my capricious behavior very well might have jeopardized my relationship with my best friend and lover.

We kissed more passionately this time. A cameraman had come up within a couple of feet of us. He started to film us. Behind him, a sound guy held a long extension pole with a boom microphone over our heads. Somehow, the two of us managed to remain oblivious to the two men.

Crystal hugged me back and said, "And, I don't want to lose you either. I do love you. I'm sorry I kicked you out last night. I needed to think ... to think about what my life without you would be, and it was pretty bad. I count on you for so much in my life. I don't think you know. Last night, all I wanted to do was something to forget about what you did."

I realized her 'forgetting' involved some high quality marijuana. I still wanted to talk to her, but this was clearly not the place or the time.

We kissed again. I said, "I'm sorry. I wish I could guarantee I won't take a risk again, but I know that'd be a hollow promise to you since none of us know what tomorrow will bring."

"I know."

"What about Claire?"

"She feels the same way I do about you, plus she's conflicted over the long term about what to say to Joe Mansard. She's not ready to become his fiancée yet, but she's sure he's going to drop a big ring on her someday soon."

We kissed and hugged some more. Crystal was getting into the spirit of things.

When we broke apart, Crystal held on to me an extra second and said, "Tonight. You, me, and Claire, in bed fucking. If you're going to kill yourself one of us might as well be the last person to send you out of this world happy and sexually sated." She flashed me a lecherous look.

"Deal." I smiled broadly at her.

We kissed and hugged some more. I loved the way we kissed and made up.

Mark eventually shouted through the electronic hailer, "CUT!" Despite the end of the scene, Crystal and I kissed a few more times.

I sat in the outside bar with Mark Ang, our director, Crystal, Barry Peters, our supporting actor and co-star, and Claire, our supporting actress and co-star. Terry Ross, my agent, had made it to the filming too – at least for a week being never one to pass up a European trip that he could write off. Over Mark's shoulder, the Eiger rose to a spectacular height, the late afternoon shadows hiding many of the mountain's subtle features. Around us, several dozen other tourists and skiers sat having a beer or glass of wine, and absorbing the last of the blue sky and slanted rays of the sun. Despite the sunny day, a light parade of snowflakes fell from the air.

Five of us in the movie crew finished reviewing the plans for tomorrow's shooting. I had a 'by,' so I thought I might do a little 'real' skiing instead of hamming it up for the camera in some way. I certainly did not intend to duplicate the speed run I'd done a few days earlier.

Just as I was going to voice my plans, my phone dinged. I knew I'd just received a text message. I pulled the phone from my parka and looked at the screen. A photo of Sally Furth appeared, naked with a large dildo embedded in her pussy. She had a big smile on her face. The text message said, "Where are you? I need you. In the worst way. Right now." I might have blushed.

Sally was Jed Jessup's long-term nymphomaniac girlfriend, and someone who had turned me every which way but loose the times I'd visited recently. Jed had been my fraternity brother and best buddy in college. He'd become a college professor at the University of Iowa. We'd reconnected during my road trip and again when I brought them up-to-date about the blackmail episode a year earlier on a stopover I made in Iowa. Sally had an exhibitionist streak in her, and since then had occasionally sent me lewd photos of herself, sometimes with Jed or one of the other girls that lived with them. I'm not sure they always knew of her antics or that a photo had been taken.

Besides teaching, Jed also ran a low-key finishing school for sophisticated women out of his large home – a most unusual sideline. Women would come and live with Jed and Sally who wanted to lose the lingering naiveté of youth, to become sophisticated, to dress better than all the rest, to make love better than all the rest, and to have a self-image and confidence that transcended even the most arrogant – without the arrogance. To my knowledge, he never had more than five at a time including Sally, who'd become a steady fixture. He accepted only seniors planning to stay at the University for a graduate program or grad students. Typically they lived with him for two or three years before continuing into the outside world.

Jed had a program put together to mentor and coach the women into new ways of living, of seeing themselves, of thinking, and in how they dealt with others, from casual acquaintances to passionate love affairs, and everything in between. The program involved frequent self-examination and evaluation, as well as evaluation by the others living in the house. A high-speed reading program was involved, plus studies in many fields. Everything they did was aimed at making a well-rounded, capable on all fronts, sophisticated, young woman with a strong sense of self-confidence and self-awareness. Most importantly, the program worked; his graduates provided outstanding recommendations regarding their individual transformations.

When I'd been there, Sally and the four other women with Jed were each knockouts – absolutely stunningly beautiful women, made even more so by the coaching and support they received in the constructive growth atmosphere Jed created and nurtured. Everything was done with love and caring. Deep and intimate relationships were built in his program. I had felt glad to participate here and there the couple of times I'd seen him in the past few years.

I got Mark to take a photo of me with Crystal, Ellen, Barry, Claire, Terry, and the Eiger in the background. After he gave my iPhone back to me, I sent the photo to Sally with a one-liner: 'Hi Jed and Sally and Everyone. Guess where?'

In a few seconds, I got a reply, "OMG, that's the Eiger. Skiing? Tour? Movie? Is that Crystal?"

I responded, "Movie. Some skiing. Yes, Crystal in the pink parka. How's Iowa?"

The reply said, "Boring. We're on break. Do you want some company?"

I replied, "Yes. In Wengen Switz. When? Need rooms? We're almost done, might head home in one week or so."

The immediate reply from Iowa said, "Jed here. Yes, get rooms for four of us. Hope you can play with us. How's this Sat to next Sat?"

"Laters. Jim"

The last photo I got sexted to my iPhone showed Sally and another gorgeous woman naked and in a passionate embrace atop Jed's bed. The pair was obviously pornographically posing for the camera. There was little left of the women that didn't show in the photo. Just looking at the picture, I felt my groin stir in reaction. I estimated it to be around noontime in Iowa. I guessed Jed was getting some late-morning nookie.

I found our innkeeper when we headed back to get ready to go out for dinner. He told me they did indeed have a cancellation and could provide a four-person suite for the coming week – Saturday to Saturday. He looked happy that he'd have the income stream instead of vacant rooms. Their rooms would be next to ours on the same upper floor.

When I emailed Jed the information about his accommodations in our inn, he'd emailed me copies of the flights they were taking from Des Moines to Berne.

Knowing how Jed and the others operated, I could guess that this trip would be an object lesson to some of his young ladies about remaining alluring and sophisticated while traveling overseas without being over bearing or showing up as an ugly American.