“Did you see the news?” I asked, sliding into my usual seat at Lunar Caffe this morning.
“About the TV show?” he replied, not looking up from his phone, which I’m convinced functions as an external drive linked to his brain.
“RJ Decker got picked up for a full series,” I said, "ABC announced it yesterday. It'll be a 2026 mid-season replacement.”
A moment of silence followed, during which I mused on the fact that it's soon to be 2026. It hardly seems possible for a guy who spent his formative years up to his neck in the 20th Century.
“Hmmm,” said Irving, aka The Islander and my Sunday morning drinking buddy in the Castle Street District. Don't misunderstand; it's coffee we're drinking.
“This could turn out to be even more entertaining than documenting ‘Driver’s Ed,'" quipped Princess Amy, suddenly appearing at the command console in the emotional center of my limbic system. “And that one was your most spectacular failure yet.”
“Shut up, Amy," I muttered.
“Excuse me?” said Irv.
“Nothing—just thinking out loud," I lied. "The Film Commission expects to know the choice for film location soon,” I continued. “With any luck, it will be Wilmington; the pilot was made here.”
“Luck is carrying a lot of weight in that sentence,” said Lilly as she placed a latte and a cappuccino on our table. “Why not film it in Florida, where the story is actually set?”
“Why would they film a show about South Florida in Florida?” Irv asked with a playful smile.
“Exactly!” I said, pointing at him with a confident finger. “Wilmington has been Florida’s stand-in for years. Remember ‘Florida Man’ in 2023? That worked well.”
The Slow Year
“What’s the show called?" Lilly asked, “JR Decker?”
“RJ Decker,” I corrected her. “JR got shot, remember? This one’s about a disgraced newspaper photographer who becomes a private investigator. It’s based on a Carl Hiaasen novel called 'Double Whammy.'”
“This show is really important for the local film scene,” I continued. “It’s been a painfully slow year here for domestic film production.”
“Six in all,” Amy scoffed. “We’ve had that many filming at the same time. This will be as exciting as documenting the death of the eight-track.”
“It’s not like that at all!” I fired back.
“What?” Lilly said with a puzzled expression. Irv raised both eyebrows in solidarity.
“Calm down, Genome. The universe is just testing your dedication,” Irv said, and I sensed his signature cosmic consciousness speech coming on.
“Let’s not go there,” I countered.
The Planning Session
“So, what’s your plan?” Lilly asked, wiping down a nearby table with the focused intensity of someone who’s heard this all before. “Are you going to chase film crews around again when they start shooting?”
“I’m going to be more strategic this time,” I insisted. “I’ve learned from my past mistakes. I connected with local production folks during the ‘Driver’s Ed’ shoot, I know how to work with the film commission, and I even have a proper map.”
“You said proper map but you probably meant to say paper map,” Amy quipped.
“This could be my best effort yet,” I said, nodding confidently.
“Or a spectacular failure,” Amy added.
“You’re finally thinking like a journalist,” Irv observed.
The Cosmic Perspective
“Consider this,” Irv said, leaning back with the air of a philosophy professor, “The universe put you in Wilmington right as its film industry hit a rough patch. Now, at the lowest point, a major network show gets picked up—and you get to document the comeback.”
A thoughtful silence followed, adding weight to his words. Lilly drifted off to clean another table, leaving an awkward quiet in her wake. I finally broke it.
“If they’re aiming for a mid-season slot, they’ll have to start filming soon,” I said. “Until then, I guess all I can do is wait for the announcement.”
The Waiting Game
“In the meantime,” Irv said, “you could reread ‘Double Whammy.’ Get to know the source material—be ready with smart questions if you get access, and show them you’ve done your homework.”
“That’s actually good advice,” I admitted.
“The universe sometimes dispenses wisdom from the most unlikely sources,” Irv said, smiling knowingly, fully aware of how pretentious he sounded.
“You didn’t just call yourself a dispenser of wisdom,” I said with a grin. “Same time next week?” I asked as we gathered our things to leave.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Irv replied.
"I'll be here next week, too," said the princess.
"Shut up, Amy," I said, but I said it lovingly and with a smile on my face.
No comments:
Post a Comment