Master of Disguise

Master of Disguise

      “Master of Disguise,” was a film, starring Dana Carvey, from “Saturday Night Live” fame. He plays the son of an Italian secret agent, with the ability to disguise himself. He doesn’t have a  clue, about anything. Like most stupid movies, in the end, our clueless hero learns to disguise himself, like his father, and gets everything he wants, including the girl. Just like real life. Most of the Hollywood movie critics, did not like the film, but it did well at the box office, earning almost 3 times, what it cost, to make. 

     I was sitting in the extras holding area, with a couple of friends of mine. I had already had breakfast, and been to the wardrobe department. I noticed a lady, I had never seen before. She had long black hair. I think all women should wear their hair long, no matter what color it is, but that’s just me. I could tell, by the way she walked, she was on a mission. It looked to me like some guy was chasing her, and would not leave her alone. Oh well, I had seen stranger things, on set, and this was none of my business. She looked like a grown woman, to me, and he probably was not the first guy to chase her. I figured she could deal with this situation herself.  I turned my attention, back to my friends. 

     So I am sitting with my friends, having the typical chit-chat, about show business. “Who is in this movie? How many days, do you think, we will get? Have you been working steady?” We were in our own little world, waiting to get called, to set, and oblivious to the noise around us. We spent the time trading information, and trying to help each other find more work, if we could. Suddenly the lady, I mentioned earlier, was standing next to our table. “Is anybody sitting there?” She indicated an empty chair, next to me. “You are,” I replied. She came, and sat down, next to me. The guy who had been chasing her, approached our table, but there were no more empty chairs available nearby, and we were not going to make any room for him, anyway. 

     I spent the next 3 days, at a table surrounded by 3 pretty girls, 2 of which, I already knew, from previous work, in show business. The dark- haired woman said her name was Georgi. She thanked me, for allowing her to sit, next to me. “These chairs do not belong to me,” I told her. “You don’t need my permission, to do anything. Especially on set.” She looked around the big tent, we were inside of. “I am just happy to get away, from that creepy guy.” I smiled at her, “You mean that guy, I saw chasing you earlier?” “He just would not leave me alone!,” she cried. “He has been bothering me, since I got here.” My friend Chandra, said, “You are safe, at this table.” We all assured her that she would no longer be stalked. We even offered to walk her, to her car, at the end of the day. She was finally able to relax, and be herself. Sometimes it is funny, how you meet people. Especially on a movie set. When I met Chandra, I was in the middle of working a triple. I was dead, on my feet. She did not care. I did not see her again, until I went to a Hollywood Christmas party. We were both happy to see each other. I still have a picture, from that party. I have lost touch with her, but I hope she is well, and happy, wherever she is. 

     Over the years, I did not work with Georgi, very often. We still communicate, with each other, via the internet. During “Master of disguise,” we took a couple of pictures, that I still have. Georgi, and I worked together again, on “War of the Worlds.” Spielberg, and company, sprayed mass quantities of designer mud, all over Georgi, myself, and my friend Cathy, who I am also still, in touch with. We huddled together, like a miniature football team, every time the camera rolled, and the mud was sprayed. We held each other up, to keep the blast of mud, from knocking us down, and we closed our eyes, as tight, as we could. We made it through the shoot, but we looked like sewer rats, when it was over. I took a picture, of us, after our mud shower, but Georgi asked me to destroy it. So I did.

     On ”Master of disguise, I played a lot of cards, and I did some writing. Most of the time, I was talking with my new friend. When the shoot was almost over, she said, to me, “I guess you, and me, could be friends.” “Oh yeah,” I cracked, “How do I rate?” I was just kidding, but she was serious. “I don’t make friends very often. Especially on set. You saved me from that creepy guy, and you are the first man, in a long time, who talks to my face, and not to my b***s.” I smiled at her, “You just had to go there, didn’t you?” All the girls, at my table, had a good laugh, at my expense. I did not care. Georgi, and I are still friends, to this day. Thanks to “Master of Disguise,” for my new friend.