“Ebenezer! Hey! Ebenezer Splooge! Don’t you fucking walk away from me.”
Ebenezer turned and glanced in the direction the angry voice was coming from. “Allen? What do you want?”
Allen, the director from the last film he’d been making, stalked up to them. “What do Iwant? You walked off the set and I had to replace you with the fucking fluffer! You have a contract, my friend, and you’re in breach of it.”
“I had a damn good reason for walking off the set. You hired another no-talent straight boy because of some gay-for-you fantasy you have.”
“Gerald is bi. He told me so.”
“Tell that to Gerald’s dick. It seems to have missed the memo. I saw that you replaced him with the cameraman.”
“I didn’t have a choice. We were on a tight shooting schedule, man! It was hard enough getting anybody to work with you anymore. You knew that, but somebody chose to have a hissy fit and walk off anyway. Who was that again? Oh, yeah. You.”
“I didnotthrow a hissy fit. And everybody loves me. I am a consummate professional. Look, I’m done with your company, Allen. You constantly cut corners to save money and expect me to pick up the slack.”
“And you never think about what happens to those around you! The movie shut down because the star — you — walked off. Melanie lost her job, and without a paycheck, she’s going to have a helluva time feeding her kids. Pete started drinking again, and I don’t have to remind you that he was three years on the wagon. Harry—”
“Stop with the sob stories. I’ll have my attorney call you.”
“Good fucking luck with that! Like I said, you’re in breach of contract. I’ll be suing you, my friend.”
“Is this person upsetting you?” Gorg asked. He stepped in between Ebenezer and Allen. “I do not wish you to be upset. It is not good for you.”
“What is he, a china doll? Afraid he’s gonna shatter? He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself,” Allen said.
Gorg turned on Allen, and for a minute Ebenezer was afraid Gorg would shrug off the overcoat and beat Allen senseless with both arms and all eight tentacles. Instead, Gorg got up in Allen’s business and growled at him.
“Go away. Now. Or you will be very, very sorry.”
“Oh, great. Now your boyfriend’s going to make threats to me? I’ll sue his ass, too!” Allen spat. But he backed up.
“Come on, Gorg. Let’s go.” He led Gorg back to the Jeep, got in, and started the engine.
When they pulled out into the street, Ebenezer didn’t give Allen a backward glance.
As far as he was concerned, that part of his life was over. He couldn’t imagine himself fucking other men on camera anymore. He had more important things to worry about now.
For the life of him, though, he couldn’t figure out what those things were.
***
“Did you really do all those things Allen said you did?” Gorg asked.
“Pull a hissy fit? No. I just… Well, I walked off the set. It was his fault. And he’s a liar. Everyone loved working with me.”
Gorg gave him an odd look. “I think perhaps you are misremembering things. Allen seemed very upset with you. I don’t like to think you aren’t concerned with the lives of your fellow human beings.”
“It happened just the way I said it did. Maybe. I mean, it could be I was a little angry. With good reason, mind you! I am a professional, but he just pushed me too hard.”
“Is it because you hate the holidays? Besides the memories you have from your childhood. The movies you made – you said they were all holiday movies. Is that what made you so angry?”
“No! Maybe…come on. I just lost my temper that one time…”
Gorg took out the handheld time-shift processor and extended the antennae.
“Oh, hell no! We’re not going back into my past again!”
“Not the past this time, Ebbie. I think you need to see how your actions affect others. It will make you a better parent.”
