Free Tinseltown Riff by Shelly Frome Page B

less than five minutes. Which bolstered Ben’s hopes somewhat and indicated there may be more to Leo than hot air. To be fair, it was highly possible that Leo did indeed grow up in Odessa on the Black Sea, ran a theater, had a hand in some fledgling movie and entertainment operations in Bucharest, Budapest, Belgrade and Istanbul. It was even possible that he once played the panpipe in a gypsy band throughout Romania. Leo was that mercurial as evidenced by his grappling with the Hollywood scene, not to mention his alleged feats of sexual prowess with Iris. The problem was always the problem: any Tinseltown venture, no matter how promising, was a crap shoot.  
    The gold-buttoned mannequin reappeared. Ben ordered another drink and an entrée seconds before Leo barged back through the pink alcoves.  
    â€œLeo,” said Ben, just as Leo alighted with an exuberant sigh, “Can we nail this down?”
    Leo ordered another double vodka and told Ben to leave everything for now on that selfsame table.
    Pressing on, Ben said, “As it happens, I just had a little accident—very minor—but I will need some additional coin. And some tangible reassurance. Are there really bona fide, legitimate backers in place?”
    Leo, who was waving at people again and only half listening, countered with, “No worries. You got agent, someone you must fork over percentage?”
    â€œNot exactly.”
    â€œSo, I’m telling you, no worries, dude.”
    â€œYou’re telling me nothing.”
    â€œOh?” said Leo, getting a little miffed. “You getting serious, making life no pleasure in this cockamamie world?”
    â€œIn a business where everybody lies ...”
    â€œI am lying?” said Leo, rising, reaching up to the fading sky and jostling Ms. Brit yet again.
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    Leo sat back down, moved his chair in even closer and lowered his mellifluous voice and soulful eyes as if about to reveal Russian state secrets. “Listen to me and listen good. I get tourist visa from U.S. embassy in Odessa. Is good for six months. Extension is good twice, no more. Assurances, you want, I give you assurances. Immigration office expect me back spit-spot.”
    â€œSo? What are you telling me? You’re over the limit? You’re in trouble?”  
    â€œSo,” said Leo, “I don’t know if is from God for my Slavic soul or drop in from sky or around the corner or what have you for breakfast. Gift horse does not everyday look in my mouth. Angelique is climbing walls, front money almost in place Thursday, not in place Friday, comes back in place yesterday but not all.”  
    â€œTranslation please? And what are the odds?”
    Leo waved at a few up-and-coming starlets in flimsy attire making a mock sweeping entrance. After another conspiratorial look, Leo lowered his voice another decibel.
    â€œQuestion, dude, which is always question. Can be marketed, no or yes with hot outlet like race horse ahead of pack? Is right now in Gillian’s lap. With maximize exposure?  Is also in Gillian’s lap but cooking up storm on the stove. Making banker in Budapest jumping to loan money against presale of foreign rights. I know business, business knows me. Is on my head, not yours. Is golden rule writer is last to know. So what is your problem?”
    As always, Ben had no idea how these things got bankrolled. He could have brought up dubious Ray from Vegas and something gone wrong in Portland and tried to link it with the floating front money. But all he could muster was, “Bottom line? Money in my pocket is my immediate problem.”
    â€œYou give, you get.  I get from you, everybody gets. I become specialist, do work not everybody can do, am needed in this town of tinsel. Cash money man writes letter of support, I am fulltime employee and not deported. Everything is okeydoke. We are joined at hip. So, tomorrow, in studio, you are