“Really! Then after I did another scene he said he was amazed at my versatility. One scene was from a drama, the other a comedy. I love to do both!”

Sandy Stewart looked at his Rolex. The fiftysomething producer had a meeting in a half hour. Stewart had agreed to meet April Dockton for lunch as a favor to a friend of his in the business. She was certainly attractive, but much too desperate. “That’s wonderful,” he said, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.

“This is my lunch,” April said, putting her hand on his. “Before you leave, I insist you have dessert.” She laughed. “I insist. They have yummy apple tarts topped with homemade cinnamon ice cream.”

Sandy patted the side of his thinning blond hair. “I’m losing what I want to keep,” he said, then pointed to his waist. “And gaining what I want to lose. No dessert, especially ice cream.”

“They have noncaloric sorbet.”

“No thanks. I really have to get going. I have a meeting.”

“Is it about your movie?”

Sandy turned his head and gestured to the waiter. “Check?” he said, then turned back to April. “Yes, it is about the movie. We’re meeting with the casting director to talk about actors we’d like to approach for the roles. Now that we have a decent script …”

“I hear it’s a great script.”

Sandy shrugged. “We hope.”

The waiter approached with a small leather folder. Sandy whipped out a credit card and extended his arm before the waiter even reached the table. “Here. Thank you.” he said.

“Honestly,” April protested. “You were supposed to be my guest today.”

Sandy shook his head. “I wish you a lot of luck in your career …”

Ever the actress, April kept smiling. “My teacher says we have to be pushy if we want to make it in this business,” she joked. “I hear there’s a fantastic part for someone my type in your movie.”

“There is.”

“Great,” April responded, willing her laugh not to sound fake. “I’m ready to audition.”

Sandy put his hand on April’s. “Listen, honey. I understand how tough it is. But it’s tough for us, too. We want to make a movie that people will come see. A good script is important but it’s vital for us to cast actors who have names. Actors who will bring people to the box office. If there were a smaller part for you, I would call you in. But there’s not. Maybe next time.”

The waiter returned with the credit card receipt. Sandy scrawled his name, picked up his card, and with a decisive motion, snapped the leather case closed. It reminded April of a judge with his gavel. Case dismissed.

“I understand,” April said, trying to retain her dignity. “But someday you’ll be begging me to be in one of your movies.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“I have a question.”