Stardust Read Free

knees. He gave me a small stiff nod. I smiled warmly.
    â€œSusan actually is a psychotherapist, Marty,” Nogarian said. “Sees to it that we don’t get our complexes mixed up.” Susan smiled even more warmly than I had.
    â€œI’m sure,” Marty said. “Milo, just remember what I said. I don’t want to have to go in to the network again and defend a piece of shit that you people have labeled script and sent over, capice ?”
    â€œTime, Marty,” Nogarian said, “you know what the time pressures are like.”
    â€œAnd you know what cancellation is like, Milo. You have the top television star on the planet and you haven’t broken the top ten yet, you know why? Script is why. Jill’s been raising hell about them and she’s right. I want something better, and I want to start seeing it tomorrow.”
    â€œHow come your scarf’s so long?” I said. Susan put her hand on my arm.
    Riggs turned and looked at me. “What?” he said.
    â€œYour scarf,” I said, “is dangerously long. You might step on it and strangle yourself.”
    Susan dug her fingers into my arm.
    â€œWhat the fuck are you talking about?” Riggs said.
    â€œYour scarf. I may have to make a citizen’s arrest here, your scarf is a safety hazard.”
    Riggs looked at Nogarian and Salzman. “Who the fuck is this guy, Milo?”
    Nogarian looked as if he’d eaten something awful. Salzman seemed to be struggling with laughter. Susan’s grip on my arm was so hard now that if I weren’t tougher than six roofing nails it might have hurt.
    â€œLooks dandy though,” I said.
    Whoever Riggs was he was used to getting more respect than I was giving him, and he couldn’t quite figure out what to do about me.
    â€œIf you want to work around here, buddy,” he said, “you better watch your step.” Then he glared at all of us and turned and walked away. In a moment he was on the ascending escalator, and soon he had risen from sight.
    Nogarian said, “Jesus Christ.”
    Salzman let out the laughter he’d been suppressing. “Wonderful,” he said as he laughed, “a citizen’s arrest. You gotta love it.”
    â€œWho is he, anyway?” I said.
    â€œSenior VeePee,” Salzman said, “Creative Affairs, One Hour, Zenith Meridien Television.”
    â€œWhy’d you lean on him?” Nogarian said.
    â€œHe seemed something of a dork,” I said.
    Salzman laughed again. “You start leaning on every dork in the television business, you’re going to be a busy man.”
    â€œSo many dorks,” I said, “so little time.”
    â€œIt’s not going to help us with the studio,” Nogarian said.
    â€œMilo, it was worth it,” Salzman said, “watching Marty try to figure out who Spenser was so he could figure out if he should take shit from him or fire him.” Salzman snorted with laughter. “You ready for some lunch?”
    â€œSince breakfast,” I said.
    â€œCome on,” Salzman said, and we followed him up the escalator. The subway station was empty of film crew. The equipment was gone, the cables had been stowed. It was as if they’d never been there.
    As we went up the escalator Susan put her arm through mine. “I know why you needled Marty Riggs,” she said.
    â€œSworn duty,” I said, “as a member of the dork patrol.”
    â€œYou needled him because he ignored me.”
    â€œThat’s one of the defining characteristics of a dork.”
    â€œProbably,” Susan said.
    We rode the rest of the way to the top, where the light, filtered through the glass, looked warmer than it was, and went out into the cold behind Salzman and Nogarian.

2
    â€œI ’VE got to have lunch with some people from the film commission,” Nogarian said. “Sandy can fill you in on our situation.” We shook hands and he headed down Winter