Methods of Madness by Ray Garton

Author:Ray Garton [Garton, Ray]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-03-31T21:00:00+00:00

Over dinner, Mom asked, “So what movie would you like to see?”

Brett smiled with anticipation and said, “Bedside Manners.”

Mom’s fork stopped half way to her mouth and she slowly lowered it to her plate with a frown.

“Well… “ she said, drawing the word out to a troubled sigh. “I don’t think so, honey.”

Brett’s smile disappeared and his spirits dropped even further.

“How come?”

“Well, it’s not such a good movie. Really. I mean, it’s low budget and, and… well, there’s one scene where you can see the boom hanging about two feet into the frame, and… “

“What’s a boom?”

“Never mind. It’s just a bad movie, that’s all.”

“I don’t care, Mom. I just wanna see you.”

“Look, sweetie, my part is really small and I’m… well, I get… “ She sniffed and straightened her posture. “I just don’t think you should see it. It’s not a movie for kids.”

“But Mom, I wanted to see it with you!”

“Lower your voice!” she hissed, glanced around to see if anyone had heard. “Now that’s it, okay? There’s a lot of sex and violence in the movie and I don’t want you to see it. Maybe when you’re older… Hey, how about the new Benji movie, huh? I hear it’s pretty good.”

Brett clenched his fist around his fork and turned his eyes away from Mom; he knew he could not conceal his anger and disappointment if he looked at her. His appetite was gone.

Mom continued eating, apparently unaware that he was upset.

“Are you really gonna leave me tomorrow?” he whispered.

“I have to, honey. Good grief, you sound like you’ll never see me again.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know. Until… well, for a while. It’s not so bad, babe.” She reached for his hand, but he pulled it away. “Don’t do this, now. You’ve got friends here.”

No I don’t, he thought.

“Grandma takes good care of you.”

No she doesn’t.

“I know she’s a little weird. God knows I don’t get along with her, but that’s different. We’ve never gotten along. Grandma loves you. So does Grandpa. You’ll be okay.”

No I won’t.

“Until you get more movie roles?” he muttered.

“What? Oh, yeah. A couple leads under Jeff and I’ll be able to take good care of you.”

“A lead? You mean, like a star?”

“Yeah, a starring role. In a good movie, none of this low budget horror crap.”

“Is that what you really want? To star in a movie?”

“More than anything, sweetie. More than anything. Now eat your dinner.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Not hun… well, why didn’t you say so?” she snapped. “This is an expensive dinner. Now eat.”

He stared at the plate silently for a while.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” he lied.

“Okay. But when you come back, you’ll eat, right?”

He nodded, then left the table and crossed the restaurant. As he rounded the tables and chairs, he thought of a scene from one of the movies he’d watched at Mr. Moser’s. Prime Cut. Lee Marvin played a gangster who was sent to Kansas City to find and punish Gene Hackman. Not only had Hackman gone

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