Never Heard Of It
Extracted from Scrivener backup: Never Heard Of It.bak4
Draft
Rough Draft
Going Places\
It worked, but my aim was off and I’d ended up in Los Angeles. Civilian planes flew no further than a few hundred miles back then. A train to New York took three days and I didn’t waste any time buying a first class ticket. From what I’d read, it was an experience marginally closer to what I was accustomed to. I’d picked a few pockets for the paper money I needed. I’d brought a passable suit with me. I didn’t want to nab something of clothesline like their movie heroes did.
Only the governments (some of them) had made it work. I was now one of (maybe) a dozen successful privateers. I was going to change things, which the governments had signed treaties together and banned. Fuck their rules, I said.
It turned out first class women wore calf high dresses and flapper hats just like in the pictures. Men all wore wool suits. My lapels weren’t nearly as wide and my tie not nearly as short. I hoped they wouldn’t mistake it for queer fashion. (I was and am still in fact queer by the way.) The men foolishly chose belts over elastics. Granted, their elastics were probably inferior back then.
I was ushered into a sleeping compartment. There were two berths and I had the one oriented towards the forward direction. I thought I would be alone until a neighbour walked in as the train had already rumbled away from La Grande Station.
”You should leave the door open. That way we can see the dishes, and they can bring us drinks,” he said.
He had on two tone (black and white) shoes and a half sleeve shirt. He looked like he’d forgotten to change out of his L.A. Uniform not that he’d left work. He also looked insanely handsome. He was all natural polished granite. They couldn’t fake looks like that nearly as good back then. They didn’t have the same apparatuses.
I asked for a water from the female attendant who came around. It was when I broke my gaze and ordered a water from the female attendant that he spoke.
”It’s perfectly fine to be starstruck friend,” he said.
He had a newspaper that he slapped against a knee. It had probably been hidden in his lap underneath the tap between us. Now he held it like he’d remembered he should be reading it.
The attendant broke the water.
”Prohibition’s over. No need to settle for dog soup on route anymore. This stuff helps with the “
I eyed my water. We didn’t drink liquor anymore as it was no longer fashionable. It was all the rage back then.
He was flashy. Real stars, even in my time, dressed shabby to avoid attention. He wanted it.
He looked at me teasily pityingly.
”C’mon now”
I was stumped.
”Have you seen Sergeant Murphy? I was the lead in that one."
"I haven’t seen that… movie.” That was what they called them.
”I’m going from one apple to another."
"Where ya heading?"
"New York Harbour."
"What’s made you set out on all the way east? Are you in the business?"
"I’ve ended up on the wrong continent,” I said.
He eyed my skin, trying to place me… geographically.
”Are you… European? Swing Your Lady was big over there. We did two runs.”
That was actually a good cover. I thought of a country that didn’t exist anymore.
”I’m Belgium."
"That explains it.
”In my next one I play a Secret Service agent trying to stop the baddies from smuggling in Mexicans. We’ve got a dogfight in it. I just wrapped up shooting it. They paired me up with an unbelievable dish in this one.”
Everyone thought their legacy would outlive them. Humanity remembers roughly 100 people a decade in full resolution, beginning with the record keeping not even a century previous to this one. Before then it would have been tough to recall 100 people in a hundred years that had left a mark beyond their children’s memories.
”Are you an alligator?"
"I’m sorry?"
"Do you swing?"
"Here’s an inside scoop for you. I just dubbed some dialogue. It goes I’m looking for a man hiding in a town called Santa Margarita. Then the guy asks “Oh, a friend? A relative? And I say, “yeah. First cousin to a snake. Now when you see the picture you’ll remember this.”
I stopped listening to his words and I finally heard his voice instead. It was familiar. It was akin to that of an old acquaintance.
”Sorry, what was your name again?”
He stuck out his shaking hand anew.
”Ronald Reagan,“
I pictured his name. But I didn’t see it on a movie poster. I saw a wall being torn down and the end of darkness. He shouldn’t have to do all of that. Not now that I’m here.
”I hope you star in the film of your dreams and retire fat and happy.”
Los Angeles was a miss but it was also dumb fucking luck. I hoped my dumb luck meter hadn’t run empty there.
There was something known as Facsism rising in the east and I HAD TO BE there to prevent it.
They had zippers now. Why did they still mess around with zippers.
\
Research
Rough
Never Heard Of It
An actor meets someone in a public place and asks them if they know him. They don’t, even as he mentions more and more roles he’s been in.
Then he realizes he’s talking to a time traveller.
Bingo, but how do I write it?
From who’s perspective?\
\
They are on board a seemingly cutting edge of transport but the future man is not impressed.\
\
Make it about the passage of time and nothing being permanent. My Ozymandias.\
\
The actor is actually known in the future, but for something entirely different.
They are on the UP Express.
What is the dude famous for? Not his movies. Leave it amibiguous? It is part of the punchline.
Whose perspective would be the most interesting?
Present:Full of himself. Worried about his next audition.
Future: Wondrous at things. On a mission. Just got into the closes.
Future works the best because there is less need for outwards exposition. Only internal observation that tells us what we need to know.
Past:
Future: Bruce Marnier
Plot:
Amazed at successful time travel but seems to be impressed by something else. We think he is new to the country. His accent and complexion are foreign.
Finds seat on train.
Stares at man across from him.
Man thinks it is because he recognizes him from movies.
Future man does not know any of the movies and has awkward responses.
The movie man begins to get suspicious and wonder if he’s OK.
Future man recognizes him.
Final plot point.
Why is he in the past? To kill future Hitler? With no purpose? Needs motive. He becomes prime minister - he is a failed actor become president like Reagan or Trump.
Or the story is actually about Reagan! That would resonate better.
”I’m on the wrong continent."
"I think you’ll get the right gig one day.”
Reagan was in quite a few B movies by the time 1938 rolled around. The future man goes to the past to kill hitler but meets reagan.
Slang
Horn = telephone
Apple = big city
Broad/dame/doll
Convincer = gun
Hooch = booze - alcohol
Dish = good looking woman
Alligator = swing music fan
Dog soup = cup of water