The Richard Jackson Saga: Book: 9 Cold War

inside, leaving the so-called cop tied up. The Chief Ranger, or whatever his title was, recognized me from previous trips. When I explained what happened he just shook his head.
“I knew something like this would happen. I tried to get rid of him but he is related to some Congressman and we can’t touch him.”
“Please tell the people who you report to that I don’t want him within ten miles of my family.”
I then laid the pistol on the desk sans bullets. The guy would probably get the pistol back but not while I was around.
“The Congressman won’t like that.”
“Tell the Congressman who I am and what I have donated here. If he has any questions please have him call me.”
That proved to be a mistake as I didn’t understand how shameless some Congressmen could be. He called and tried to get me to donate to his campaign. Not only did I turn him down. I made a point of making a donation to his opponent.
It didn’t help as the Congressman got reelected by a large margin. Maybe when I’m old enough I will run against him.
Returning home after that interesting look at how it pays to be related to a politician, I spent time brushing down George. I had to do something to calm down a little.
After that, I cleaned up and drove over to the studio to see what was going on. Mr. Monroe wasn’t in. I stopped at the schoolhouse but a class was in session. All the stuntmen were busy working. I watched them setting up for a jump from a three-story building but it was really tedious work as this had been done many times.
I was so desperate that I checked in to see if there was any need for extras. There weren’t, at least none my description. If I had been short and fat I could have two different jobs.
I did have lunch at the commissary. The usual mélange of costumes was present. I won’t say it was boring but it didn’t leave me feeling excited as it did at one time. I was jaded at seventeen!
After lunch, I drove down to the beach but it wasn’t a good day to surf. I thought about renting a plane and flying but it was too late in the day. I was so bored I even thought about going down to Disneyland but quickly set that thought aside.
I then drove out to the Riviera Country Club and hit a few buckets of balls at the driving range. At least I was able to get into a zone with my practice. I did have to sign autographs, but at least people didn’t interrupt me on the tee box.
Returning home I ran into Mum in the kitchen. The kitchen is where the cookies hang out, you know. She asked what I had been doing all day. I related how nothing seemed to work out other than finding out that nepotism is not a good thing. I sort of knew that, but that guy at the Forest Service base really brought it home.
“Rick, some relatives can do a good job. It goes bad when a worthless person is given the job. There is a difference you know. Your Dad had you work on houses in Bellefontaine and that was a form of nepotism, so you have to be careful how you think of it.”
“I guess you are right, but that guy was a loser, and thinking of him being armed is scary.”
“There are always people like that; it is the way of the world. Just be careful that you don’t put someone in a position they are unsuited for.”
After those words of wisdom, I put myself in a position that I wasn’t suited for, promptly losing six games of eight ball to Denny. At least it was fun.
He updated me on his work at the photography studio. It was going very well. He appeared to have a lock on the local market for beauty pageant portfolios. He had even picked up some work with aspiring actors and actresses.
Sam Nielsen was even talking about opening another studio in Santa Anna and Denny could make appointments there. He and I played around with that thought for a while. We wondered if it would be profitable to start a chain of franchises studios.
That would appear under his name as the photographer of the stars. We decided that he didn’t have enough name recognition yet. If one of his actors or actresses made it in the movies he would have something to work with.
I asked to see the pictures that he had taken so far. He had copies in an album. Most of them were average. There was one young lady who stood out. Her name was Goldie Hawn. We just couldn’t figure out how to help her get a breakthrough.
I thought about using my influence at the studio but decided against it as I knew nothing about her. She would probably end up as one of those who would tell her grandchildren that she could have been a star if she had gotten a break. That is sad, but that is how most of the aspiring actors and actresses turned out. How lucky I had been!
We promptly forgot about the proposed project and went to dinner.
At dinner, Mary was excited about the upcoming movie showing and that is all she could talk about. It was all so exciting. Mum was even going to let her use fingernail polish for the first time. She tried for lipstick but got nowhere with that one.
She even was going to have her hair done. The studio was sending a stylist over to do her hair just before we left. Her best girlfriends were coming over to watch her get ready. I asked if Patty would be one of them, but