Episode 43: Ebay Motors

Lana sees a strange local number on her cell phone.  This is Lana, she answers.  Lana, I’m sure you don’t remember me, but we met at church and you gave me your card.  Is this Emilie?  Yes.  How can I help you?  I’d like to hire your mother as a babysitter for my son.  Raul said that she’d only charge me $20 a session.  When?  Lana asks.  As soon as possible, tomorrow afternoon would be ideal.  I’ll have her call you, Emilie.  Is this a good number?  Yes.  Alright, goodbye.

She’s about to dial her mother, when the phone rings again.  It’s an out of state number.  This is Lana, she answers.  Lana, Ari Emanuel with Creative Artists in Burbank, CA.  How may I help you, sir?  Actually I might be in a position to help you, Lana.  Have you heard the buzz about Predators 2?  Lana doesn’t respond and there’s an awkward silence.  There are people who want to meet you.  I’ll need to look at my schedule and talk to my partner, Lana replies.  That would be Rolf Asgaard?  Yes.  We want to meet him too.  The client will spring for your travel expenses and your hourly for the consultations.  This project has a lot of buzz, Lana.  Is this a good number to reach you on, sir?  Yes.  I’ll talk to my partner and get back to you within the week. Goodbye.

***

Toni gave me her Volvo, Lana tells Rolf when he comes upstairs just after sunset.  Want to go for a ride?  You willing to bring me over to Jon’s?  Rolf replies.  Sure.

They drive a little ways in silence.  So Toni wants to send Kostamo a message, Rolf tells Lana.  I had coffee with him this morning and he sees Jax behind this.  Rolf grins at Lana.  She shrugs.  I’m fine with that.  Sam put me in a position where I couldn’t say no.  I was so upset, Rolf, when I walked out of class and my car wasn’t there.  It was all I could do to keep it together.  Deluca had to give Riley and I a ride home.  Raul is a jealous guy; you better be careful, Rolf comments.

Hollywood called, Lana says, changing the subject.  They want a sitdown, your presence requested.  Is it legit?  I looked him up.  He’s a power broker.  What do you think he’s going to offer?  A lump sum payment for the use of my name and likeness for this sequel.  What if they want you to act?  Lana breaks out giggling.  What would they tell me?  Just be yourself?  They drive in silence for awhile.  If they want me to act, I think I’ll rope in Sam: payback for boosting Purple.  Rolf grins at her.

So what should we do about the Hollywood guy?  Pull over for a minute, please. Lana does.  Will you place a call for me, on speaker?  She pulls out her phone and dials the number that he tells her from memory.  It rings once and is picked up. Yeah.  James, Rolf.  I need your help.  What’s up?  You’re on car speaker.  Lana’s got Hollywood calling her.  I was hoping you’d be willing to do lunch with her. Sure.  When and where, Lana?  You tell me, and I’ll make myself available, Lana replies.  I’m in Newark now, but I could be in town the day after tomorrow.  I know an authentic Mexican place that we can meet at, she replies.  Sounds good, Lana.  Text me the time and location.  Anything else, Rolf?  Did ABR give us permission to use their material for class?  They want a meetup.  Pushback, Rolf tells him.  Offer them a role in Lana’s movie.  That’ll clinch it, James says chuckling.  Have you talked to Simon yet?  I don’t want to get between him and Bettina.  Jon and I can make do for now.  You willing to drum for us when you get into town?  James is silent.  Mike is passing on this one; I want to be lead guitar, Rolf admits.  Think about it; we’ll talk when you get here.  Rolf looks at Lana and makes a cut off gesture and she ends the call.

Thank you for setting that up, Lana tells Rolf.  Rolf nods and looks over at her as she drives.  You should put Purple on Ebay motors after the meetup, Rolf tells her.  It’ll fetch a pretty penny with the buzz about this movie.  Thank you.  I’ll do that.  She chuckles and looks at him.   Here I was going to donate it for a tax deduction.

Anything else on the docket?  Rolf asks her.  Senator Johns wants an answer.  What’s holding you back?  Lana doesn’t say anything for a while.  Everything good in my life started when I met you, Rolf.  I don’t want to give that up.  That’s a really nice thing to say, Rolf replies eventually.  

Bettina is special, Lana.  I want you to make sure she stays safe.  Lana nods.  It helps, hearing you say that.  Rolf nods and looks out the window.  Ask Raul for one of his guys to work with you, when you tell him what you’ve decided.  He’ll care enough to send the best.

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Ari, James Gray here.  How can I help you James?  I’m calling on behalf of Lana Radley.  Has she retained you as her agent?  Yes.  Ari sighs.  Then we’ll talk when you get into town.  He hangs up.

***

You want to meet at a McDonalds?  Ari yells into the phone.  Yeah, Buck Neezy got me hooked on their McMuffins.  Come street and hustle.  James hangs up.

Ari shows up twenty minutes later.  And finds James on his Airbook, drinking a McCafe.  Have you seen this?  He shows Ari a Youtube video, mislabeled as “Lana Radley clubfight”.  Ari watches as Rolf sidesteps and deflects a 300lb giant who rushes him and then sees a dark haired beauty take him effortlessly to the ground and then brutally knee him in the back of the neck.  The man collapses.   Ari shudders.  Meet Samantha.  She’s a friend of Lana and Rolf’s.  They recommend her for the role.  What does she do for a living?  She works in private equity.  Wealth mgmt?  No, structured finance.  MLPs, SPACs, and REITs.  And she’s fluent in Dutch.  The studio has Asian investors who want Lana, Ari protests.  Then the project will have to be postponed till after the Presidential primaries.  Lana is going to be pulling security for Senator Johns.  Ari frowns.  Lana is agreeable to her name and likeness being used in the film if Sam gets the role.  How much?  Getting Sam into this movie is Lana’s payback for Sam boosting her car.  Ari raises his eyebrows.  Long story, James intones.  Money has to change hands, Ari says.  Rolf wants your people to bid up Lana’s old car as a form of alternate payment.  That way she can claim it as a long term capital gain, and not pay 35% tax.  She’s putting it on Ebay motors soon.  I like it, Ari says.