Another Ordinary Guy - 3. Chapter 3

Ricky had an appointment with his agent on Monday morning. When they were comfortably seated, Larry Merkin beamed at his client. “I can arrange several solo concert tours for you he said. Every contact I have will pay a premium to have you.” Larry never lost his smile.

“I’m sorry, Larry. I’m not interested in that. I want you to get me some auditions for Broadway plays or musicals. I don’t want to travel anymore, at least not in the foreseeable future, but I need to perform on a stage. I’ll take on any role.” Larry lost his smile.

“Are you crazy? You’re turning down millions of dollars so you won’t have to travel. I can’t let you do that, kid, not in good conscience.”

“It’s what I want, Larry. Please don’t make me find a new agent.”

Ricky, baby. I book rock concerts, not acting roles. I don’t have the proper contacts. Anyway, you’re nuts, and I need to talk you out of this nonsense.”

Ricky got up to leave. “I’m sorry, Larry. I guess I need to find a theatrical agent.”

Larry grabbed his arm. “OK. Sit down! I’ll see what I can do. I have a couple of friends in the business. I know that you’re crazy, but I’ll call them and see if they can do anything for you. Give me a number where I can reach you, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I know something.”

“I still have the same cell phone number. Do you have it?” Larry nodded.

“Please, Larry, do this for me. I need for you to save my life.” Larry was stunned. He had never seen Ricky this distraught.

Late that afternoon, when Red got home from school, he knocked on Ricky’s door to see if he wanted to hang out with him that evening. Ricky opened the door, and Red sensed immediately that the world was weighing too heavily on his young friend.

“Not tonight, Red. I just need to be alone.”

“I can’t even interest you in a little hanky-panky?”

“Honestly, not tonight.” Red left quietly. He was very disappointed.

Larry did not call the next day nor the day after. On the third morning, just when Ricky thought he would have to go out on cold auditions, something he had never had to do in his life, his phone rang.

“Hello,” Ricky said apprehensively.

“Hi kid, it’s Larry. Here’s a little morsel to get you started, but I’m still acting under duress. I want that clearly understood for the record.”

“What is it,” Ricky asked. “I’m shaking like a leaf.”

“Gary Cutler is reviving ‘Rent.’ They’re holding auditions at the Forty-sixth Street Theater today and tomorrow. They’ve got your name down, and when I told them you were interested, they almost creamed. They want you to audition for the part of Angel. It ain’t the lead, kid, but it’s probably the meatiest role in the play. You said you’d take anything.”

“Yeah, I know I did, but I can’t play a gay Latino drag queen who’s dying of AIDS. What will my fans think?”

“Probably it will confirm all their suspicions.”

“What do you mean?”

“The rumors have gone around for years now that you’re gay. Is it true? You can tell me.”

“Fuck you, Larry! Goodbye. I gotta rush to the theater.”

The audition was just a formality. Gary knew that Ricky was perfect for the part. Furthermore, his name on the marquee would sell lots of tickets. He also knew that he would have to talk him into taking the role of a gay man. The rumors about his being gay might be true, but he did portray a very macho image, and his female fans numbered in the millions.

Ricky did indeed balk at accepting the role of a gay drag queen, but Gary was very persuasive. When he saw that Ricky had blue eyes, he reasoned that if he lightened his hair, he could pass as a pure Caucasian. “Would you play Angel, if I let you be the understudy for the lead role of Roger Davis? You’d still be dying of AIDS, but from drugs, not from ass-fucking. I know you’d get to play the part fairly often.

Ricky wanted to be in this play badly, and he finally consented to Gary’s terms, but he made him put it in his contract. He had three free days before rehearsals were to begin. The play was opening up eight weeks after that, right after Labor Day.

Ricky decided that he better tell his parents that he was playing a drag queen on Broadway. If they found out on opening night it might be too big a shock, and his mother might make a bigger scene than what was on stage. He was scared shitless. Would they try to talk him out of it? He vastly underestimated them.

“Hi Mama, it’s Enrique.”

“Hello, sonny. How ya doin’ in the big city?”

“I’m doing great, Mama. I’ve got fantastic news. I’m going to play Colline in Puccini’s La Boheme.”

“Stop pulling an old lady’s leg. You sing good, but you’re no opera singer.”

“You know I was kidding. Actually, I’m singing his counterpart, Angel, in ‘Rent.’ It’s the Broadway version of the opera.”

“You think I’m dumb or something. I’ve seen ‘Rent’ twice. Angel is a fairy drag queen. It’s a good role for you. When you die at the end, you’ll make everybody cry like I did. I wanna buy a new dress for the opening, honey. When will it be?”

“Right after Labor Day.”

“Enrique, darling, I’m very happy for you. I knew that this was what you wanted to do ever since I saw you in Oklahoma in High School. Now it’s your time to be happy. Maybe there’s a pretty Latina in your life?”

“MAMA!!!”

“OK. OK. So sue me. I never said a word.”

During the period of rehearsals, Ricky spent a lot of time with Red. They studied the dialogue over and over. They analyzed every possible nuance, and reinterpreted old ideas. The director was prompted to say one day, “You know Ricky, I never would have thought to read the line that way, but it’s right, very right. Do it just like that.”

Very few of the cast ate anything before the opening. Ricky was no exception. After the show, he, Red and his parents went to a restaurant for a light dinner. Ricky was certain that his mother suspected that Red was more than a friend and drama coach, as Ricky had introduced him. Mrs. Alberto had a way of staring at Red that made Ricky uncomfortable. On the way home, he expressed his suspicions to Red.

“It’s time you came out to them,” Red advised. “Parents have a way of knowing these things. When I came out, my folks insisted that they knew all along. Besides, I guarantee, you’ll be a lot happier when you are honest with yourself, and the rest of the world, than when you have to lie all the time about who you really are.”

Ricky didn’t answer. After a long silence he asked, “Will you make love to me tonight?”

“I’ll have sex with you tonight, but I won’t make love to you. I told you not to fall in love until you’ve played the field.”

“I still want you to make love to me tonight, because for your information, I am playing the field. I’ve been having sex fairly regularly with three female members of the cast, and two male members.”

“Wow! You are a constant surprise.” Red tried hard to deny his feelings, but he couldn’t. He was suddenly very, very jealous.

The reviews for the new production were glowing. The NY Times even mentioned Ricky:

We all knew that the boy could sing, but he can more than act. He is one of those rare actors who can involve his audience the second he comes on stage. He had everyone eating out of his hands, laughing and crying at the same time. Nobody was immune to tears when his character died. I see a Tony in Ricky’s future.

Not with standing the favorable reviews Ricky had received, Larry kept badgering him. One night, just before curtain time, he said, “If you won’t go on a concert tour, would you at least consider cutting an album?”

“If I cut an album, I’d be expected to travel far and wide, and do a million interviews to promote it. Right?”

“I suppose.”“Then forget it. I love coming home every night to my own bed, and not to some detergent smelling linen in a strange hotel.”

“Your own bed?” The way I hear it, you sleep in other people’s beds often enough.”

“That’s none of your fucking business, Larry.”

Larry dropped his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I was very out of line. It’s just that I’m a little jealous.”

Ricky was shocked. For the first time ever, he took a hard look at Larry. He was about Red’s age and height. He was not at all good looking. He was carrying around at least thirty excess pounds and a double chin. The only thing appealing about him to Ricky was his friendly personality, and how many favors he had done for him during the years of their association.

“I’m sorry you said that, Larry. I’ll try to forget it. I wouldn’t want an admission like that to ruin our professional relationship, and I don’t like everyone assuming that I’m gay. I especially don’t appreciate it coming from someone I thought was my friend.”

“Yes, sorry,” Larry mumbled, and he quickly left the theater.

Ricky was more than happy not having to travel and grant interviews, but the revival had a limited run. However, it was to have an extended run on the road. Of course, Gary begged Ricky to stick with the touring company, but he refused. Gary even offered Ricky the lead if he would go with the touring company. Ricky would not change his mind.

When the show closed, Ricky went to Larry’s office to see him about finding him another role in a show. Larry decided to give Ricky one more chance to display his real talents. “If I can get you a gig to cut an album, and I contractually limit the amount of your participation in the promotion of the album, would you at least consider it?”

“Put down in writing what my responsibilities regarding promotion will be, and if I can accept the terms, I promise to consider it. Be sure to include that the album has to contain a minimum of one original song written by me. Larry, another thing. Please don’t slack off trying to get me another acting gig. It’s what I really love to do.”

That made Larry so happy, he jumped up and gave Ricky a big hug. Ricky hugged back. He thought that hugging Larry was like hugging a great big teddy bear. He didn’t mind it at all. In fact, it felt really good. There was comfort in that there hug.

After Ricky signed the contract to record an album, he didn’t see Larry again for several months.