Redwood Bend

people. Do you have any experience with dyslexia, Jay? Mine wasn’t too serious—I now realize it was moderate. But I wanted to make my mom and dad happy, and while all the other kids could read what the teacher wrote on the blackboard and snap out answers, I had to fake it. I had to manipulate people into telling me what I was attempting to read. Since I realized the rest of the world was way ahead of me, I’ve had a terrible fear of failure. You’re right, I became a very good actor. Did you know the scripts for Rough Housing had to be read to me? That I memorized them from hearing them?”
Jay leaned away from him a bit, surprised.
Dylan laughed. “Isn’t it just typical—the celebrity news managed to capture every single incident of me drinking underage and getting with a girl, but they never knew I could barely read. I could almost read if you gave me a lot of time, but who had a lot of time?” He shook his head. “Sometimes I think those were funny memories, sometimes tragic. But the bottom line is—I don’t act anymore.”
“I thought you were into this idea?” Jay said.
“I was, I definitely was. I have a little airline that’s limping along and it looked like easy money. I figured I could probably hang by my toes for six months—or put up with the gossip and insanity that can get so mean in this town. But then something that has nothing to do with airlines or movies happened to me—the last thing I expected. I met a woman.” He could feel the silly, boyish look on his face. “She has twins and now she has one on the way. I don’t want to make a movie, Jay. I want to go home. I want to take care of my family the best I can in a safe place.” Then he laughed at the absurdity. “A safe place full of blizzards and grizzlies. Much safer than Hollywood.”
Jay looked at Dylan for a long moment, then he tipped back his bottle of beer and took a deep swallow. “Sounds romantic,” he said with sarcasm.
Dylan laughed. “Yeah, doesn’t it? I hope she doesn’t tell me to go pound sand. But she likes me, I know she does. She doesn’t have a lot of faith in me yet, I’m working on that angle. I might’ve talked a little too much about not being the marrying kind.” Dylan leaned toward Jay and said, “Jay, I’m not an actor anymore. I’m a pilot, rancher and father.”
“How you going to stay afloat? Adele?” Jay asked.
“She offers all the time, but we have an understanding—we both work and try to take care of ourselves. If she ever needed me, I’d move heaven and earth for her—she’s my only real family. And I know she’d do anything for me. But what I hope will keep me above water is a little boost in the charter business. Just enough to let the economy recover. See, there aren’t many businesses who still hire air charter. There’s professional sports teams and there’s the entertainment industry.”
Jay lifted an eyebrow.
“Bells and whistles went off when you offered to send a jet for me—I realized I could’ve brokered that deal. I’ve spent so many years avoiding this place, I forgot how much money is thrown at services. You need a really competitive charter contract? I’ll cut you a deal.”
“You’re in Montana,” Jay said.
“I can put an airplane in L.A. Better still, I can put an airplane at Burbank or Long Beach, crew ready, convenient and low stress. What’s your pleasure? Will a Lear make you happy? If you want something bigger, I just let a BBJ go—bet I can get her back. That would be sixty seats in a luxury jet. We could tear out seats and put in a screening room or pool table. Or, maybe you want a charter contract out of Montana—we’re pretty flexible about where we can pick up and deliver.”
Jay thought about this a moment. “What have you got for equipment?”
Dylan smiled. “What do you need for equipment? Six seats? Twelve? Sixty? It’s a buyer’s market, Jay. Whatever you need, I bet I can get cheap right now and operate your charters at a better price than you’re getting now. And I bet you have friends with similar needs.”
Jay just smiled slyly. “Pilot and businessman,” Jay said.
“And, with any luck, family man.”
“But no matter what you say, you are an actor. A natural. I think you got it in the DNA.”
Dylan smiled because it was nice to hear about some positive stuff in the genes. “Thanks. My dad smiled down on you for saying that. But I’m not acting right now. I’m looking for work. I love what I do and want to