Chapter 2
Just a fyi to all of you who made it to this chapter. I am a very slow writer. Do not count on rapid chapters being released. Sorry I am just that slow. Also, this story is for free and will remain that way. I write for fun and have no interest in making money off my stories.
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"Hate people? I don't hate anyone. To hate someone, you first have to care about someone. I don't care about anyone but myself. Well, me and a few others. Like David Fincher, who without his help I would still be some street punk nobody gave a fuck about or dead." Caesar Espinar.
The next day I found myself in an interesting position. Well maybe not that interesting per say. I mean I have found myself on the wrong side of a gun more times then I care to admit. Even ending up being shot at more than one. But this was the first time I was confronted by guys in suits who had guns on them. Not that I could blame them for basically holding me up right now. After all, when someone like me enters New Line Cinema HQ people tend to become cautious. Even if I was invited.
Understanding their fears I rase my arms and spread them so they could search me for weapons. Perhaps someone else would feel insulted by this but not me. After all I was here to sell a script not cause trouble. But wouldn't you know it while I am being searched David walks down the hall and sees what is going on. And doesn't look happy.
"What is going on here?" David asks/demands.
One of the security guards answers, "Just you routine search Director Fincher."
"On a guest that was invited to be here today? Caesar did you tell them your name when you arrived." David asks in anger.
"Yep, but they insisted they search me before I go any further." I tell him.
Looking a bit nervous now that David looks really pissed the guard says, "Director Fincher, this young man looks very suspicious. We have to make sure he isn't dangerous."
Before David can say anything, I speak up, "Let them have it Director Fincher. These men are only doing their job. Hell, if I was them and so someone like me walked into the building, I kick them out without even asking for a name."
And wasn't that the truth? After all, while I put on my best clothes for this meeting, my best was a clean T-shirt and slacks from Goodwill. The simple truth of it was that I didn't belong here. They knew it, I knew it and David knew it. But I have to say I was impressed by David for sticking up for me like he was. We hadn't even talked for more than 30 minutes the other day and here he was already speaking up for me. Maybe it was because he was worried, I wasn't going to sell my script now or perhaps it was pride that someone he invited to a meeting was stopped like this. Whichever it was it made me respect the man just a little bit.
When they are done and hand me back my pack of cigarettes. David says, "Sorry about that Caesar."
I wave him off however and say, "Please forget about it Director Fincher. They were just doing their job."
"Ture but it was still disrespectful to you and me that they searched you like that." David says.
So, it was pride after all, good to know I think to myself. Not that I can blame him. If you personally invite someone to something and they get turned away by low level grunts that makes you look bad. Even if it was only to a nobody like me.
"Ya I can see that but let's move on. These Hollywood big wigs ready to buy my script?" I ask him.
Hearing me bring up my script David's mind immediately goes to what we are here for today. "That is right. Just follow me."
Following him it takes about 10 minutes to arrive at a conference room. Where a man wearing a suit was waiting for us.
"Caesar, may I introduce you to Arnold Kopelson. He is the producer that will be buying you script on behalf of New Line. Arnold this is Caesar Espinar." David says.
Rising up from his seat Arnold goes and shakes my hand and says, "It's a pleasure to me you Caesar."
Shaking the man's hand, I looked him dead in the eye and say, "The pleasure in mine Mr. Kopelson."
Then we sat down to talk. Well, I say talk, but it really wasn't a talk per say. Let me skip the boring details for you. This Arnold guy took one look at me and at once thought I was just some hood, he could take advantage of. A kid who would be all too happy to sell his script on the cheap to New Line and you know what he was right. I was ready to sell my script for pennies on the dollar too them. After all, while I knew Se7en was a 300 million dark horse in the making they didn't. There was no way they were going to pay a nobody like me big bucks, for something they didn't even know would make bank. Plus, this was just about getting my foot in the door anyways. If I had to sacrifice thousands of dollars now to make millions later, I was willing to do it.
That said again David impressed me. I will never truly understand what was going on in that head of his that day, but the moment Arnold tried to low ball me he stood up for me. Maybe David saw something in me. A talent that he wanted to milk dry for himself. Or maybe it was like he told the media years later. He just saw a young kid who needed help and help him. Whatever the case David on my behalf was personally insulted by the amount Arnold offered me. He demanded New Line pay me more for the script. Not like millions of dollars but when I walked out of that office that day it was with fifty-five thousand dollars in the bank. Well would have been if I had a bank account.
Now I know what you are thanking. Caesar you gave up a script to a movie that would make 300 million at the box office for just fifty-five thousand dollars. What the fuck is wrong with you. Well let me just say this. Yes, I did, and I would do it again. Forget the fact that I was a nobody right now in Hollywood. The average yearling income in 1994 for a single person was 19,000. I had just made more than double that in one day. I went from broke as fuck to having more money then I knew what to do with but again I wasn't stupid. This money was only temporary, and I wasn't about to go blow it all
After all, taxes alone would kill me down the road and see me in jail for a lot longer than the 2 years I served in juvie after I was shot. Before I did anything else I needed a lawyer.
After I left New Line HQ I headed straight for my roach infested apartment with a cashier's check I so didn't want to have in my pocket for long. Especially in the neighborhood I was living in. So, climbing the stairs to my apartment quicky I take a left down the walkway and stop at the door right next to mine. Then knock on the door. When the door is opens, I am greeted by the site of one Alexandra Céspedes, you don't know her. At least you don't know her yet. But one day this 5'3" mousing looking woman with her thick soda can glasses, and mother of two would be one of the most feared lawyers in all of Hollywood. And I was her first client.
To give you a little more background on the woman herself Alexandra was born to your typical Mexican Catholic family. Her mother and father, having immigrated legally to the US sometime in the 1960's. Having two kids a few years later. One of them being her and the other being older brother who was arrested on false charges and died in prison at the age of 19. From that moment on her path in life was set. She wanted to be a lawyer, a public defender if you can believe it. Her desire to make sure what happened to her brother didn't happen to anyone else was strong. Needless to say, things didn't exactly go the way she thought they would, and it started long before I came around.
Now like I said before, she already has two kids. Two girls and no it wasn't out of wedlock. No, she did things that to many people is the right way. She went to college, fell in love with an idiot and 3 years later married said idiot. But she still went to school despite what he wanted her to do. That was where the problems started. Both coming from a traditional Catholic family gender roles where clearly set. The man was head of the household, and she was supposed to be the stay-at-home wife and mother. That clearly wasn't her. So even after she got pregnant, she kept going to school against her husband's wishes. I don't think I need to elaborate on what happened next, but I will anyways.
Her man, if he could be called a man didn't take her still going to school well. Even though her parents where around to help out with the kids, which allowed them both to keep going to school. According to her own words they fought all the time but still somehow found the time to have a 2nd child. Making an already troubled marriage even worse. Then it got even worse when her father fell ill with cancer and her parents could no longer look after the kids as much. Forcing them to find part-time jobs and go to school as well as finding a way to pay for the old man's medical bills. With all of that piling up the boy who tried to disguise himself as a man couldn't take the pressure and left. Leaving her with two kids, a sick father and billing that needed to be paid.
But Alexandra didn't break. She was a true woman of steel and found a way to push forward. Finishing school a few months before I moved in next door. Now she was interring at a small law office making just enough to pay the bills. This is where I come in. When I moved in the first person, I met was Alexandra's mom who was struggling up the stairs with some groceries. Now I admit I am many things, most of them not good but I am not such an asshole that I will ignore an old lady in need. So, I helped her out by carrying her groceries up those stairs for her and into her apartment. My reward for doing so, being invited to dinner.
Not to get all emotional here but I had never in my life up to that point had a home cooked meal. So, to say I got a little emotion after I tasted Rosia's home cooking would be a lie. Alexandra's old man still calls me a fucking cry babe to this day for that. Jokily of course but he was from an older harder generation, so I let it go. Plus, the old man knew without asking what I had been through in my life. So, he never pushed things too far.
Anyways back on subject it was at this dinner I met Alexandra and we kind of hit it off. Not in a sexual way mind you. For God's sake I was 18 and she was 27. No, we hit it off as friends and as friends we helped each other out. I would help her mother and father out around their apartment and watch her kids. They would feed me from time to time and her mother would wash what few clothes I had. It was nice to be honest and made me realize their where a few good people out there. Not many but some.
Again, to get back on the subject I had known from day one that she was a lawyer and won't lie the reason I was so helpful was because of that alone. If my plans to enter Hollywood were to come true, I would need legal representation at some point in time.
"Oh, hey Caesar what up? Here to bum another free meal?" Alexandra teases me.
"Nope not today. You momma and papa home? I got news." I say with a smile and push my way into the apartment.
Something she lets me do being used to me entering her home at this point, "No momma is at the hospital with papa. Why?"
Turing around and facing her I just give her a big smile, "I, did it?'
After she closed the door, she just looks at me and asks, "Did what?"
I don't answer her and just keep smiling till her eyes widen in surprise and she say, "No…. you didn't"
"I did, check it out." I say and pull out the cashier's check. Showing it to her with a smile on my face.
"Fifty-five thousand dollars. You got to be shitting me. Most screen writers only get a couple of grand for their first script." She says in shock.
"What can I say, the guy who wanted to make a movie with my script really liked it." I tell her.
"Oh my God Caesar, congratulations." She says and really means it.
Over the last few years her life has been hard. Truly hard, but she knew that Caesar's was worse. He never spoke about what he had been though so far in his life, but he didn't need to. You only needed to look at his apartment to understand what his life had been like till this point. Her father even told her never to ask him about his life before he met them. Saying he had those eyes. The same eyes he had when his father abandoned him Mexico City with no money and no way make a living. The eyes of a survivor who did what he had to, to keep living.
Walking up to Caesar she hugs him tightly and feels him stiffen up a bit but then relax. Till she feels him pull away.
Looking at her for a moment I shake my head and say, "So anyways now that I have sold my first script, I need your help."
"My help?" She asks a bit confused.
"Ya your help. I mean, come on Alex, look at me. Do I look like someone who can hang with these Hollywood people?" I ask her.
Looking at me for a moment she nods her head and says, "Okay you do have a point there."
Not going to lie it hurts that she agreed so easily but I just move on, "Exactly, I am no fool. I have sold them one script. When it's successful I can sell another, and when that one is a successful another. After two or three hits those fuckers will look to bleed me dry. I need someone to watch my back."
"If it's a success Caesar?" She points it out.
But I waved her off. "It doesn't matter if it is or isn't. What matters is my foot is in the door. Even if this movie only makes a tiny profit, I will have a chance to sell another script. I need a lawyer and agent."
Alex thinks this over and knowns I have a point but says instead, "Caesar you know I am a defense attorney."
"Doesn't matter. I trust you and need your help." I tell her. Then add, "Tell you what you help me out I will pay you. That check a quarter of it is yours."
That gets her attention, I think to myself as I see her eyes widen a bit. After all a quarter of 55,000 dollars is a lot of money. More than she was currently making but like I said she came from a good Catholic family. She was no leech like so many others.
"Caesar, I can't let you pay me that much. An agent gets 10 percent at most and hiring a lawyer like me is less than 500." She says to me.
"Then consider it an investment and show of trust." I told her, though if I was being honest, I didn't trust her. I trust her father.
Like I said that man came from a different time. So long as he was still alive, I could trust his daughter wouldn't screw me over. After he died, I would have to rethink that.
After a moment longer Alex says, "Fine but only this one time. Afterwards you will pay me a simple retainer fee, got it."
Shrugging my shoulders I say, "Hey I am not about to fight with a lawyer."
"Okay…. Then first of all we need to get you a bank account. You have some form of ID?" She asks me.
"I have a record if that helps." I say in a joking manner.
"This is going to be a long day." Alex says with a groan.