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〃So I didn't buy the place。 They've lightened up on the rules a lot since then。 I guess somebody must have pointed out that they were preserving some pieces of utter shit。〃
〃Who ended up buying the house next door to Maxine？〃
〃Oh。。。he was a producer； had a deal with Paramount。 Made some very successful movies for them。 Then the IRS taps him on the shoulder and asks why he hasn't paid his taxes for six years。 He ended up going to jail； and the house stood empty。〃
〃Nobody else bought it？〃
〃No。 He wanted to be back making movies when he got out of the slammer。 Which is what he did。 Went straight back into the business。 Made six more huge movies。 And he still snorts coke from between the tits of loose women。 Bob Graydon's his name。〃
〃Isn't he the one who had an artificial septum put in his nose because he'd had the real thing eaten away by cocaine？〃
〃That's Bob。 Where'd you hear that？〃
〃Oh； the National Enquirer probably。 I buy them all in case there's something about you。 Not that I believe everything I read…〃 she added hurriedly。
〃Just the juicy bits。〃
〃Well after a time you get a feeling about what's true and what's not true。〃
〃Care to give me an example？〃
〃No。〃
〃Go on。〃
〃That's not fair。 I'm screwed whatever I say。 No！ Wait！ Here's one！ About two years ago they said you were going into a private hospital in Montreal to have your ding…a…ling enlarged。〃
〃My ding…a…ling！〃
〃You know what I mean。〃
〃Do you say ding…a…ling to Arnie？ It is Arnie； isn't it？〃
〃Yes it's Arnie and no I don't say ding…a…ling。〃
〃Tell me about him。〃
〃There isn't much to tell。〃
〃Why'd you marry him？ Tell me that。〃
〃Well it wasn't because of the size of his dick。〃
〃Dick！ That's what you call it： dick。〃
〃I guess I do；〃 Tammy said； amused； a little embarrassed to have let this slip。 〃Anyway； back to the story in The Enquirer。 They said you were in Montreal getting your thingie…your dick…made bigger。 Except I knew that wasn't true。〃
〃How e？〃
〃It just didn't make any sense。 Not after the articles I'd read about you。〃
〃Go on；〃 Todd said； fascinated。
〃Well。。。you know I read everything that's ever been written about you？ Everything in English。 And then if there's a really important interview in； say； Paris Match or Stern； I get it translated。〃
〃Jesus。 Really？ What for？〃
〃So I can keep up with your opinions。 And。。。sometimes in the foreign magazines they write the kind of things you wouldn't read in an American magazine。 One of them did a piece about your love…life。 About all the ladies you'd dated； and the things they'd said about you…〃
〃My acting？〃
〃No。 Your。。。other performances。〃
〃You're kidding。〃
〃No。 I thought you knew about these things。 I thought you probably signed off on them。〃
〃If I read every article in every magazine…〃
〃You'd never make another movie。〃
〃Exactly。 So； go back to the article。 The ladies； talking about me。 What does that have to do with the story in The Enquirer！〃
〃Oh just that here were all these women talking about you in bed…and a few of them were not exactly happy with the way you treated them…but none of them said； even vaguely intimated that。。。〃
〃I had a small dick。〃
〃Right。〃
〃So I thought； there's no way he's gone to Montreal to have his ding…a…ling enlarged because it's just fine as it is。 Now。 Can we move on； or shall I throw myself out of the window from sheer embarrassment？〃
Todd laughed。 〃You are an education； do you know that？〃
〃I am？〃
〃You are。〃
〃In a good way？〃
〃Oh yeah； it's all good。 It's all fine。〃
〃You realize； of course； that there's stuff being written about you right now； a lot of people upset and worried。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because nobody knows what happened to you。 There are plenty of people； fans of yours； like me； who think of you practically as a member of the family。 Todd did this。 Todd did that。 And now； suddenly； Todd's missing。 And nobody knows where he's gone。 They start to fret。 They start to make up all kinds of ridiculous reasons。 I know I did。 It's not that they're crazy…〃
〃No； look。 I don't think you； or any of them； are crazy。 Or if you are； it's a good crazy。 I mean； what you did last night。。。none of my family would have done。〃
〃You'd be surprised how many people love you。〃
〃They love something but I don't think it's me； Tammy。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Well for one thing； if you could get inside here； in my head with Todd Pickett； you wouldn't find much worth idolizing。 You really wouldn't。 I am painfully； excruciatingly； ordinary。 My brother； Donnie； on the other hand： he's worth admiring。 He's smart。 He's honest。 I was just the one with this。〃 He turned on his smile as he drove and gave her the benefit of its luminosity。 Then； just as easily； he turned it off。 〃See； you learn to do that；〃 he went on。 〃It's like a faucet。 You turn the smile on； and people bathe in it for a while； then you turn it off and you go home and wonder what all the fuckin' fuss was about。 It's not like I deserve the adulation of millions。 I can't act。 And I've got the reviews to prove it。〃 He chuckled at his self…deprecation。 〃That's not mine；〃 he said； 〃it was Victor Mature。〃
〃Okay； so you're not the best actor in Hollywood。 You're not the worst either。〃
〃No。 I grant you； there's worse。〃
〃A lot worse。〃
〃All right； a lot worse。 Still doesn't make me a good actor。〃
He obviously wasn't going to be moved on the subject； so Tammy left it where it was。 They drove on in silence for a while。 Then he swung the mirror round； and checked out his face。 〃You know I'm nervous？〃
〃Why？〃
〃In case there's anybody at Maxine's place。〃 He went back and forth between studying his face and checking the road。
〃You look fine；〃 Tammy told him。
〃I guess it's not so bad；〃 he said； assessing his features。
〃You just look a little different from the way you used to look。〃
〃Different enough that people will notice？〃
Tammy couldn't lie to him。 〃Sure they'll notice。 But maybe they'll say you look better。 I mean； when everything's properly healed and you've had a month's vacation。〃
〃You will e in with me； won't you？〃
〃To see Maxine？ My pleasure。〃
〃Mind if I smoke？〃 He didn't wait for a reply。 He just rolled down the window； pulled out a battered pack of cigarettes； and lit up。 The rush of nicotine made him whoop。 〃That's better！ Okay。 We're going to do this。 You and me。 We're going to ask Maxine a lot of very difficult questions； and figure out whether she's lying to us or not。〃
They had reached the Pacific Coast Highway； and the roar of the traffic through the open window made any further talk impractical for a time。 They drove north for perhaps five miles； before ing off the PCH and heading west。 The area wouldn't have been Tammy's idea of idyllic。 Somehow she'd imagined Malibu being more like a little slice of Hawaii； but in fact it was just a sliver of real estate two or three houses deep； with the incessant din of the Pacific Coast Highway on one side and a narrow strip of beach on the other。 They'd scarcely driven more than a quarter of a mile when they came to the Colony gates。 There was a guard…house； and a