He responds with a close-up of a paintbrush resting on an easel.
Booney: Got inspired.
Me: Can you show me what you’re working on?
Booney: Maybe later.
Me: Oooh, mysterious.
He responds with a GIF of Angela Lansbury—the actress—holding a magnifying glass.
Me: Dork.
I flop on my back, grinning up at the blue sky. My phone goes off again, and this time, it’s Geri Lynn from the queer seniors organization that I like to help.
Geri Lynn: Pauly didn’t answer his door during today’s breakfast run.
Me: Should we call the police? Should I go over there right now?
Geri Lynn: No. But maybe a visit in the next day or two might prevent him from getting into a bad headspace again.
Me: I just prepped a ton of meals for my uncle and was going to take them to him this afternoon. Maybe I can take a quick detour and drop off a few with Pauly.
Geri Lynn: That would be awesome. Are you sure you don’t mind?
Me: I never mind. You know I like the grumpy ones the best.
Geri Lynn sends me a string of hearts and laughing emojis, and it makes me smile.
Ru texted me while I was chatting with Geri Lynn, and it turns out that the studio loved my selfies. I ask him about the character arc and whether or not he’s supposed to be irredeemably stupid-slash-useless.
Ru: Fuck no. And I wouldn’t make that movie for all the studio money in the world.
Ru: There’s depth to this character, and you’re the one to bring it out.
He follows this up with a proposed shooting schedule and location.
Me: Let me think on it, and I’ll get back to you.
Ru: That’s all I ask.
I check the time and decide to head in. I trust Geri Lynn’s judgment about Pauly, but there’s no need to delay my visit.
Maybe I’ll even tell Hopper how I feel about Boone.
20
BOONE
“Boone!My friend! Did I forget you were coming by?” Hopper asks, greeting me with a hug.
I grimace.
“Uh, no. I… I had kind of a weird day yesterday and just wanted to paint. Is that okay? I can come back at another time.”
He shakes his head. “No, stay. Stay! I just get into my head so much with my projects that I can’t remember what’s happening with who these days. In fact…” He pats the pockets on his heavy canvas apron. “When was the last time I ate?”
“Should we order something for you?” I ask, wishing I had something to give him.
