Hollywood Classics, Rebekah Jennings - © Copyright 2010 [black authors fiction txt] 📗

like a small theatre or maybe more of a town meeting, with hard plastic chairs all in a row. There were easily ten people maybe even fifteen and one couple had just walked in. There was a great big flat screen on the wall, what the chairs lacked in comfort the TV would make up for in size.

“You might have wondered how it came about, the idea for such a group,” Marian started, “I have a friend who works for the local council here in Frankston and she invited me to give some ideas on keeping seniors engaged within their community. There are the usual ideas,” Marian rolled her hand in front of her, her head rolling along with it, “lawn bowls, Sudoku, gardening, golf...”

“Looking after the grandkids,” interjected a spritely colourful lady to Janine’s right.

“Yes, the grandkids,” Marian repeated, her head now bobbing in agreement, “but I wanted to come up with something different. Movie watching is something most people enjoy but as with many people our age, we don’t have the money for frequent trips to the cinemas, right?” Marian’s eyes were wide with question. The group unanimously agreed.

“And the stuff you get at the video library or on TV at home are all new, new, and new. It’s all driven by the young people of today.”

Janine agreed, nodding her head, as she watched others in the group doing too.

Marian went on, “I don’t know about you lot, but I miss the classics and I miss the opportunity to be able to talk about the movies of my time or of before my time with people who share my interest. So... my council friend and I worked together to write up a submission and were successful in obtaining funding to get the movies playing. Now,” Marian said seriously, “anything to do with the council means they’ll want to get some feedback, some photo’s and other type of media on this group along with our funding source but you won’t have to do anything you don’t want to, so don’t worry.”

Janine felt the tension in the room. For her, it was embarrassment. She felt too old, too fat, too... everything. But for others, she thought, the tension might be excitement. There were definitely a few gleaming eyes.

“And now here we are. A group who will get to know each other and hopefully, who will become good friends through our enjoyment of ‘classic’ Hollywood.

A tall man, perhaps seventy, maybe older, sat forward in his chair, “Well said!” Janine liked the look of him.

Around him, nodding heads moved in unison as does, a choreographed backup crew.

The afternoon moved quickly for Janine. They’d participated in some ice breakers, getting to know each other’s names and favourite movies. They’d watched a fifteen minute 1963 film called Stopover In Hollywood, which was basically a travel film that takes the audience to a range of different venues around Hollywood.

“This will set the scene a little I thought,” Marian said.

Marian then directed the group to a table off to the side. There was an urn, milk; even soy milk to Janine’s surprise. There was also a tray of quartered sandwiches. The cakes and slices looked delicious; Janine couldn’t wait to tuck in.

The tall man with the outgoing personality moved over to stand with Janine as she put together a small plate of sandwiches.

“John, my name is,” he said trapping her hand in his with confidence and a little cheek.

Embarrassment coloured Janine’s face as she shook John’s hand. She didn't want to look into his eyes but their cheeky twinkle caught her attention. John’s hand was smooth and soft, not a workers hand, she thought; and he smelled of fresh linen with a hint of aftershave. On second thought, I won’t have the slice today,

she thought.

Marian requested the group intermingle, getting to know each other over the next thirty minutes while she prepared and activity before the close of today’s group. John asked Janine about herself, what she did, what she enjoyed, her hobbies, pets and whether she was married. She noticed John wasn’t wearing a wedding ring and he confirmed he wasn’t married when he told her about his deceased wife. He’d been on his own for several years now.

Marian called the group back to attention. She had a trivia quiz based on Hollywood and the group played for a while. John had returned to his seat as it would have been rude to move into another’s mid group, but he grabbed Janine’s attention with his smiling face as his eyes remained on her for most of the remaining time.

As the afternoon finished up Marian asked the group to provide names of movies they all enjoyed. This would help her to compile a list for next twelve months. She assured the group she’d mix genre so each week was different. She also asked the group to bring a plate of food for now on, if they were able, as the small amount of funds received would not cater for ongoing food. However, coffee and tea would continue to be supplied.

Marian also suggested that participants bring pillows or even bean bags if they so wished as the following get-togethers would mean sitting for up to two hours in the chairs provided, although she assured, there would be an intermission for leg stretching half way through.

“Casablanca will be the movie on show next week. Its popularity can't be disputed and I think it will be a wonderful starter.” Janine was happy with this choice; it was one of her favourites too. Leanne was going to be so jealous. Janine would make sure to fill her in on every detail. She felt sure Leanne would come along with her in no time.

On her way out to her car John caught up to her tapping her on the shoulder.

“Will you accompany me for dinner Janine, during the week? I go to The Grande

on a Friday night. It’s actually quite cheap but the meals are great.”

Janine was taken aback. Even after ten years she still felt she was cheating on Frank.

“I won’t bite,” John said.

“Um... Okay, that would be nice.”

John wanted to pick Janine up so she gave him her details. He provided his too. He didn’t live far from her at all she noted; in fact it’d probably be no more than a five minute walk.

Janine made her way home. That evening when she prepared herself for bed she found she couldn’t tear her eyes from the bathroom mirror. What she saw was alien to her. She was all wrinkles, puffiness and sun spots. She saw lank curls, some were stuck to her forehead with sweat, her eyeliner had stretched and some had disappeared into creased depths. Her eyebrows, nicely shaped now, were a mixture of dark and grey, some of the hairs had been long and curled. Who was this woman staring back at her?

She pictured herself in the old days, if she could choose she’d be Katherine Hepburn in her 1935 Oscar winning role as Alice Adams. Her straight nose, her smooth skin and her curls pulled back with pins. She was so beautiful in her sun hat sitting opposite Fred MacMurray, stars in her eyes as she leant in breathlessly. Those days, those movies, they were so romantic.

Janine looked nothing like herself as a young woman and nothing like Katherine Hepburn. She couldn’t possibly fathom the interest John had expressed in taking her for dinner. She already worried about what she’d wear; nothing hid her size eighteen frame. Not even the tents they called ladies fashion at Target.

Between now and Friday, twenty four hours, she would not lose any weight but she’d curl her hair again tomorrow and hunt through her age old wardrobe. She wasn’t about to spend money she didn’t have to pretty herself up.

Suddenly she felt annoyed at John. If he expected her to be beautiful well he could go and stick it! She was who she was. Frank had never complained, he’d loved her anyway. If this cheeky skirt chaser wanted Katherine Hepburn then he could join her at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford County, Connecticut.

The following evening John arrived at precisely six-thirty. Janine liked punctuality. She’d taken on an air of annoyance. It helped her nerves if she saw John as a womaniser; it gave her pride and lessened the blow she expected from him by the end of the night. John smelled of woods and citrus.

“Your cologne is very nice.”

“Thank you Madame. I bought it especially for tonight.”

“You didn’t I hope,” Janine said. His comment put her to shame, she hadn’t bought something new in as long a time as she could remember.

“You look beautiful Janine. And I love your name if I might add. I’ve been all nerves and knots thinking about our dinner tonight.”

Janine blushed again. She was ashamed of herself. John was lovely, kind and polite, “Thank you John. I barely know what to say, it’s been such a long time since I’ve been on a date.”

“It’s been a long time for me too. We’ll make it through tonight together, now shall we?” John opened the space between his elbow and side allowing Janine to take his arm.

The evening went well. Too well really, Janine felt she’d only sat down and already it was time to go. They talked nonstop on all manner of topics but their favourite was on Hollywood Classics and their new group.

Janine invited John to go with her to Leanne’s house on Saturday afternoon to watch another classic. Leanne had purchased a favourite, another Katherine Hepburn film, the 1951 film, African Queen. John accepted with the understanding that Janine needed to first speak with Leanne about it.

Time flew by for Janine that year. Leanne’s health had improved and she joined Hollywood Classics too. They both made firm friends among the group, some even joining in Leanne and Janine’s old movie Saturday. Their talks went beyond movies and it was wonderful to have friends again, people who shared their love of film. Leanne’s daughter had even moved out and on with her own life.

John and Janine were firm companions, living separately still, but meeting several times a week. They’d even kiss now and hold hands when out to lunch. John had his own money and tended to pay for their lunches and he never complained about Janine’s tight fist. She continued to curl her hair and pluck her brows and they went together on Thursdays to Hollywood Classics. The staff at the Frankston library knew them well.

It was their final meeting of the year in mid December when Marian announced to the group she wasn’t able to secure continued funding.

“Well how much does this group cost to run,” one of the participants asked.

“It’s twenty dollars alone to rent the room. That doesn’t include the tea and coffee. The purchase of the films has been approximately ten dollars a week, but I’ve been buying monthly online.”

“Okay,” another participant broke in, “so it works out to perhaps thirty-five dollars a week.”

“Why don’t we all start bring in our own movies then?”

“That’s a great idea and maybe we don’t have to hold the group here, at the library.”

“My house isn’t big enough. I think the library has been a great place to host our group. My granddaughter even wants to come to library now, though she knows she can’t come on a Thursday with me,