Chapter Six
I tapped Seth Hazlitt on the arm and gestured to where more crew members were starting to gather around the slumped soundman, and he trotted over to offer medical aid.
“Someone call an ambulance!” came a shout, and I instinctively reached for my cell phone only to realize I didn’t have one. None of the contestants did.
“I got it,” said someone at a console, picking up a built-in landline.
Mort, even though well out of his jurisdiction, also went over and began gently herding back unhelpful onlookers to make way for those who could render medical assistance.
Seth and a black-clad crew member eased the large man to the floor.
While the other man tilted Ray’s head back, Seth began CPR.
Unbidden, the song “Stayin’ Alive,” used in CPR classes to help students master the correct rhythm of the technique, popped into my head, and I desperately hoped Ray would heed the musical advice.
Maureen slid into the chair next to me and grasped my hand. Hers was cold and a bit trembly. “And here I thought the worst part of the day was over.”
Mike ran back to the console area carrying a small case.
While Seth continued his compressions, the other man giving aid opened the case.
As soon as he held up the contents, I recognized it as a defibrillator device.
He asked Seth to stop compressions while he undid Ray’s bolo tie and ripped open his shirt, sending silver buttons flying in all directions.
Seth resumed his compressions while the other man obeyed the computer voice of the defibrillator and attached pads to Ray’s chest. At a nod, Seth scooted back to avoid contact with the body.
The body. Had I stopped referring to him as Ray? I held my breath and squeezed Maureen’s hand tighter as the shock was delivered.
More chest compressions followed, with Seth and the other man taking turns. The defibrillator was used several more times before the ambulance arrived. An out-of-breath security guard from the gate escorted the EMTs to the soundstage.
After their arrival, it was more difficult to see what was going on: I only caught momentary flashes of Ray, still motionless as they continued to minister to him.
Eventually, he was placed on a wheeled gurney and then the same EMTs rushed him out of the soundstage.
The other man who had offered aid ran after them.
Seth rose slowly and returned to the table, his once-crisp shirt now a bit bedraggled and heavy beads of sweat leaving streaks through the studio makeup. He fell into a chair and rested his elbows on the table.
“Is he…?” I asked.
Seth just shrugged, but his grim expression spoke volumes.
Mort returned a few seconds later with a bottle of water and set it in front of Seth. He placed a firm hand on Seth’s shoulder. “You did good, Doc.”
Seth unscrewed the cap of his water and took a long drink, almost draining the bottle, before setting it back on the table. “Not sure it was good enough.”
We sat at our table while the silence of the shock wore off and contestants started to talk again.
Eventually Mike collected the lavalier microphones. “You’re a doctor?” he asked Seth.
Seth nodded.
“Ray Flores is a stand-up guy,” Mike answered. “Thanks for being there for him. It’s a pity something like this happened right when he was starting to get control of his health.”
“How’s that?” Mort asked.
“He quit smoking last year, and a couple of months ago, he went on one of those new weight loss drugs. He’d already lost like twenty pounds.”
“I take it that other man was some sort of studio doctor?” I asked.
“That’s Hugh, our set medic,” Mike said. “I think he’s actually a paramedic or something.”
“He seemed more than capable,” Seth said.
Eventually Jenny returned to the podium. “Sorry for the added excitement, folks. If they’ve already gotten your microphones, you’re free to go, but we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow for Day Two. Stetsons, sorry to say, that doesn’t include you, but you did a great job.”
She applauded, and the other contestants joined in weakly, probably, as I was, still a bit taken aback by Ray’s collapse. “Stetsons, I will need to collect those lanyards before you leave. Thank you, everybody!” And then she was gone.
We stayed at the table while Seth finished his water. He pulled out a handkerchief to dab the sweat from his face, but it ended up caked in the studio makeup. “Oh, will you look at that!”
“Don’t fret, Doc,” Howard said. “I’m an actor. I know how to get that out.”
We stopped off at the large restrooms to wash the makeup from our faces.
“I’ve been afraid to touch it, but I think my hair is actually stiff,” Maureen said as she tentatively patted her hair.
“Yup, like a helmet. Looks kinda cute, but I don’t think it would be worth the effort to replicate at home.
” She and I applied more natural-looking cosmetics before meeting back up with the men at the lockers.
“I had a place picked out to take you for dinner, since you’re on East Coast time,” Howard said. “But now I’m wondering if you’re all up to it. Victoria was going to meet us there, but I can call her from the car and cancel.”
I think we all looked to Seth, who had more reason to be fatigued than any of us.
“Well, a man’s gotta eat, right?” he said. “Only I’m not sure I’m up for anything fancy.”
“I think you’ll like what I have in mind, then,” Howard said.
“We’ve enjoyed every place you picked so far,” Mort said. “And it will be nice to get out of this studio.”
Mort looked a little more hesitant when we pulled up in front of Barney’s Beanery. He waited until Howard had pulled away and we were all standing under the green-and-white awning before saying, “Would your nephew take us to some dive bar?”
He opened the door and let us all inside, then stepped in himself. “He did. He took us to a dive bar.”
I had to admit, Mort’s assessment seemed pretty accurate.
Pool tables occupied the middle of the floor, while booths with colorful but worn upholstery ran around the circumference.
At this time of day—after lunch but before happy hour, when I imagined a place like this would be packed—they were only partially full.
The wood floor was scratched and pitted, while the walls and wood ceiling were almost completely plastered with random items: signs, license plates, newspapers, and posters—some a little bit naughty.
A sign near the door said to please seat yourself, so we started making our way around the room when Victoria popped up from a spot in the back and waved.
“I found two adjacent empty tables,” she said. “It helps that it’s not happy hour yet. This place can be hard to get into later.”
Mort and Seth pushed the two tables together. I slid onto the bench next to Victoria, leaving the chairs on the opposite side of the table for Mort, Maureen, and Seth.
Caddies that held various condiments also had clips securing menus in place, and Maureen plucked one out and placed it between her and Mort. “I guess we take turns.” She leaned forward and whispered, “Don’t make a big deal over it, but do you see that blonde at the booth near the door?”
We each discreetly took a peek.
“The one wearing glasses?” Victoria asked. “What about her?”
“I think it’s Katherine Heigl.”
We each took another careful peek.
“Uh…maybe?” Mort said.
“Of course, she’s disguised a bit,” Maureen said. “Going all incognito like all those big actresses do when they don’t want to be recognized.”
“Very effectively too,” Seth said. “Looks nothing like herself.”
I gave Seth a gentle kick under the table. When he passed the menu over to me, I placed it between Victoria and me and pulled out my reading glasses. “What do you recommend, Victoria?”
“They don’t call it Barney’s Beanery for nothing,” she said. “They are known for their chili.”
I perused the whole menu, which was actually more extensive than I originally thought.
Besides several versions of their namesake chili, they also offered a wide selection of appetizers, other soups and sandwiches, pizza, burgers, and a variety of Mexican foods.
I briefly considered the New England clam chowder, but the aroma of chili from a nearby table made my mouth water, so I opted for the fireman’s chili in a sourdough bowl.
Howard still hadn’t appeared by the time the server came to take our order. “You look familiar,” she said.
“Are you a mystery reader, perhaps?” Seth asked. “Jess, your fans seem to find you everywhere.”
“No, that’s not it.” The young woman chewed on the end of her pencil, then her eyes widened and she pointed at Mort. “You were the one who bonked his head on the table when he missed the question about the Ping-Pong player who won the Olympics!”
Mort flushed. “It was right on the tip of my tongue.”
Howard still hadn’t appeared, and Victoria ordered the chili sampler for them to share. Mort and Maureen did the same, but also ordered an appetizer for the table. “You can just bring it with the rest of the food,” Mort said.
“You don’t have to keep treating us,” I told them after the server headed back to the kitchen.
“Pastrami fries?” Mort said. “Never had anything like that before. Just sounded too interesting to pass up.”
“Trying new foods is one thing,” Seth said airily, “but don’t be waking me up at one a.m. in search of something for your indigestion.”
Mort mockingly mouthed Seth’s words, but when Maureen reached into her purse and pulled out a small bottle of antacids, he held out his hand for one. As did I.
“I caught the show live,” Victoria said, changing the subject. “Even Danielle was getting into it. Second place is a pretty good showing, and you kept your tempers. I couldn’t believe those other groups flying off the handle like that. Do you think they were just hamming it up for the cameras?”