You heard it here first, folks. Cinema Cindy’s got the scoop on upcoming movies and their stars. For some time now, Paramount Studios has hinted at the fact that they’re thinking of recreating an age-old classic. Just this morning they issued a press release stating that the musical extravaganza will move forward. Ready for this, girls? Heartthrob Bobby Conrad has been chosen to play the role of Romeo in a musical remake of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet. The movie’s title? Oh, My Romeo!
While some might find the musical remake a bit of a stretch from the original, others will flock to the theaters to see Bobby take on the role of the star-crossed lover. Fans will be particularly delighted to learn the new movie will have a beach theme and will be filmed primarily in Huntington Beach. So, grab your suntan lotion and head to the sunny shores, friends. Maybe you’ll be cast as an extra in this one.
As for who will play the lucky Juliet, a variety of females are under consideration, including Sandra Dee, Natalie Wood, and Brenda Valentine. If you want my opinion—and I know you do—any one of those girls would be lucky to play opposite Bobby Conrad.
Can you imagine the balcony scene? Talk about romance at its finest! Bobby—as Romeo—strumming his guitar and singing a gentle ballad to the winsome Juliet as she pines away from her beachfront balcony, Pacific waves crashing against the shoreline in the background. The mind reels with the possibilities.
Filming for the movie will begin soon. Rumor has it, Conrad will have to cancel a few scheduled events to make it work, but the payoff with fans will be worth it. So, practice up on your surfing skills, Bobby. We’ll see you at the beach with fair Juliet. In the meantime, “Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.”
— Reporting for Hollywood Heartthrob magazine, “On the Big Screen” columnist, Cinema Cindy
* * * * *
On the morning of her birthday, Debbie found her mother leaning over the counter in the kitchen at Sweet Sal’s, tears pouring down her face.
“Mom, what’s wrong? What happened? Is it Pop?” Debbie’s heart raced. Her father had been gone for a couple of hours to a city council meeting. Had something happened to him while he was there?
Debbie’s mother looked up and smiled. “Oh, I’m so sorry, honey. I was just cutting these onions.” She pointed to a mound of thick iridescent slices. “They always make me cry.”
A wave of relief washed over Debbie. “Well, you scared me. I thought maybe something happened.”
“No.” Her mother smiled through the tears. “All is well, honey. And just for the record, you need to stop fretting so much. For one thing, you’re far too young to give your time over to worry. For another thing, you need to let go of the reins and give those worries to the Lord. He’s big enough to handle them.” She sniffled.
Debbie paused for a moment. “I know you’re right. It’s just tough to let go sometimes. And it’s hard, too, because we don’t know what’s going to happen next. We can’t see what’s coming around the bend with Pop, and that scares me.”
Her mother’s eyes filled with tears once more, only this time it couldn’t be blamed on the onions. “Honey, that’s why the Lord tells us to take one day at a time and to cherish the moments we have with people. We don’t know what’s coming, but we have today. So we might as well take advantage of today and live it to the fullest.”
Debbie sucked in a deep breath. She wanted to counter with something, but nothing sounded just right. Finally she whispered, “I know, Mom. It’s just scary, not knowing if he’s going to be okay. I wish we could know for sure what tomorrow holds.”
“Yes it is.” Her mother nodded. “Just wait till you have teens. Then you’ll see how hard it really is to trust God with the future!”
Debbie reached over and gave her mother a warm embrace. “Aw, Mom.”
Her mother’s eyes grew misty. “You are twenty today, honey. Twenty.” She shook her head.
Debbie chuckled. “I know. It’s hard for me to believe, too. Are you sad that your kids are growing up?”
“Not sad, really. Just, aware. Very aware. And when I think about your sister learning to drive…” She shuddered. “Well, let’s just say that I’m having to trust the Lord more than you know. Trusting the Lord to grow your children into the men and women they were born to be isn’t always easy.”
Debbie found herself surprised at how quickly the tears came. For a moment she thought it was her emotions kicking in. Then she realized she’d leaned right over the mound of sliced onion.
“Let me put these into a container.” Her mother went to work, filling a large plastic bin with the slices. After covering it and placing it in the refrigerator, she walked to the sink and scrubbed her hands. A few seconds later, she joined Debbie at the front counter.
“Did you see that The Palace is playing that new Deborah Kerr movie?” her mother asked with a slight twinkle in her eye.
“Oh, you mean the one with Cary Grant? An Affair to Remember?” Debbie must’ve spoken the words a little too loud. A customer turned to give her an inquisitive look. She quickly explained, “It’s a movie.”
The woman nodded and went back to eating her chicken sandwich. Junior approached with a pitcher of water in his hand. He refilled the glasses of several customers at the counter then joined Debbie and their mother.
“Daydreaming about Cary Grant again, Mom?” Junior asked with a wink.
A flicker of a smile lit her face for a moment. Debbie’s mother chuckled. “You’ve got to admit, he is very handsome. When the Lord handed out looks, he gave Cary a double portion.”
Debbie laughed.
Her mother’s expression shifted. “But if you want the truth, I’m interested in that movie for another reason. I hear there’s some great footage of the Empire State Building in the film and that intrigues me. I’d like to see it someday. In person, I mean. Not in a movie.”
“You and Pop should go,” Debbie said. “And maybe you can, after this fundraiser. If anyone deserves a vacation, you two do.” Her heart twisted as she spoke those words. Except for a couple of drives down the coast to San Diego, she couldn’t remember her parents ever taking a real vacation. Well, that would change as soon as they paid off the soda shop.
Yes, the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. She and Junior and Becky Ann would plan something special for their parents just as soon as this concert was behind them. Perhaps a twenty-fifth anniversary gift. Yes, that would be perfect.
Her mother shrugged. “Right now I’d settle for an evening at The Palace with your father. Cary’s new movie looks like something we would both enjoy.”
“I saw the preview the night we went to see First Kiss,” Debbie said. “It looks really good. You and Pop should go.”
“I agree,” Junior said, drawing near. “You’ve been working too hard, Mom.”
Debbie added, “I don’t want you to make yourself sick.”
“Someone has to bear the load.” Her mother glanced through the opening into the kitchen. “Pop is still recovering and I need to do what I can.”
“I’m just afraid you’re going to wear yourself out,” Debbie said.
Junior squared his shoulders. “We can do more. We’re perfectly capable.”
“You kids already work too hard. Sometimes I feel like we’re robbing you of your childhood by making you work like you do, but I can’t figure out another way to keep the shop going.”
Debbie shook her head. “I’m not a child, Mom. I’m twenty now.”
“How could I forget?” Her mother smiled. “I was there the day you were born, remember?”
Debbie chuckled. “Well, I don’t remember firsthand, but I’ve certainly heard the stories.”
“Mom, you know you can count on me.” Junior seemed to grow taller as he said the words. He stood ramrod straight, creases settling between his brows. “One of these days I’ll take over all of the cooking so you and Pop can get out of the kitchen for good.”
“You’re a good cook, son.” She gave him a warm smile. “No one flips a better burger.”
“I learned from the best.” He reached over and gave her a hug.
In the background the familiar refrain of “The Legend of Davy Crockett” played on the jukebox.
Debbie rang up a group of boys at the register then walked to the booth at the back of the restaurant where they had been sitting. She wondered how three teenage boys could possibly have consumed so much food. Between them, they’d ordered five burgers, two hot dogs, two orders of onion rings, two large orders of french fries, two malts, one soda, and a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream on top. On top of all that, they’d neglected to leave a tip. Not even a teensy-tiny one.
Happy birthday to me.
Debbie sighed as she cleaned up the mess they’d left behind. Some days this job hardly seemed worth it. Countless hours serving people…and for what? Most days they didn’t even so much as say thank you for the service or the good food. A few even grumbled that McDonald’s was cheaper.
Well, all of that was bound to change once Bobby showed up. Debbie’s spirits lifted at once. Why, she would clean a thousand messy booths if she could just meet Bobby Conrad in person.
Debbie took a seat at the booth under the guise of wiping the table. Her thoughts, however, were on the teen heartthrob’s upcoming appearance. She tried to imagine what it would be like the first time they met. She would wear a new pink skirt and white blouse, with a pink scarf around her hair. No, on second thought, perhaps she’d better not wear the usual ponytail. Ponytails were for girls. She wanted to look like a woman.
This might take a bit of work. Coming up with just the right hairstyle was key. And so was the choice in lipstick. Blushing Rose or Pollyanna Pink? She’d better try out both, just to make sure. After all, she only had one chance to make a first impression and wanted it to be a good one.
Debbie closed her eyes, picturing Bobby’s reaction the first time their eyes met. Would he look at her with hope in his expression, sure he’d met his perfect match? Would she be able to control her enthusiasm, so that she wouldn’t come across like Martha Lou and the others?
She might have to work on that last part. After all, she wanted him to see her as a woman, not a girl.
Oh, but whenever she thought about Bobby, she felt like a schoolgirl all over again. Her heart fluttered, her eyes closed, and she felt warm and tingly all over.
Kind of like she’d felt last Saturday at the beach.
With Johnny.
She smiled as she remembered what fun she and Johnny had shared. Building a sand castle together. Chasing each other in the waves. Splashing him until he laughed so hard he could barely breathe.
Hmm.
As much as she hated to admit it—what with Bobby coming and all—Debbie felt herself drawn to the handsome young man from Topeka with the gorgeous hair and beautiful jade green eyes. His soothing voice. His even-keeled temperament. His boyish charm. Why, even his faith came ringing through…very unusual in someone headed for stardom.
Was he headed for stardom? Would Johnny Hartmann one day be as famous as Bobby Conrad? The idea washed over her like a gentle wave then settled far away, on the evening tide. Nah. He was just Johnny Hartmann from Topeka. A regular guy. She rather liked him that way.
Becky Ann walked up with a smile on her face. “You must be daydreaming.”
Debbie shook off her ponderings and focused on her sister. “Oh? What makes you say that?”
“I haven’t seen a smile like that since you got the news that Bobby would be coming.” She giggled. “Did I catch you thinking about him?”
“Actually, no.” Debbie fought the urge to say more. She couldn’t even explain what she was feeling to herself, let alone someone else.
“Did you hear the news?” Becky Ann took a seat across from Debbie. “Bobby just signed to do a new movie.”
“Of course I heard. It was the headline story in the Laguna Beach Times this morning. The mayor is beside himself. He thinks this will help bring more people to the concert. I hope he’s right.”
“I just love Romeo and Juliet. It’s going to make a great musical. Can you even imagine playing opposite Bobby?” Becky Ann clutched her hands to her chest and looked upward. “Oh, Romeo, Romeo… wherefore art thou, Romeo?”
Debbie laughed. “You’ve got that part memorized. No doubt about it. Are you thinking about trying out for Juliet? I hear they’re looking for just the right girl.”
“Oh!” Martha Lou sidled up next to them. “I wonder if they’re having open auditions.”
“Only if your name is Natalie Wood or Brenda Valentine.” Debbie shrugged. “But don’t worry, Martha Lou. You’re still going to meet Bobby in person. Soon.”
“I know.” A radiant smile overtook Martha Lou’s face. “I’ve already picked out the dress I’m going to wear the day of the concert. And your father told me I can help, so I’ll be close to Bobby.”
“Help?” Debbie bit her tongue, careful not to speak her mind. With Martha Lou chattering Bobby’s ear off, he was liable to turn and run.
“Sure. I’ll do whatever he needs. If he doesn’t like my singing voice, then I’ll be his personal assistant. They’re always near the actor. And if he doesn’t like me as an assistant…” Martha Lou’s words faded once more. “Anyway, I’ll keep working at it. Hopefully he’ll fall in love with me.” Her cheeks turned red. “Well, maybe not love, but serious like. It takes some time for love to grow.”
Debbie thought about the winsome look in Junior’s eye whenever he saw Martha Lou enter the shop. Clearly, his affections were not noticed on the other side. Despite his best intentions, the distracted teen seemed to overlook him at every turn. Nothing he could do would ever change that…unless Martha Lou happened to come to her senses. Then his puppy-dog expressions wouldn’t have been in vain.
Deep in thought, Debbie barely noticed the ringing of the phone. She snapped to attention as her mother’s voice rang out. “Debbie, phone call for you.”
“For me? At the shop?” That rarely happened.
As she drew near, her mother whispered, “It’s a man’s voice. Maybe a reporter or something.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe someone from Hollywood Heartthrob, agreeing to come to the event. Cinema Cindy, perhaps? Or maybe Hepcat Harry? Oh, she could hardly wait to find out! She tentatively reached for the phone and greeted the person on the other end with a shaky “Hello?”
“Debbie, is that you?”
She recognized the voice on the other end of the line at once. “Johnny.” For some reason, the word stuck in her throat. She couldn’t seem to add anything to it. She felt a smile tug the edges of her lips upward and did her best not to let her embarrassment show to those nearby. From the other end of the line, she heard the familiar strains of the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie theme song. “What are you watching?”
“Oh, I, um…nothing. It’s Toby. It’s his favorite.”
“No, it’s not my favorite!” Toby’s voice rang out from the background. “Lassie is my favorite. You made me watch this dumb show, Johnny. Admit it.”
Debbie laughed. “So, you’re a fan of puppets?”
He sighed. “Maybe a little. But Toby’s got me hooked on The Mickey Mouse Club now, too. You should hear his impression of Annette.”
“Oh, we all watch that,” she admitted. “And we love Annette.” After a pause, she asked the obvious question. “Have you been to Disneyland yet?”
“No, but I’d love to. Maybe we could go together sometime. We could take Toby.”
“Mm-hmm.” She fought to hide the smile. Was Johnny asking her out on a date? If so, would she go? After a few seconds, his words brought her back to reality.
“I called because it’s your birthday,” Johnny said.
Debbie couldn’t help but smile. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
“Of course. How could I forget the birthday of the first person who ever introduced me to the Pacific? And sand castles?”
She chuckled. “Happy to be of service.”
“So, did your father embarrass you in front of the customers like you said he would?”
“First thing this morning.” She groaned. “Sang at the top of his lungs. The mayor was here to talk about the fundraiser. Then they left together for a meeting. Everyone is so excited about Bobby coming.”
“Oh, speaking of which, something interesting happened last Sunday,” he said. “I went to church with Bobby.”
“You…you what?” She nearly dropped the phone. “You and Bobby…in church?”
“Yes.” Excitement laced Johnny’s words. “And we had a chance to talk about a lot of things.”
“Like what?” she asked, trying not to let her excitement show too much.
“Well, our faith, for one thing. Bobby was really straightforward about where he stands with the Lord and that impressed me. I know you and your family are believers, so I thought you might find that interesting.”
“Very. I’m so glad he’s the real deal.” Debbie lost herself in another daydream. What would it be like to sit in the pew next to Bobby Conrad? To hear his amazing voice as he sang from the hymnal? What would it feel like to walk arm in arm from the church building with him? Maybe one day she would know. In the meantime, she’d better pay attention.
Johnny kept talking, his tone growing more serious. “We had a great conversation about being in the world, but not of the world. Really helped me put things in perspective.” A long pause followed. “Anyway, I wanted to call you and tell you all of this, but there’s something else you need to know, too.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, he’s got this big movie deal coming up. That Romeo and Juliet thing.”
“Yes, I read about it.”
“He’s a little concerned about his schedule. In fact, he asked if I would pray about that.”
“His…his schedule?” At once, a lump rose in her throat. Debbie took a seat on the barstool and leaned an elbow on the counter. “You don’t think he would cancel the fundraiser, do you?”
Another lengthy pause followed. “I don’t know. I just know that he’s feeling a little overwhelmed and asked me to pray. So I have been.”
Tears welled up in Debbie’s eyes as she contemplated the situation. “Oh, Johnny, I don’t know what I’d do if he couldn’t come. It would ruin everything.”
His tone changed once again, his words now more upbeat. “I’m sure God has a plan, Debbie. So don’t give up. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it anyway. It’s Jim’s place to talk about Bobby’s career moves, not mine. I’m just speculating.”
A wave of relief washed over her. “Jim is good friends with my father. He would have said something by now if the plan for the fundraiser had changed.”
“I’m sure you’re right. Anyway, I just called because…” Johnny’s voice drifted off.
“Because…?” She echoed. For a second, her thoughts shifted from Bobby to the handsome boy from Topeka on the other end of the line.
“Well, I…I wanted to say ‘happy birthday,’ but mostly…”
“Mostly what?” Her curiosity was piqued, to be sure.
“Mostly, I just wanted to hear your voice.” He paused and she felt a curious tingle wriggle its way up her spine. “I had a great time with you last Saturday. I’ve been thinking about the beach all week. And…and you.”
She couldn’t stop the smile that followed, and all the more as she found herself caught up in the memory of the time they’d spent together at the water’s edge. “I had fun, too, Johnny. Next time you come down, maybe we can go again. I know the best spot by the cliffs. It’s a private little pocket of sand, completely hidden away from everyone and everything. Perfect for a picnic.” A wonderful idea came to mind. “Since you and Bobby are friends now, maybe you could ask him to join us.”
“Sure. I’ll do that.”
Debbie thought she heard a hint of a sigh in Johnny’s voice and changed the subject. “Anyway, I’m so glad you told me about his schedule. I’ll be praying. Thanks for letting me know.”
As they ended the call, she thought about what a great guy Johnny was. And he certainly seemed interested in seeing her again. She smiled, wondering why he continued to put up with her when she couldn’t seem to see past Bobby Conrad. Debbie’s thoughts drifted back to that day on the beach once again, and she could almost feel Johnny’s hand in hers as they raced along the water’s edge.
Maybe a picnic would be a nice idea, once this concert was behind them. Until then…she had work to do.
* * * * *
Johnny hung up the phone feeling defeated. He had called Debbie to cheer her up with birthday wishes, and instead he’d worried her with the news about Bobby’s schedule.
What did it matter, anyway? Debbie Carmichael only had eyes—and ears—for one person right now. And that person’s name wasn’t Johnny Hartmann. It was Bobby Conrad.
“Everything okay, Johnny?”
He turned as Jim came in the room. “Yes. I mean, I guess.”
“Not the most convincing line I’ve heard. You’d better hone your acting skills if you want to get a job in this town. What’s really up?”
He sighed. “Jim, how do you get a girl to notice you if she’s only got eyes for someone else?”
“Ah.” Jim gave him a fatherly look. “I see. This is about Frankie’s daughter, then.”
Johnny sighed. “Yes sir.”
“Let me tell you something I learned early on, son,” Jim said, slipping an arm over his shoulder. “If something’s meant to happen, it’s going to happen.”
Johnny gazed at him, curiosity growing. Pretty interesting stuff, coming from a man who didn’t claim a belief in the Lord.
“So, I shouldn’t try to win her?”
“You’re already winning her, Johnny. Don’t spend much time fretting over the competition.”
“Even if that competition is Bobby Conrad?”
“Ah.” Jim grew silent. “I see your problem.” He slapped him on the back. “Well, look on the bright side, son. Pretty soon you’ll be as famous as Bobby and you’ll have a whole gaggle of beauties fawning over you. What will it matter if one little blond slipped away?”
Thanks a lot. So even Jim didn’t think he stood a chance with Bobby in the picture. A guy might as well give up early on rather than keep fighting, only to lose the war in the end.
Oh, but every time Johnny thought about Debbie’s hand in his, he felt carefree, happy. When he remembered the sight of her long blond hair as she ran along the edge of the water, his breath caught in his throat. Did she have any idea what she’d done to him?
Obviously not. Debbie Carmichael wasn’t the sort to toy with a guy’s emotions. From what he could tell, anyway.
Johnny chided himself. How could you give your heart to someone so quickly? Didn’t you come to Los Angeles to pursue your dreams? Yes, he had. And staying focused on the goal was key to achieving success. Falling for a girl—especially the wrong girl—would distract him, possibly keep him from thinking clearly.
“You sure you’re okay, kid?” Jim gave him a curious look.
Johnny startled to attention. “Yes sir. I’ve just made a decision, that’s all.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “I’m going to focus on my career first and my love life second.” After the Lord, of course.
“Well, I should hope so.” Jim slapped him on the back again, this time nearly knocking the breath out of him. “So, get upstairs and practice that song. You’ve got a big show coming up, remember?”
“How could I forget?” The usual ripple of fear wriggled its way down his spine, and he found himself shaking in his boots. On August 10, just one week from tonight, he would stand in front of America and sing a song he’d written for a girl who couldn’t see beyond Bobby Conrad to know that he existed.
Johnny headed upstairs, deep in thought. As much as he wanted to focus on his career, his thoughts kept gravitating back to Debbie.
Shake it off, Johnny.
He entered Toby’s room and found the youngster on the bottom bunk playing some sort of game. Johnny stared down at him.
“What are you doing, Toby?”
The youngster shook a cup in his hand then dumped out five dice. “Playing Yahtzee.”
“Yahtzee?” Johnny took a seat across from him. “What’s that?”
“A new game. Don’t you ever get out, Hartmann?”
“Guess not. But I love board games. We used to play them all the time back home. So, how is this game played?”
“Well, look here.” Toby pointed at a piece of paper. “I need to get as many ones as I can. And as many twos. Like that.”
“So, it’s the luck of the roll, basically.”
“Yeah. Kind of like becoming a star in Hollywood.” Toby gave him a quick glance then turned his attention back to the game again, pointing to the bottom of the paper. “Anyway, down here, I need to get a straight, a three of a kind, a four of a kind, and a Yahtzee.”
“What’s a Yahtzee?”
“It’s where all five dice are exactly the same number.”
“What are the odds of that?” Johnny asked.
Toby rolled his eyes. “About the same as my dad letting me audition for a television show.”
“What’s that one?” Johnny pointed to a spot near the bottom of the paper.
“Oh, that one’s called chance. It’s for when you don’t get a good roll.”
“Hmm.” Johnny paused to think about it. “Sounds like playing this game is exactly like trying to start a career in Hollywood.” Or winning the heart of a certain girl who only has eyes for someone else.
As he took the cup in his hand and shook the dice, Johnny’s thoughts remained fixed on Debbie. He willed himself to think about something else. Anything else. When he tipped the cup over, the five dice fell out.
“A straight!” Toby stared at him with wonder in his eyes. “One, two, three, four, five. How did you do that, Johnny?”
“No idea.” Johnny shrugged.
Toby’s carefree expression shifted as he stared at Johnny. “Some guys have all the luck, I guess.”
Johnny’s heart went out to him. “Just hang on, kiddo. One of these days you’ll get to follow your heart. You just have a little growing up to do first.”
“I guess.”
For some reason, the words “follow your heart” forced Johnny’s thoughts back to Debbie. He did his best to shake them, but couldn’t seem to. The lyrics and melody to that song he’d written about her ran through his mind, forcing all of his attentions to her.
In that moment, he realized what he must do to empty his mind— and heart—of Debbie Carmichael. He’d rename the song. Sure, why not. “Dear Donna” would work, too. Or “Dear Darla.” Who said the name had to be Debbie?
A sigh followed as he filled in the number on the Yahtzee form. Passing the cup back to Toby, he realized the truth. If he changed the name, he’d never be able to muster up the right emotion to croon the song as it was meant to be sung.
It was “Dear Debbie”…or it was nothing at all.