Thank you again,” I said.
“It’s okay.”
“Yeah, but you don’t really look like it’s okay, though. I know this isn’t any fun for you.”
True shot me a glare as the Wonder Wheel came to a body-jolting stop to let on another set of passengers. “It’s totally fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “A real riot of a time.”
“Well, you don’t have to be like that, Truman Erickson,” I mumbled, and turned from him and took in the scene below, hoping to get a glimpse of moviemaking. I spotted a Keanu by one of the trailers doing deep knee bends and another talking with a guy while mimicking something that could possibly be punches.
I could feel a new frisson of excitement in the air. There was definite activity, with more people and cameras being set up. Something was really happening. I looked closer, ever hopeful as we began our jerky ascent again. Hold it. Everything in me went rigid as the largest trailer’s door opened. A boot? Next came a leg. And I could see the man had chin-length hair. Look up…look up! I silently begged the booted man. Finally, and as if in slow motion, he looked up just as our gondola moved again. Crap on raisin toast!!
“Did you see? Do you think that’s him?”
True slowly angled the top of his body from where it was anchored in the middle of the car to peer over and see where I was pointing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with a minuscule shrug. “There are even more Keanus down there than before. It’s nuts. It looks like The Matrix is duplicating itself on the Coney Island, Brooklyn, strip.”
Hey, he might have hit on something there. The Matrix in Brooklyn sounded lit. It had a kind of Escape from New York quality that could be cool, though maybe it skewed more Tarantino than the Wachowskis.
“I can get with an East Coast Matrix vibe,” I said to True. Unfortunately, he was right. There was no way to make out which was the right Keanu, if anyone was, in the sea of shaggy hair and leather down below.
“You could get with Keanu Reeves in any vibe,” he deadpanned.
He had a point. Though coming from him, and with his delivery, I didn’t even take the time to respond.
Not that I had a chance, because all of a sudden a loud voice rang out, announcing filming and to remain calm, normal, and most of all to keep our hands inside the cars at all times. Calm? Who could remain calm now? Keanu was close. Well, maybe. But still. Hands inside for a Ferris wheel? I swallowed and looked over at True. His expression was one of deep annoyance, as if saying “See what you’ve gotten me into, Lu,” and I shrugged.
So much for reassurance. Didn’t he know I was scared?
A cheer roared throughout the Ferris wheel. At least it wasn’t just me being excited as hell about what was going on.
I stared at True, hoping I wasn’t pushing him too far with this, even though he was the one who’d volunteered to come with me. But still, I felt guilty. “Yay?”
A horn sounded, and the voice started again. “In case of emergency there is a red card taped to the bottom of your seats.”
True and I both looked toward the floor of the car. I couldn’t help my legs jiggling with nervousness. Chill, Lu. Just chill. WWKD. What would Keanu do? He would one hundred percent enjoy this experience in the moment and have fun.
I took in the view of the ocean to my right and the Brooklyn view to my left. It was a gorgeous day.
I gave True a hesitant smile. “Don’t worry, it’s gonna be fine,” I said more to myself. “I promise to treat you to all the fries you want after this is over.”
“Ah, you’re gonna owe me a lot more than fries once this is over, Lu. That’s for sure.”
I nodded. “Whatever you want. You got it.” Then I looked out just as a buzzer sounded and the director called, “Action!”
Suddenly, a herd of Keanus came rushing toward the Ferris wheel and we began to slowly circle then start to speed up. My heart started to set a galloping pace along with it. There was a loud thump as a car swayed far forward. I was out of my seat grabbing the pole in the center and swung around to the other side of the car only to be caught by True and land hard into his shoulder.
“Oomph! Sorry, I didn’t expect that.”
“Neither did I,” True said as he sat me firmly down on the seat beside him. “What the hell? I don’t know about this, Lu.”
I reached out and patted the top of his hand. He looked at me with tight lips and eased my hand away as he reached out for the pole in the center and pulled himself up and over to the other side of the car where I had been sitting previously.
“Why you moving?”
“They told us we had to keep the car evenly balanced. I’m balancing it back out.”
“Yeah, okay, you’re right. Good on you,” I said. Though I wouldn’t tell him it did feel better with him sitting on the same side as me.
There was another bump as the car swayed violently once again and the speed picked up even more. I may have shrieked. I’m pretty sure I did from True’s wide-eyed reaction. But next we hit a downward slope and the car did a full-on dip and roller-coaster dive forward and swung out into the atmosphere before coming to a surprise halt and lurching us back. Once again, I was on the other side of the car. This time not at True’s side but in his lap. His arms around me. My head buried in his neck as I held on tight.
“It’s okay. We stopped,” he said. “You don’t have to worry. It’s fine, I got you.”
My heart was racing and my eyes were tightly shut as I fought to push away the fear in all my nerve endings. That fear knocked out the sounds of screams and laughter of the other riders along with the banging and squealing of the Wonder Wheel as it jerked to another stop.
I tried to focus on True and his voice. He had me, it was okay, so it would be okay.
I forced a smile and pulled my head up, opening my eyes and taking in the view of the bright and sunny day. Pairs of not-quite Keanus were on top of the cars play fighting, doing pretty cool twists, kicks and bends while going around the wheel. It was amazing!
“Hey, you think you’re all right now?” True asked. “Maybe I can have my lap back. Not to mention, you’re about to snap my neck if you pull it any harder.”
I looked at True, suddenly realizing my position and what I was doing. “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, quickly loosening myself. I grabbed the middle bar and swung back to the other side of our gondola. I felt the heat of embarrassment wash over my face. “And there I was thinking you’d be the one having a problem up here. As if you'd be bored or something. Who knew there would be this much shaking going on? I swear, you’d think they’d warn people about the whole swinging cars and folks fighting up top.” I cleared my throat. I was rambling like a teen on the train home with her crush. Shut it up, Lu!
But of course, I didn’t shut a thing. Why would I when rambling was so much easier than actual feelings?
“I wish I could see who was on top of our car and what they’re doing. Maybe we should act a little bit while we’re in here,” I said. “We could have a chance to make it on the screen.”
“They probably have actors in other cars for that, but who knows,” he said.
“Come on. Let’s give it a try.” I put on my best 1950s B-movie fright-night face and looked up at the top of the car in shock, playing with different expressions and hoping to get my moment of fame so that I could at least be Keanu adjacent whenever the blooper highlights came out.
When I glanced back at True again, he was sitting back, his earlier shock over my lap dance gone and his arms crossed. He stared at me with that half-smokey half-judgy and way-too-wicked look on his face.
“Can’t you get into it?” I whined. “You’ll end up ruining the shot. This will never work with me doing all this fine acting over here and you sitting there like a statue. Come on, True, get into it, please.”
He let out a small smile. “Looks like you’re into it enough for the both of us.”
I looked around. He was right. I was. For a moment I’d forgotten my fear and just let go and enjoyed the experience.
True uncrossed his arms and proceeded to start miming along with me. I laughed, getting a glimpse of what I must’ve looked like as True did his part, overacting, pointing up, looking horrified, gasping, then laughing and smiling.
The ride slowed down to let some Keanus off the tops of the cars while the passengers stayed inside.
I heard one of our guys do a helluva good Keanu impersonation as we neared the bottom. “Very cool,” he said. “Great job,” came from the top of our car.
“It must be almost over,” I said to True, feeling kind of sad. “It was fun. Too bad we didn’t get to see You Know Who. But at least we got to see a bunch of close versions. Thanks for your help today.”
“Hey, the day is not over yet. You still owe me fries, and I’m thinking that you riding the Whipper will be a good start for paying me back for this.”
I made a face. The idea of being thrown about and out of my control that far was too much.
But I couldn’t argue. He’d gotten me here, fake Keanus or not. “Whatever you say. You’re in charge.”
Our car made it to the bottom where it was now our Keanus’ turn to get off. The first guy who lightly jumped off the top of our car was a really close lookalike, though he was more muscular than the real Keanu, slightly broader in the shoulders and slimmer in the waist.
But then the next faux Keanu jumped down.
“Thank you for your service,” I said to his back. Stupid, I know, but in the moment I couldn’t think of anything else.
He turned my way, and a bolt of lightning slammed me in the chest. “No, thank you.”
Wait…that voice. I snapped my head forward, so fast I heard my neck crack. Cripes!
He smiled. There may have been music. A harp? It was definitely a harp.
I blinked and blinked, my mouth and eyes going wide, and there was a cheer from the crowd. Our gondola went up again, and I watched as The Keanu walked through the parting throng below. He talked to the woman who’d handed us the clipboard earlier, then put on a motorcycle helmet and rode out of the park and down Surf Avenue until my eyes could no longer follow him.
I looked at True. “That didn’t just happen, did it?”
He looked back at me from across the gondola. “Will you feel better if I tell you it didn’t or it did?”
I stared at him. “What do you think?”
He was slow to reply, and we were once again on our descent. Our gondola door opened, and an impatient attendant motioned us with a sour expression to get out of the car. True stood first, grabbing the pole, his feet unsteady. He reached out and clasped my hand, pulling me up. I took a moment and inhaled, his scent soothing my spirit. “Nah, that didn’t just happen. That guy was a total fake Keanu. You still haven’t met the real one yet.”
I nodded into his shoulder, willing my mind to go with the lie True was selling me. I sighed. So that was it, all my dreams had ridden away on the back of a motorcycle, most likely never to be seen again. I stumbled off the gondola and followed True, my legs wobblier and my ass sorer than I expected. I landed hard against True’s back when he suddenly stopped short.
Ms. Clipboard was there again. This time she was surrounded by cameras and for some reason they were trained our way. What the hell? The star had just ridden off—taking my heart with him. I wanted to cry. I also wanted to pee now that I had hit solid ground, but mostly I wanted to cry.
No time to think of that, though. Ms. Clipster was there looking stoic, and I wondered if we needed to leave a blood sample or if we were in some sort of trouble for our antics up on the wheel. I’d fall on my sword. I was getting my story ready and high indignation up. No way I was letting True take the heat for me. Also, I wasn’t in the mood to take any crap. I’d come this close to Keanu. THIS FREAKING CLOSE!
Along with Ms. Clipster was a good-looking guy with curly dark hair, a bright smile and creamy tanned skin. I’d recognized him from one of the entertainment recap shows on TV, and he definitely appeared taller on my screen. He was pointing a very phallic-looking mic with a big shiny oversized purple head back and forth between me and True, and a camera guy stood behind him and a big light trained our way.
We both instinctively dodged back from the dodgy mic.
“You two were so funny up there.” The TV guy whose name I couldn’t remember startled me with a high voice that reminded me why I couldn’t remember his name, because his voice irritated the hell out of me. I nodded and he gave a wink. Should I say thanks?
“You practically stole the show from our leading man.”
That brought me out of my temporary shock and back to the reality at hand. I looked at what’s-his-name. “Leading man? Is he still here?” I asked, hating the desperate fangirl squeak in my voice. As if I was anything else.
What’s-his-name looked at Clipster and the two of them shared a smirk as if I’d asked the funniest question ever. I snorted. At least I got to glimpse Keanu. And he spoke to me. He spoke to meeee. “Dammit!”
I grabbed True’s hand and pulled him to follow me back down the gangway. Forcing my back straight, I tried my best to hold on to a bit of dignity in my undignified stomp off but failed when I got a cramp in my upper butt cheek and my bladder jumped up and reminded me how much I needed to pee.
“Oh well,” I said to True. “We tried. Let me find the bathroom, and the rest of the day is yours. Bumper cars, hot dogs, fries, you name it! Just tell me what you want to do first!”
True tilted his head to the side in a sort of nonchalant “fine by me, could care less” kind of way. My eyes rolled up toward the top of the Wonder Wheel on their own. We made about three steps when Mr. High Voice piped up again loud and clear over my shoulder. “He’s not here, but we do know where he’ll be next week and where you two may be too.”
I stopped dead in my tracks, this time making True bump into my back.
“Did he say but?” I asked.
True looked at me, closed his eyes, then opened them again, staring me down with a look of “Nope, I’m done,” but he spoke up. “I also heard a maybe. As in ‘Maybe I’m done and you’re on your own.’”
I nudged True’s shoulder. He didn’t budge. “Oh, come on. You know you had fun today.” I put my thumb and pointer finger closer together and came near his face. “Just a little fun?”
He leaned in. “When? When you were yelling in my ear or practically choking me?”
His words brought back the moment, his feel. The closeness and security of his arms. I leaned back, quickly putting my hand down. “Yeah, just then,” I said. “Now come on, True,” I whined. “Let’s both go back and talk to that guy and see what this is all about.” I turned and headed back up the gangway toward Ms. Clipster and High Voice Guy, hoping against hope that True hadn’t given up and was following behind me and my wobbly ass.