Thursday - December 18th, 1986
The blonde teenager sighed silently as she looked out the window. The sky was heavily overcast, not with the promise of snow unfortunately. The temperature at their current locale was too warm for snow, but not warm enough to have fun on the beach. She sighed again. I wish we could go home for Christmas, Angie thought to herself. She glanced over her shoulder to where her father and his apprentice were working on an effect for their current movie. Or that it was warm and sunny enough to enjoy the day at the beach! The petite blonde gave an audible sigh.
Manny exchanged a look with his young apprentice. Receiving an encouraging nod from Rollie, he walked over to look out over his daughter's shoulder. "Angie," he began, placing his hand on her shoulder.
The thirteen year old jumped in surprise. She looked up at her father. "Dad?"
The Cuban-American smiled slightly, then frowned. "I know it's boring here, Angel."
"Yeah, classes are over and there's absolutely nothing to do since you won't let me help you."
Manny nodded. "I'm sorry, but these effects are too dangerous for you to work on. You can help us later though."
The pretty blonde pulled a face. "I know, squibbs." Squibbs are boring too!
Manny smothered a smile, recognizing his daughter's look. "At least we'll be able to go to the mainland for a few days for Christmas."
"Yeah," Angie acknowledged, "I just wish..." She trailed off.
"That we could go home," Manny finished for his daughter. "I do too, but we can't so let's make the best of it. Okay?"
"I'll try, Dad. Is it suppose to clear up any time soon?"
"Afraid not, the forecast I heard this morning is either cloudy or rain for the next several days. Why don't you read one of your books?"
"Yeah. Okay." She turned away from the window to look over the books she had brought with her. Unfortunately, they'd been here so long she had read all of them already and she didn't really want to read one of them again. She couldn't let her father know that though, it would just make him feel bad. Maybe I can get some new ones when we go to the mainland, she thought trying to perk herself up.
Rollie shook his head. Angie wasn't the only one going stir crazy. Everybody was, from cast to crew to director. Unfortunately there wasn't anything that anyone could do about it. The island they were filming on was too small to have anything in the way of entertainment. They were bloody lucky to have the little beach bungalows to live in, instead of tents. They were relying on generators for their electricity and, unfortunately, those were being reserved only for work on the film, "Island of Ghosts". Everybody wants to go home for Christmas and nobody can. I think our producer is a real Ebenezer Scrooge, Rollie thought in disgust. For a moment, he toyed with ideas of how to have Benjamin Spells visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. He gave himself a shake and returned his attention to the delicate wiring job that he was helping Manny setup.
Manny sighed. "I should have left Angie at home. She'd be much happier there," he said softly to his taller apprentice so she wouldn't hear.
"No!" Rollie started, much louder than he'd intended. He quickly lowered his voice. "No, Manny, believe me. Angie would rather be bored and with her father at Christmas, than back in New York City without you."
"I don't know..."
"Trust me on this one, Manny, I do know!"
Concerned coffee brown eyes looked up into earnest chocolate brown eyes. Manny nodded acceptance of the twenty one year old's words. Maybe Rollie did know. It wasn't like his father was ever around. He knew the man was still alive and yet, to his knowledge, Rollie hadn't heard from him since he'd come to work for Ramirez FX two years ago. He didn't know how long it had been before then. That man has to be an idiot, he thought to himself and frowned slightly. Poor Rollie never complains. Hell! I think he's the only one who hasn't complained about the conditions on this shoot, which made him wonder what Rollie's life had been like before they had met.
Tuesday - December 23rd, 1986
"Sorry people, but that's it," Jason Erickson looked over his disheartened cast and crew. "This storm is too bad. They can't run the ferry." He sighed and shrugged helplessly. "I know you're disappointed. Hell, I'm disappointed. This isn't where any of us wanted to spend Christmas, but the forecast has this lasting through Friday. They might be able to get us then."
Grumbling, people slowly left the communal meeting hall, dashing through the pouring rain for their own quarters. Their disappointment was like a slap in the face and no one felt like socializing at the moment.
Jason turned to his FX crew. "I'm really sorry, Manny. I wish I could do something."
"This storm isn't your fault, Jason," Manny said with a sad smile. "If it's anybody's fault it's Spells. If he had let us leave on Saturday like he originally promised, we wouldn't be stuck here."
"Yeah." Jason shook his head, frustrated by the whole situation. Of course, our wonderful producer is safely tucked away in the Caribbean by now and doesn't have to look at our sorry faces. "Still, I wish I could do something. This is no place for Angie to spend Christmas." He looked over to where the two youngest people currently on the island stood by the door. Manny's tall, lanky apprentice was obviously trying to cheer up his boss's daughter. "Rollie either for that matter. We don't even have a Christmas tree or anything."
"Now there's a thought, maybe we could put one up." Manny looked hopeful.
"I hate to shoot you down, Manny, but there isn't a decent fir tree on the whole island. I ought to know. I've been over it until I'm sick of the place. Besides we don't have anything to use for decorations."
"Damn," Manny's shoulders drooped, "and I left the Christmas presents I brought at our hotel on the mainland."
"Damn! I bet everybody did. We all expected to be there for Christmas. Why bring them all the way here only to have to carry them back?"
"Well, there's nothing for it. We'll just have to make the best of things. We certainly can't change the weather. I guess Christmas will be at least a day late this year." Manny Ramirez straightened his shoulders, forced a smile and went over to see if he'd have better luck than Rollie was having with his daughter.
Wednesday - December 24th, 1986
Manny got up and looked out at the sheeting rain blowing almost parallel to the ground. The sky was dark with scudding clouds. It certainly didn't feel like Christmas Eve. A glance revealed Angie burrowed under the covers of the bunk bed above his, only her golden hair peeking out. He sighed sadly and looked over to the other bunk bed for his apprentice. The bed was empty and neatly made. Rollie had obviously gotten up early. Thinking he would be at the communal hall scrounging up something for breakfast, Manny hurried through his morning rituals of washed face, shaving, brushed teeth and hair. Dressing warmly, because the rain and wind made it seem colder than it actually was, Manny ran for the larger building, splashing through the huge lake of a puddle that had formed there. To his surprise, the young Australian wasn't there. "Ted!" Manny hailed their chief cook and bottle washer. "Have you seen Rollie this morning?"
"Can't say I have, Manny", the large, burly man answered, "but someone was up before me and got a bite to eat. Since they cleaned up after themselves, it may have been Rollie."
"I wonder where he is. I hope he's all right out in this storm."
"Ah, Rollie'll be all right. He's got more sense than the rest of this lot combined."
"I hope you're right," Manny answered, suddenly mindful of Rollie's youth. The young sometimes did foolish things. Rollie might not do so often, but he was still young enough to be, at least occasionally, foolish. He thought about the strange request Rollie had made the previous day, asking him if he could have the odd bits of colored wire that had been left over from their work. What are you up to? Manny thought as he willingly accepted a hot cup of coffee from Ted.
Manny Ramirez spent a wasted hour trying to find his wayward apprentice. All he'd gotten for his time were a few more mysterious clues. Rollie had borrowed a small hand wagon and an small tarp, too odd small and odd shaped to be of use, from supplies. Willie had assured him that the young Aussie was probably drier than they both were currently, since he was wearing his driza, a sou'wester and boots. However, he was no closer to finding out what the younger man was doing than before. He returned to their cabin, hoping to find him there. Instead he found his daughter awake and bored.
By lunchtime, both Angie and Manny were heartily sick of playing checkers on the tattered set in the cabin. Manny wondered why he hadn't brought a chess set. That at least would have lasted longer and required thoughtful effort. After a joyless, subdued lunch, father and daughter went tramping over the island trying to find their wayward friend. They returned muddy, dripping and cold, only to find that Rollie had resurfaced long enough to cage soup and a couple of sandwiches from Ted. Fed, the Aussie had then disappeared again, no one the wiser as to what he was doing or where he was going.
"At least, he's not going hungry," Manny stated, staring into his coffee.
"Huh uh," Angie mumbled around her cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. She didn't know where Ted had gotten them, but she was grateful just the same. She stared out the window thinking about Rollie. At least he's doing something, unlike the rest of us. I wonder what? He could have included us on it too.
Jason and Bill, the stunt coordinator, joined them at the table. Bill had a tattered poker deck which they used to start a marathon session of poker using toothpicks for stakes. People joined and dropped out as the day dragged on. Their hearts weren't really in it, still it was something to do.
Dinner was a dismal affair. There was no sign of Rollie. Manny, Jason and Bill were worried about him, but tried to hide it from Angie. Unfortunately, they couldn't really search for him in the cold, wet, stormy night. They could only hope that the young effects man would show up on his own as he had after lunch.
Jason discovered that Ruby, the wardrobe supervisor, had a guitar. He prodded her into bringing it out.
"I'm really not very good," she said nervously as she looked around the large room.
"That's okay, Rube, just give us the best you've got," Bill encouraged her.
The group managed to ramble through two Christmas Carols before a string broke while on Jingle Bells. Ruby sighed deeply and shook her head. "That's my last set of strings. This weather hasn't been good for them, I'm afraid."
The rest applauded her effort. They took a stab at another carol, but without the guitar keeping them on track, their voices wandered all over the scale, totally off key.
"How about stories?" Jason asked, looking around. "Come on, you guys have to have something? Bill, I've heard you spin a few yarns."
Bill Williams snorted. "Yeah," he looked at Angie before turning his attention back to the director, "but they're not appropriate for -- Christmas."
"Anybody? Come on! I'll even take The Night Before Christmas!" Jason pleaded. That got some weak chuckles.
Yvonne, the leading lady, made a gallant effort to recite the Christmas story, but stumbled to a halt while she fumbled for the reindeer names. She shook her head, then soldiered on, making up her own names. "Now Flasher and Trancer, on Vomit and Stupid, Blunder and Winston!" She was rewarded with the first real laugh of the day for her efforts.
Encouraged, Mark, the leading man, jumped up to tell his own version of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, only it was Slowpoke, the Red-toed Sloth.
Laughter warmed the room. Others took their turns making up their own parodies of well known Christmas stories. For a little while, everyone forgot that they were stranded for Christmas. Bruce, the villain of their movie, wrapped up the evening, retelling Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. Not that the author would recognize the tipsy spirits that tried to reform Scrooge, a tee totaller. Wine whined a lot, Brandy staggered around and tripped over everything and Rum was totally too blitzed to leave old Scrooge's chambers. "Probably a good thing since it's not wise to drink and fly," Bruce said with a wink.
Warmed by the laughter they had shared, everyone headed for bed. Reality crashed back with the rain, but Manny and Angie tried to push it back as they slogged their way through the mud and lake-sized puddles. Manny frowned when they didn't find Rollie there before them. He worried about his apprentice and wondered where he was as they cleaned up and prepared to go to sleep. He saw his daughter tucked snuggly into her bunk.
"Papa?"
Angie hadn't called him that in a long time, claiming it was too childish. Manny focused his attention on his daughter. "Yes, Angel?"
"Where's Rollie? What is he doing?"
"I don't know, Angie, I just don't know."
"I hope he's alright," Angeie said, looking at the door.
"I'm sure he is. Rollie knows how to take care of himself. He should be back soon. Now go to sleep." Manny started to say 'or Santa won't come', but remembered just in time that Santa wasn't coming, at least not for them, not tomorrow. It just doesn't feel like Christmas.
"Okay, Papa," Angie replied, disappointment tinging her voice. She tried to convince herself it was because Rollie wasn't there, but she knew it was because it didn't feel like Christmas, in spite of the evening's fun. I'm a teenager now. It shouldn't matter that much!
Manny gently kissed his daughter's forehead, then dropped off the bunk's ladder to stand on the floor. He sat on his bunk and looked at the door. With a sigh, the short, dark haired man got ready for bed. He crawled under the covers and turned so he faced the door, vowing to stay awake until Rollie returned.
Thursday - December 25th, 1986
In spite of his silent pledge, Manny woke on Christmas morning to find his apprentice still wasn't in his bed. He frowned, deeply worried. Where is he? Something must have happened to him. He climbed out of bed, determined to search every inch of the island if he had to, before he noticed two wet spots with clumps of mud beside Rollie's bunk. So, Rollie did come back last night, but where is he now? Manny hoped the Aussie wasn't going to be as elusive today as he was yesterday. Rollie should be with him and Angie, especially today of all days!
"Where's Rollie?" Angie asked as her father came out of the bathroom.
"I don't know, Angie," Manny answered. "He came in after we went to sleep last night and left before I woke up." As temper started to cloud his daughter's face, he raised his hand. "If he isn't at the hall, we'll go looking until we find him. Okay?"
Angie nodded. "Okay, Dad." You better have a good reason for making us worry, Rollie Tyler! She climbed out of bed and hastened through her morning ablutions.
Father and daughter arrived at the communal hall. They entered and froze in shock. There in a corner close to the large fireplace was a Christmas tree unlike any they had ever seen before. The tree was small, its leafs broad, but green and full. The discarded wire had been twisted into various shapes and hung on the tree for ornaments. There were two presents wrapped in Christmas paper sitting under it, surrounded by smaller packages wrapped in pastel paper. Paper that looked suspiciously like what Becky, the script girl, used to color code changes.
Rollie stood up from where he had been coaxing a large log to catch fire. He shifted from foot to foot, feeling extremely nervous. "Hi Angie, Manny... I, uh, I know it's not a regular Christmas tree or anything, but I thought..." He trailed off and stared at his feet, a blush rising from his collar.
"It's beautiful!" Angie declared firmly, walking over to take a closer look. She gently touched one ornament shaped like a bird. Now that she was close, she could see the wire decorations were hung using loops of thread. "How?" She looked up into Rollie's handsome face, a bright smile filling her blue eyes and face. She glowed with the sudden happiness she felt. Surprisingly, it felt just like Christmas.
Rollie rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, we had to use our imagination sometimes in the bush. I just took a look around until I found something that... fit." He pointed at the tree. "It just didn't seem right to have Christmas without a tree and things." A gentle, warm smile touched his face, the blush receding.
Just then, Jason and Bill came in, stomping their feet to knock the mud off their shoes. Ted was right behind them. The three men stared as they caught sight of the tree in the corner.
"Well!" Jason blinked as he took in the little tree, the presents and cheerful fire in the fireplace. "I didn't think there was a single tree fit to be a Christmas tree on the entire island. It looks like I was wrong." He walked over and stood in front of the fire, rising his hands to warm them. He looked at the tall, thin Australian. "So this is what you've been up to," he said softly and smiled. "Good work, Rollie. It feels like Christmas after all."
Rollie blushed all over. "It's not much, I just thought it would be nice to have something. Everybody can enjoy their real Christmas when get back to the hotel."
Bill squatted on his feet in front of the tree, looking over the presents under it. "I don't know. It feels like a real Christmas to me!" He picked up the little package with his name on it and shook it beside his ear thoughtfully. "Hm... What can we have here?" He turned it over in his hands, then pulled the paper off. His face lit up with a happy grin as he found the little motorcycle made from the wire scraps Rollie had gotten from Manny. "Perfect!" He stood up to show his prize to Ted. "It looks just like the one I did that stunt with in Two Wheel Rally!"
"Cool!" Angie said looking at the wire construction. "Is there one for me?" She eagerly knelt beside the tree, searching the packages. Finding one of the 'real' presents had her name on it and the other had her father's, she was afraid there wouldn't be one of the little ones for her. Then she spotted one wrapped in pink that had her name on it. With a huge grin, she picked it up and sat back to open it. Inside was a little cat. "It's beautiful, Rollie! Thank you!" She jumped up to hug the tall man who was still blushing. "I'm sorry, but your present is back at the hotel."
"That's okay, Angie. I'm glad you like it." Rollie smiled, a warm glow filling him inside. A glow that felt like Christmas.