The Lies That Blind

“It’s just not safe, I guess,”

Linda didn’t like that answer. “But why, Tom? Why? Why are people so afraid to put out Christmas decorations?” Tom and Linda had been cruising through Beverly Hills and Bellaire, pausing to admire about one house per forty that had Christmas lights.

Tom laughed, “Part of the Separation of Church and Hollywood clause.” Then he said softly, “I think they are afraid of the repercussions if people see an overt display of Christianity. They think they might get blacklisted at the other studios or the cocktail circuit, and they are afraid to antagonize anyone. Why take a chance celebrating your religion if it keeps you from getting work and brings scorn from the neighbors.”

Disgusted, Linda said, “I can think of a host of powerful arguments against that, but this one will suffice. Is this Cuba?”

Tom laughed, “That’s what I said to Barry Bernheimer last night, during his weak little intimidation attempt.”

Linda looked at him, looked at the laugh lines in his face. She looked deeply into his brown eyes as he turned back to her. She felt a sudden helplessness and vulnerability that scared her. Tom was so unlike any other man she had ever met, especially in Hollywood, and she didn’t care if Mike and Jim saw only idle threats in last nights encounters, she was scared. Linda had seen Joe Bloom crush a lot of people before as Classic’s president, no telling what rage built up inside him from behind bars. And Bloom had plenty of powerful connections.

Tom, reading her thoughts, said, “Don’t worry honey, they’re just trying to spook me. This is the twenty-first century, not nineteen thirty-six. If they want to get rid of me, they can just buy us out.”

This didn’t calm Linda at all. “Oh Tom no! Never! We can never sell out to them!

I know what they are like. I know what they do, what they stand for! It would be worse than before. They would see to it. And they would make sure no one ever got in again like you did.” Tom was startled, she was almost crying. “Please promise me you will never do that. Please.”

Tom pulled over to the side of the road. He unbuckled his seat belt to get closer to her. “I promise,” he said, taking her hands. “I promise I won’t. Never.”

“Oh Tom, I know you aren’t afraid of them, and I’m not either. But I just have this feeling they aren’t bluffing. I have this feeling that Bloom is up to trouble, that he is plotting something horrible from his jail cell. I know how vindictive Hollywood people are. They never forgive and they never forget.”

“All I can do is keep my eyes open, darling. I’m not exactly powerless either. Congressman Carville is sniffing around, and I have a few other cards to play. You know how strong we are financially, untouchable. Thanks to you and Jim, we have some terrific films coming out. I’ve been through all our distribution agreements, and unless someone wants to fight a lawsuit he can’t win, we are fine.”

Linda sat there for a second, trying to figure out the best way to say it. “What if it’s not the studio they’re after,” she said softly, “what if it’s you?”

For a split second Tom wanted to answer her with something flippant, something funny, a witty rejoinder. If he was just dating her, he knew, he would have. But she was the woman he loved, she was going to be his wife, and he couldn’t dismiss her fears so lightly. He wouldn’t dismiss her fears lightly.

“Monday,” he said, “I’ll look into hiring a bodyguard. Jim knows some people at one of the services, the Dunn Agency, I think, and I’ll talk to them.”

Linda looked relieved. She didn’t mean to scare Tom, and she didn’t want to act silly, but she was happy.