Chapitre 53: Chapter 53: Becoming Famous
Carrying the large and small bags, I returned to the artist's apartment. I encountered a Jewish violinist climbing the stairs to my apartment.
He seemed to have just returned from performing on the street and was still holding a violin case. Seeing the two of them making a large purchase, he took the initiative to help Ronald and Meg carry some items upstairs.
"This is sausage, your people seem to..." Ronald quickly interrupted him.
"It doesn't matter. I emigrated from the Soviet Union. All Jews there eat sausage. The smell of your sausage reminds me of my hometown. Is it from a Ukrainian restaurant?" the violinist asked.
After opening the apartment, Ronald asked the Jew to wait a moment, went to the kitchen, cut a piece of sausage, wrapped it up, and handed it to him.
"Thank you for helping us; this is a gift for you."
"Thank you, my friend, and may the Lord bless you."
…
After tidying up the room and setting up the newly purchased tablecloths and napkins, Meg placed the take-out delicacies from the Ukrainian restaurant on the white porcelain dishes bought in Chinatown.
"Pop!"
Ronald opened a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses.
"May your dreams come true, and you become famous, Meg."
"May your dreams come true too, Ronnie."
Ronald didn't turn on the lights but lit a candle instead. Meg gave him a sweet look, very pleased with this small surprise.
In the dim candlelight, Ronnie and Meg clinked their glasses and slowly sipped the red wine.
The takeout from the Ukrainian restaurant tasted good. Meg fed Ronald as if he were a child.
"Open your mouth, Ronnie." Meg held a piece of sausage in her hand, dipped it in the sauce, and fed it to him.
"Aww..." Ronald ate the sausage and pretended to bite Meg's finger.
Meg laughed and pulled back.
Suddenly, Ronald grabbed her hand and licked the sauce off.
Meg didn't expect this move, and a blush rose on her cheeks.
After a while, Meg forcefully pulled her stiff fingers from Ronald's hand. She nervously rubbed her hands, as if to keep the sauce from sticking to her fingers for too long.
Ronald took out his handkerchief, soaked it in some water from the glass, took Meg's hand, and carefully wiped her fingers one by one.
The two seemed to fall silent for a moment.
Meg's face seemed to turn even redder, like a colorful cloud covering the setting sun. Ronald couldn't tell if it was the reflection of the candlelight or the effect of the red wine. He couldn't understand it under the dim candlelight.
Ronald simply looked unblinkingly into Meg's eyes, the only thing clear in the candlelight.
He was intoxicated by her gentle gaze.
A faint violin sound was heard coming from outside the wall. It was the Jewish violinist upstairs playing Jules Massenet's "Meditations."
With a "buzz," Ronald extinguished the candlelight.
…
An hour passed.
Turning on the bedside lamp in the bedroom, the screen emitted a warm light.
Ronald got up and prepared a cup of black tea bought in Chinatown. He finally overcame the cheap taste of tea bags.
Pouring the Chinese black tea into two warm and delicate white porcelain cups, he placed them on the tray and brought them to the bedroom.
The rich tea had some reddish highlights and a warm, sober fragrance. It wasn't the flashy artificial flavor but the natural aroma of the tea.
The tea leaves were picked from tea trees less than 20 years old, and the tender buds before Grain Rain were specially selected, carefully roasted, and fermented.
Not the type Ronald drank in Los Angeles: old and cheap Darjeeling tea, tea bags made with mixed tea stems, which could be said at the same time.
The natural taste is completely different.
The tea's sober aroma, combined with the hot tea, made the stomach feel warm after drinking it. It seemed like the whole person was filled with vitality and youthful energy.
Meg asked for another cup.
Meg adjusted her position, leaned into Ronald's arms, and placed Ronald's arm under her neck to cushion it.
"I feel safe, Ronnie."
"Me too."
After lying down for a while, Meg felt a little shy and still refused to stay at Ronald's apartment. She insisted on walking back to the apartment she shared a block away to sleep.
Ronald had no choice but to escort her partway and then return home alone.
Remembering all the things he had experienced with Meg in bed, Ronald fell asleep contentedly.
…
"I borrowed a blockbuster movie to watch today," a strange male voice spoke in Chinese.
"What movie?"
"I don't know. That bastard refused to say anything. He just said that the girls at the drama school cried when they saw it."
A pop was heard, and a tape box was swallowed by the VCR. The snowflakes on the TV receded, and red letters appeared again on a black background, with familiar subtitles:
"FBI Warning."
After the copyright information, a lion appeared on the TV screen. It was an MGM lion roaring.
This time it's an MGM movie, Ronald said to himself half asleep.
The movie title appeared on the black screen:
"FAME."
The subtitles below also showed the Chinese translation, four large characters:
"World Famous."
By the way, Meg's dream is to become famous.
A loud sound came from the lower TV sound system. Many people were talking and making noise.
A cafeteria scene appeared on the screen, which was somewhat similar to the high school cafeteria he attended. It was small and lively.
A student started softly drumming jazz beats on the table with drumsticks, then tambourine, then piano, then saxophone, then violin, cello...
They joined in one by one, various musical instruments belonging to different musical styles, but surprisingly harmonious.
Ballet dancers, jazz dancers, modern dancers… one by one began twisting their bodies.
The dancers became increasingly excited, jumping on the piano and dancing on the dining table.
The cafeteria lady also started dancing to the rhythm.
Then a black girl sat next to the pianist and with a strong metallic voice began to sing:
"Macaroni with salmon,
our favorite dish.
She got a hot lunch
This is true for everyone."
"Hot lunch?" The name is very familiar.
After a moment of confusion, Ronald saw another dance scene:
A practice scene, to be precise.
A group of ballet dancers did daily exercises like leg presses in the practice room.
"Circle, squat, return to the correct position!" the teacher shouted.
The two girls at the front of the camera practiced and talked simultaneously.
"Hi, I'm Lisa Monroe."
"Hilary Van Puerta."
"I like your training outfit. I saw it in the Bando department store window."
"My stepmother bought it for me."
"Really? I wouldn't mind having a stepmother like that."
"She didn't buy it for me. She just wanted her father to think she cared about me, and she also loves shopping. She feels very happy every time she shops."
"Sounds good; I think I like your stepmother."
"Hum, you can have her."
"Pay attention, pay attention, why aren't you sweating? Pick up the pace!" the teacher verbally reminded one of the girls.
The girls moved very gracefully.
Hey, the girl in the green training outfit and sky blue skirt behind them looks like Meg Tilly.
No, it was Meg. Ronald could clearly see the girl's face on the camera.
Could she have also been in this movie called "Fame"? It seems she's still an extra.
He was drowsy again, half asleep, about to fall asleep.
Suddenly, a burst of disco music came from the TV.
A man who looked a bit like the big-headed taxi driver Ronald met at the airport was driving the same model yellow taxi and stopped in front of the school.
There were two large speakers installed on the roof of his taxi. The driver turned on the power and cranked up the sound. Disco music blared from the two big speakers.
"Baby, look at me...
Tell me what you see?
You haven't seen the best of me yet.
Give me time,
and I'll make you forget everything..."
The taxi driver began to shout:
"My son, Bruno Martelli, wrote this song."
"Today we're playing on 46th Street, and tomorrow we'll have a concert at Madison Square Garden, hahaha..."
All the students heard this rousing song and ran out of the school one by one.
Jazz dance, ballet, modern dance... they all started dancing.
They used the street as a stage and began to dance.
They took over the street, blocked traffic, and danced nonstop.
They even stood on top of cars and danced on the roof. The driver honked wildly but couldn't. Couldn't stop the rhythm of this dance.
Even Ronald wanted to dance.
The 4/4 disco beat was very easy to step to, twist his waist, and move his hips...
"Ah..." Ronald fell off the bed again.
End of chapter
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
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