Wendago

The phone kept ringing this morning. It was early. After about the third call I climbed out of bed and checked the messages. The first was from Blake Washer, webmaster of Fridaythe13.com. He simply said, “If you haven’t turned on the TV you need to do it now.” The second message was from Mel’s mom. She told of the plane flying into one of the towers.
Mel and I flicked on the TV and watched the first tower burn. We saw the second plane hit. We saw the towers fall. It’s the strangest feeling I’ve ever experienced. I’m numb.
I called Dean but he wasn’t home. Later I found out he’d driven out to meet Damon for a game of golf. Dean had no clue about what had happened. Damon tried to call him to cancel but Dean had already left. So Damon drove out to meet him and told him what had happened. Of course, Dean didn’t believe him at first…not unlike Damon to crack an off-color joke or two…but this time it was real.
Today Sarah and Natalie came over and the four of us went to the mall and walked around like zombies. I think we all cried. Right there in the food court. No one cared. Others were crying too.
The world will change. America will stand together. Differences will be forgotten for some time before fingers start getting pointed. Tomorrow I’m going to go buy a flag.

“Riddle Me This” has had two bites. Madonna’s company, Maverick, has made a very low offer for an option.
Constantin has matched it.
Jonathan Hensleigh has read it and liked it and is considering the role of director. With Jonathan attached the deal would go down at Constantin.
The difference between the two companies is that Constantin has the money to make it. With Maverick we’d have to develop it the way they want then go out to studios and try to sell it. With Constantin, Jonathan and I would develop it and if Constantin liked it then they’d put up the money to make it.
Nicole’s setting a meeting for Jonathan and me to meet and talk. Hensleigh is a power house writer in the action genre. “Armageddon”, “Jumanji”, “Die Hard III”, “The Rock”…not a bad guy to be in bed with. I could probably learn a trick or two from him.

Riesner and I still haven’t come up with anything to write. I’m running out of ideas. I suggested a western with a twist. Couple of Texas Rangers are pursuing a bad guy and chase him through time to present day. Sort of a “Time After Time” with an old west twist. He didn’t get it. He gave me a script about an old dude who falls for a hot young con artist. It wasn’t that good. I think he’s had it sitting around for ages. Well, the characters and dialog were brilliant but there wasn’t much of a story. With today’s M-TV gen X – man, Simpson’s POV, every story has to have plenty of twists and turns. I don’t think Dean likes twists and turns.
Not sure what to do next. I’m out of ideas.

Riesner and I are talking about writing something together. I suggested “Dirty Harry 2002”. Basically do with the “Dirty Harry” franchise what Eastwood did with his Westerns in “Unforgiven”. I got the idea from Mark Haslett. Mark used to be Cunningham’s VP of production.
Don’t think Dean sparked to the idea though. Not sure what he wants to do. He seems a little confused lately. He wants to see his name in lights one last time. He says it all the time. I told him I don’t exactly add anything to this little venture. I’m still an unknown writer and when I am finally known with the release of Jason that my celebrity might be a negative thing. My gut says JasonX is going to bomb. Hollywood still frowns on horror. Even the Scream genre has lost its appeal to them.
I pitched Dean a number of ideas but he really didn’t spark to any of them. We’ll meet again later and I’ll come up with some more ideas.

Dean Lorey and I have added racquetball to our plethora of competitions. In the beginning I was wasting him but it’s pretty even now. He’s quicker than I am but I’ve got a longer reach. We’re a pretty good match in Quake II as well. We’ve all but stopped playing EQ. Doesn’t bother me at all.
We all took a break from the game and I made the mistake of letting one of the other online friends start using my cleric. Now he won’t give him back. Matter of fact, I don’t think that friend even plays the character any more. Someone else does. Yllo Clos du Bois. That’s the dwarf cleric’s name on the Bertoxx server. You ever run into him treat him like a stolen BMW.