I am Hollywood

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: A Bold Idea

Chapter 16: A Bold Idea[Chapter 16: A Bold Idea]

"Want something to eat? I've got some... uh, chocolate and some apples?" Eric asked as he opened a somewhat empty fridge.

Stuart Ronkel shook his head from his perch on the couch. "No thanks, it's not a good habit to eat late at night. If you have some milk, though, I'd like a glass; it helps me sleep."

Eric raised an eyebrow and poured a glass of milk, handing it over. "Who told you that?"

"A book told me, Eric. Don't think I'm just some clueless little kid; I'm already seven years old."

Eric chuckled and nodded. "Alright, big boy. So what did your mom and dad argue about today?"

"Dad quit his job, saying he wanted to start his own company. Mom got into a fight with him. Ugh, women can be so troublesome. When Dad was still working, Mom always nagged him about how his company was too small and had no future. Now that Dad finally mustered the courage to quit, Mom immediately turned on him, saying abandoning a stable job was irresponsible to the family."

Eric reclined on the couch. He wasn't too interested in the Ronkels' family matters, munching on an apple as he laughed. "I think you're hearing and seeing a lot of things that aren't quite meant for a kid your age."

Stuart grinned, as if he'd received a compliment. His eyes darted around before he hopped off the couch and sat beside Eric. "Eric, are you making a movie right now?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, almost done. I could get your mom to take you to see it when it's finished."

"Then, Eric, do you think I could be in a movie?"

"Hmm? Stuart, where's this coming from all of a sudden?"

Beaming with hope, Stuart replied, "I heard movie stars make a lot of money. If I became a movie star, I could earn loads for my family, and then Mom and Dad wouldn't argue anymore."

If the Ronkels were there to hear that, they might have felt ashamed.

Eric thought it over and finally responded, "But you're too young right now. You may not know this, but kids are one of the hardest things to manage in movies. Many films try to limit child roles. Even during shoots, directors are always on edge because if those kids start crying, the whole crew comes to a standstill. Plus, there are laws like the 'Child Protection Act' that make it tricky. The contracts signed by production companies don't enforce any strict rules for kids. So, I think it's better to wait until you're older -- at least until you're eighteen, like me." "Hey, Eric, I'm not one of those silly little kids. I'll be really obedient. I heard you're a writer; could you write a role for me? I'd really appreciate it." Stuart looked up at Eric with wide eyes. For a kid his age, he was surprisingly sharp, but he was still only seven, naively thinking that if Eric, the writer, penned a role for him, he could just jump right into the movies.

Eric's heart skipped a beat as he sat up straight, closely eyeing the little boy. He suddenly thought of someone: Macaulay Culkin. The mega child star who skyrocketed to fame with Home Alone.

In that moment, a wildly bold idea popped into Eric's head. Though it wasn't fully formed yet, he knew that if this plan succeeded, he could easily shatter the toughest barriers of age, funding, and qualifications to realize his dream. Sure, it was a tall order for him, who had nothing to his name at that point, but how would he know without giving it a shot? Life didn't hand out many chances!

And besides, looking at little Stuart, who clearly had a maturity beyond his seven years, that biggest uncertainty in the film equation vanished.

"So, Stuart, to be honest, I actually have a role that would fit you perfectly -- and it's the lead!"

Stuart's eyes lit up in surprise as he leaned on Eric's lap, tilting his little head up. "Eric, what's a lead?"

"Well, the lead is... the one who gets paid the most in the film."

"I want to act! I want to act!"

Eric continued, "But we'll need your parents' okay first. Let's get you home, and I can talk to them."

Just as they stepped out of Eric's house, they heard the sounds of the Ronkel couple next door.

...

"I'm telling you, Charlison Ronkel, if something happens to Stuart, I'll divorce you!" Mary Ronkel's voice was stern.

The normally submissive Charlison suddenly yelled, "Shut up, you bitch! If you hadn't stirred up this fight, would Stuart have run away? Go check the basement and see if he's hiding there!"

Mary froze at her husband's outburst, momentarily dazed. Knowing she was at fault, she timidly followed behind him to