When she walked in Donald handed her a contract. It was for $5,000 a month. It had the other provisions. She threw it down on the table. At this rate she would have to move to a trailer. “What happened to the contract you offered last week? It was for ten thousand a month.”

“It disappeared when you walked out. I don’t deal with prima donnas. If someone wants to work for me fine, if not, so be it. I find someone else and promote them. You can find some place else to work. That way we are both happy.”

“But that was just a week ago.”

“It was the best I could offer. And now this is the best for you as you are. You’re not a hot commodity any more. This is actually a very good contract. It is better than what you would get anywhere else. If you find someone to live with you can afford a condo. If you don’t want it I have two alternatives.”

“What?”

“The first is a bus ticket to Minnesota.” He handed her an envelope. She opened it. Inside was a ticket and a letter from the Bob Evans Restaurant there. They were offering her a job as a waitress. She handed it back.

“What is the other?”

“More money, lifetime pay, the best parts, and a supplemental pay plan equal to the best in the organization.”

“That is too good to be true. What do I have to do for that?”

“You have made your way by doing the minimum. That isn’t going to cut it any more. Now you will have to do whatever it takes. Do you want that offer?”

“Maybe, but I want to know what it will take.”

“I think it is fair to tell you. Would you sign if I told you that it involved body altering surgery?”

“I got it, bigger tits and ass. I knew it would come to that. They stuffed and padded me for the one movie. I really wouldn’t like it but I could get used to it. I would hate to carry all of that around all the time. But the guys do notice more.”

“That isn’t exactly what I was thinking about. We can pad and stuff you when it is needed and the way you are you are far more valuable because you can play the parts of young girls without putting you into a corset. Personally I like more rounded women better but for this job you are more prefect.”

“Then what?”

“You ever heard of giving an arm and a leg for something?”

“Yes. You aren’t thinking….”

“Not an arm and a leg, just a leg.”

“No way in hell.”

He pulled out an envelope and lay it on the table with the other two. “You have three choices, a bus trip and Bob Evans, $60,000 a year as a minor player or this. Want to at least take a look before you say no?  Remember, onece it is off the table it will not come back.”

“Then minutes ago I would have said, “No way. But I at least have to look. My options seem to be getting, well, there aren’t many.” She shrugged and picked it up.

She read the paper. The contract was for an annuity of $7,500 a month or $90,000 a year, less than one twentieth of what she was making just two years ago. The money would be deposited in three annuity funds and they would pay out starting the first day of the month after her surgery. There was a one time payment of $8,000 for that month. Once she had the surgery the money would be there no matter what. She would get three checks a month for $2,500 each less taxes. She asked what an annuity was. He told her it was something he paid for now, she would get the money for life from it. She asked why three annuities. Donald responded that the three annuities were in different companies and in case of a corporate failure she would still get two of the checks and possibly some of the third. There was also a provision that if two of the annuity companies merged she could move one of them to an independent company. Before her surgery she could ask that the funds be distributed differently in more annuities. There would be no agent’s fees paid out of this money. Once she had the surgery this money was hers, no matter what. If she decided to work she would be paid for it. FOr working her pay per day and profit sharing for working would be set by the rate half way between the highest and third highest woman in the studio. She asked who was getting the most.

Donald smiled. “I can’t tell you that but when you are working I will give you the figures. The average of those last year was a tad over two million and they worked just under 200 days. That comes to $10,000 a day. You can make over a quarter of a million dollars by actually working six weeks. The extra money you can earn in the studio also counts for you but I think you will have enough days without it. If we needed an amputee extra I would set your fee at one fifth of that if you want to work it. There is one catch. If you cause us to loose a half or full day of shooting for any reason it comes out of your pay at two days for one. We will hold back ten days of pay against that possibility and we will reduce the hold back by one day for every clean year you have. If you come in and our doctor says you are too sick to work, up to fifteen days a year is no penalty. He is under fire from me to see you stay healthy, so he is better off to give you a day off and let you get better than to say you work and then loose the next two days so he tends to be on your side.”

“But to loose a leg. You are kidding. How?”

“We would have a doctor cut it off in an operating room.”

“Wouldn’t that hurt?”

“Sure, but they would put you to sleep to do it.”

“I mean after the surgery.”

“It would for a while. They will give you pain meds like after any surgery.”

“I don’t know.”

“It is that, $50,000 a year or back to Minnesota.”

“Can I think about it? I really don’t know but I don’t want you to take this off the table like the other offer without having some time. I mean, having a leg cut off is a big decision. I mean a big one.”

“I have to be honest. If you leave here without a contract, the offer comes off the table and I look for someone else. I have to move on this and there are two others I have to consider.”

“But I need time to think. I know I have a reputation for being a problem but do you know how big a decision it is?”

“I am not sure I do but I know it is. I thought about what to do if you legitimately needed time and I have a possible solution. Let me suggest this. Sign the $50,000 contract and work it till you have time to think. If you sign the $50,000 contract tonight the other offer holds for ninety days. It wouldn’t be fair to expect you to decide that on the spot if you felt you needed a few days or even a few weeks. I am willing to hold for you to have some time to think.” He showed her the last page of the contract. It clearly stated that a better contract was available for ninety days. It was followed by another sentence that indicated he could withdraw that contract at any time after notifying her. “You have that time but I caution you, not one day more. I do reserve the right to withdraw that offer with you having one day notice at which time you must sign or refuse.”

She pulled over the sheet and signed it. “If this is the best I can get I guess I’ll not be able to swap the houses. I will have to find somewhere to move.”

Denise Chapter 01: Success in Hollywood

Denise Chapter 08: Fritz Offers a Contract

Denise Chapter 10: The Fritz Gives Denise an Ultimatum