Sunset & Vine: Loose Lips by Per Hampton Read Free Book Online

street of her dreams, in the house of her dreams.
    She was relentless in furnishing it in just the right order. Her general personality had become easygoing, lighthearted, and relaxed. Nothing seemed to bother her.
    Her co-workers at Schwab’s were, to say the least, thrilled for her. Fortunately, they didn’t know the method used to gather her blood money for the purchase.
    She had even begun to convince herself that she could dispense with those deep-seated feelings of inferiority.
    “I am one of them. A resident of Sherman Oaks. Living in a beautiful home with beautiful furnishings.”
    One morning while standing outside taking in the beautiful morning air she was greeted by a neighbor.
    “Hello! You must be my new neighbor? I’m Marie Cordair, pleasure to meet you!”
    “Dotty Henderson, please to meet you, Marie.”
    “Where’d you move from? Here in L.A?”
    “Yes.” Dotty hesitated. :Burbank,” she said while scanning her neighbor’s face for any reaction to it’s solidly working-class background.
    “Oh, that’s nice. Burbank uh, you must be in the film industry too.” A natural assumption reflecting the large number of many major film studios located there. Along with anyone who could afford Sherman Oaks’ housing prices.
    “No, the restaurant business. Just lived there.” She just couldn’t bring herself to tell the woman she as a waitress at Schwab’s. Not here, not in her new Sherman Oaks neighborhood. Making a mental note that she wasn’t talking to her old Burbank neighbor, Doris, the mechanic’s wife.
    “I’m a Director...TV,” the friendly neighbor offered.
    “Wonderful. Nice meeting you. I’m running a little late. Let’s chat another time!” Panicking at the thought of the woman asking which restaurant, along with, “Is it yours?”
    “Hell, what am I gonna tell her, ‘So, you’re a TV director, how fabulous. I’m a waitress at Schwab’s over in Hollywood. I’m fucking the boss just because he’s handsome and I steal gossip to sell to cheap tabloids. Oh, by the way, the information I sell usually destroys people’s marriages and careers. I’m only ashamed when it affects my issues of self-esteem.’” Thinking aloud to herself while loading the washer.
    “Or, ‘I’m a ruthless bitch who probably caused a young actress to commit suicide when I sold the gossip to a tabloid about her lesbian lover that just happened to be the local female news anchor.’”
    “They would have found out anyway. It wasn’t really my fault. Look, it’s a dog eat cat world. I know what struggling is all about and I don’t intend to participate in it my whole life. Anyway, I’m just as good as anyone else in Sherman Oaks now. I own land here!” Trying in vain to justify her odious sense of ethics.
    Her confused world was of her own making. In reality, few, if any, successful movie industry artists or executives looked down on anyone working a regular job. Why? Because 99% of them once worked them.
    Dotty’s perceived class separation was all in her twisted way of thinking. More than likely, her TV director neighbor would have found it fascinating and given the two of them common ground since the director had worked her way through college as a waitress.
    Sadly, Dotty felt inadequate because of her personal ethics in life more than her lack of material wealth.
    “I gotta find me a deal that’s gonna end the Schwab’s chapter once and for all. When I do, I’ll still sneak over the hill for regular visits with Sam. Can’t leave that part behind in my new life.” That thought put a smile on her cheating face. Deep down inside, she kind of liked being a cheat at times, it fit right into her thrill-seeking, “cash for gossip” routine.
    Her time spent in the beautiful Sherman Oaks home of her dreams wouldn’t be long.

Chapter Ten
    Life at Schwab’s
    Once established at Schwab’s, Dotty appeared to be the calming force that so many of her regulars sought in the swirling,