Hollywood dreaming

Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition John delray wanted to be a star. Typical youth lured by hollywood he thought it was all champagne and women. Caviar and parties with a- list stars. Rubbing shoulders with Tom Hanks, bill Murray. Going on dates with whitney Cummings, Margot robbie. Parapazzi. Blinded by the neon lights he wanted to be a star. Ask him how he was going to make it? He would draw a blank. Like it was going to magically appear. He was a social media star. On instagram on tik tok he had views and followers. When was he going to realize that didnt meant anything. Who was going to explain the real world to him? I'll let you tell him. He loved sports. Had a little girlfriend she was Asian. Smart and resourceful. Her name was jasmine Lee. They met in junior high and have been together since. Inseperable. They were always together. Most of his friends fell by the wayside as he focused on her and his studies. He Didnt like school. Wasnt for him. He was going to be a big movie star like Tom cruise and will smith. Dont we all have big dreams in our youth. We will conquer the world and do big things. Reality crushes us and our spirits in the end. I want something better than this. Isn't there something greater. I'm destined for big things. I feel like a nobody. No one to talk to. No one cares. I feel invisible. My stupid parents. I hate them. They had everything laid out for me. Go to school. Get a degree. Be a working stiff like them. I dont want to work in a cubicle until I'm 65 and then drop dead. I have to do things their way. No other way. Why cant I be me? Make my own decisions? Be my own man? Stupid dictatorship. In our family you did not say a word when you were spoken to. And you did not raise your voice at mom or dad. You listened and said "yes Sir". Mom and dad were married but by now it was more a marriage of convenience. They had been together so many years and this was how it was going to be. Too old to go their separate ways. I'm sure there was love once upon a time but I'm too young to see any of it. By the time I got here it was more of a business partnership. Dad put in the long hours at work and paid the bills. Never saw them show any affection towards each other. Hi and bye. Was the only words they seem to use. I needed out. From this life. It was eating away at me. I needed a plan. I could not grow old like them. I thought about it bit how was I going to do it and when. I sat down at my desk writing a plan. Scribbling on notepads my exact speech. When after writing and not coming up with anything for 2 hours I barged in to the living room while dad was watching the football game. I got right in front of the television. Only way to get dad's attention on the weekends was to interrupt his football viewing. I was going to get their attention. Usually I am afraid of my dad but I was not scared. I was so sure of my plan and so confident that I was a new man. I told them I am not going to college and I am going to drop out of high school. I dont like school. Is not for me. I want to be a movie star. My parents were flabbergasted. Couldn't understand why I would decide all of a sudden to drop this bomb on them. Mom started to cry and dad stood up. I thought he was going to hit me. And says to me So what are you going to do with yourself? I want to be an actor. What? Oh lord. We raised one of those kids. Good god. Yes you did dad. I think I can make it. I hate school. I cant do it. I'm tired of school. Be realistic. Is so hard to make it. I dont want you to believe in a one million lottery ticket. I can do it. Dad. I know I can. This is asinine. Who filled you with this nonsense ? You are not going to make it. Show business is too tough. Son we love you but this a pie in the sky dream. Said his mom. We want what is best for you. And we lived through everything we know what is out there. You are not going to be a movie star. Be practical. Get a job and get a career There is no future in being an actor. Usually afraid of his father. And cowering under him. He was bold today No I am not going back to school. I have made a decision whether you agree or not. Look what do you want me to say. Say you, you He stammered . Say you will support me. That you believe in me. I love you but I wont support this. I want you to be realistic. Alright dad. I'm not changing my mind. This is what I want. I want to be a movie star. I'm not going to change my mind. You will never have my blessings. Mom I love you son. But this unrealistic and I have to agree with your dad on this. Fine. Take care They did not take him seriously. He was going through a phase. They believed A 16 year old could not go on his own. They felt good and secured. Nothing to worry about. How? He packed his bags but the anger subsided and reasoning prevailed. He put everything back. He seethed. I hate you mom. I hate you dad. He screamed at his bedroom wall. Threw a few things around. The wall felt the brunt of it. He knew he had lost this battle. But the more he realized it he knew I got nowhere to go. He came back pride gone. Anger gone. With his head down he came back to the living room and told them. I am going back to school. " You were right". Parents looked each other and nodded. They did not want to rub their victory in his nose. So they did not say much. Good. Glad to have you back. Said dad. Handle with care. He was still vulnerable. We love you sweetie but we want what is best for you. Didnt want to gloat in their victory His mom was a school teacher. His dad was a police officer. Professionals. Practical people. College graduates. Long line of respectable people. They didnt want to hear about this Hollywood nonsense. It did not seem feasible to them. He still had his hollywood dreams. But he understood they were his. Not to be shared with them because they could not understand. If he was going to do it he had to do it on his own. Mom is dinner ready? Sure. Your favorite steak and mash potatoes. Wash your hands and come to the dinner table. He did as he was told. He came back to the dinner table quiet and reserved that outburst was put to the back of everyone's minds. They ate with minimal talk. Did not want to open old wounds. Did not want to shatter his pride. After dinner was over he washed the dishes and went back to his room. Closed the door and facetimed with his cohort fred. Hey fred. What is going on? Nothing. Did your parents agree to let you go to Hollywood. Nah. They told me I was crazy to dream about hollywood. It was not realistic. Parents. Suck. They cant understand we want our freedom we want to live. Fuck these boring 9-5 jobs. Yeah. But what can I do. I hear you. I will runaway from home. And go where? Hollywood. You want to be a big time actor so go to hollywood and live the dream. Yeah. Right. So what did you do today? Play video games. Get high. Usual stuff. Alright see you tomorrow. Cool. They hung up and he thought about his words. Runaway from home and go be a star. Not the first or the last to think about it. He had been defeated by his parents. He went to sleep. He was restless. He woke up at 5 am. Still dreaming those big hollywood dreams. In a moment of grandeur he imagined talking and schmoozing with robert deniro and al Pacino. He packed a few underwear and clothes and he bolted. Left his parents a note and told them he was going to be a big time star. He left with a few possessions and $500 in his pocket. Got on his phone and located tickets to hollywood as soon as possible. He did not want to be defeated again. So he went. No thinking. No outburst. Go. He got on his flight and landed at lax at 10 am. Took in the air. Ahhh hollywood here I come. Big dreams. Red carpet events. On the television set talking with Fallon and Colbert. He pictured it all. I have to make this work and prove everyone wrong. Standing on the curb he hailed a cab. Taxi Taxi He hailed a yellow cab. Funky Smell. Made him nauseous. Didnt care. Where to? Hollywood Any specific address. Hollywood. I'm the next tom cruise. Ok. This scene played out everyday for this cabdriver. Use to it. Did not see anything special in this young man in his backseat. You are going to be a big star. The Cabdriver said. Gee. Thanks. It wasnt a long drive. He paid his fare. Got his back off the trunk and looked around. Taking it all in. Pulled out his phone and took a selfie. Posted it on the gram. Operation takeover hollywood. Looking around he saw a lot of young people milling about. Looked destitute. Lot of them looked like addicts. This was not what they painted on the tv screen. What is this? Surprised and shocked. He noticed someone walking toward him didnt think nothing of him. Until he was so close you could smell the decomposing body. Zombie. Hey can you spare a dollar. No man. All im asking for is a dollar. You cheapskate. I dont have it. Something told him he was lying. So he kept him entertained while he signaled his friend over. Alright man have a good day. Sir. At that moment his friend came over and hit him with a crow bar. Knocked him unconscious. He lay on the floor for an hour or two he couldn't tell. Tried to figure out what happened. He had no clue. All his possessions were gone. He had nothing. His phone. His wallet. All gone. Welcome to the real world. He came to and tried to figure out his next move. This was not what he expected. No money. Nothing. Everything gone. Thinking of his next move. He was stuck. And hungry. No money he started digging through the trash. A half eaten hamburger and some cold fries. Hunger knows no bounds or germs. What a first day in Hollywood. He slept on a park bench. Woke to and nothing changed. Same vagrants. Same odors. No money. Still hungry. New day same old adventures. Pretty soon he realized he was one of them hanging outside of stores panhandling. What happened to him. And all those movies and shows he would audition for where were they? After a year in hollywood he realized he hadn't been to one audition. No roles. He smelled like garbage and he was a hobo. He had fallen. Tears came streaming down his cheek. Mom. Dad. I'm sorry. But the earth didnt move. He was still stuck in this rut. His old life came back to him, his pretty little girlfriend his friend fred. Why did I leave it all behind? He didnt want to be a homeless person forever so he called his parents and said sorry. They didn't judge him. Didnt berate him. They just wanted him home safe and sound.