MsCezanne's Odyssey

The TV Turns on.

A woman's hand reaches for a bowl of chips.

It's the 'The Stumbles', a movie revolving around an family of spies who can never seem to get anything right, except for saving the world.
The woman's hand reaches for a bottle of Coca-Cola.

Megan Stewart played a Stumble Cousin who helps out in a car chase.

The TV channel changes, it's now 'Dino Attack', a group of explorers stumble on an island which has mysteriously appeared off the coast of California. The island is populated by prehistoric creatures.

The woman's hand puts down the empty chip bowl and reaches for a giant chocolate bar.

Megan Stewart's character is eaten by a Tyrannosaurus despite being told not to go ashore.

The TV Channel Changes. It's 'What have you Done?' The movie is a spin off of 'The Stumbles', starring Megan Stewart. The movie didn't even make enough money to cover her salary.

The woman's hands discard the wrapper for the candy bar and reach for an entire chocolate cake.

There is a knock at the door, it opens and a statuesque blonde stands in the door way. She bears a strong resemblance to Megan Stewart, but she's not, instead she says 'Megan Stewart, what have you done?'

The camera pans to reveal a flabby Megan Stewart sitting on the couch surrounded by empty dishes and wrappers, about to eat the chocolate cake.
Music plays, and the titles come up: "The Comeback: Megan Stewart". A subtitle appears after the credits, declaring "Episode 1: What have you Done?"

***

We're introduced to Geraldine. She's a typical struggling actress from the Midwest: tall, blonde, skinny, waitress. She had been friends with Megan, who had been just as typical, before Megan got her big break. Over the years they'd drifted apart, but now that Megan needed a friend, Geraldine has come back into her life.

Geraldine comes in and sits down beside Megan, "Seriously Megan, what have you done to yourself? You were so thin, so cute before, now this?"
Megan laughs an ironic laugh before replying, "Well, when 'What Have you Done?' flopped, I sort of withdrew. I tried really hard to avoid falling into drugs and alcohol, and you know that's not easy out here, but I did. Still I needed something, and when you've got $10 million in the bank, you can buy a LOT of pizzas before anyone says anything. I spent some time feeling sorry for myself. Word got out I'd given up acting, and I sort of believed it myself."

"Yeah, I'd heard that too. I actually thought you'd gone back home to Missouri!"

"I really thought about it, but I've got a good place here, and I had the money to keep it up, and I just couldn't go back home a failure. I certainly couldn't go home as a FAT failure!"

"So what now? Are you going to act again?"

"I think I'm ready. At least, I'd like to. But who's going to put this in their movie?" Megan gives her belly a big slap and lets it wobble for the camera.

***

Megan is wearing an outfit that is two sizes too tight and makes her greatly resemble a sausage. She's moving gingerly, aware that the outfit could tear at any time. She makes an aside to the camera, "this is the biggest size they make. I know it doesn't fit, but, there's not a lot of designer things in my size any more".

She opens the door, and a pull back reveals that she's entered a talent agency.

She sits down opposite a mature well appointed man who smiles earnestly, "Megan! Megan Stewart! I haven't heard from you in years. I'll be honest though, not a lot of people have been asking for you either. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Megan reaches into the candy dish on his desk and says, "I'm ready to work again. I needed some time off, to get my head back together. I know I can do better than 'What Have you Done?'. You know I can. It's time to let everyone know it!"

"Well, I'll put the word out that you're back. I know the entertainment shows are going to love your... new look. I don't know if I'll be able to get you any parts until you... well, lose your weight."

"I'm way ahead of you. I've got a friend who's going to help me get back the body that made me famous! In fact, I think I'll bring her in for you to meet, she's very good, I think you can work your magic for her."

***

Meanwhile Geraldine is back at Megan's house. She's cleaning up the kitchen, making comments and faces about how much a pig that Megan's become.

After a little while Geraldine stops to find a snack. "Healthy... healthy... she's got to have SOMETHING healthy in here."

A video montage shows her going through the cupboards and finding cookies, Twinkies, candy bars, going through the fridge and finding half eaten cakes and leftovers from various delivery places, going through the freezer and finding a variety of ice creams and frozen desserts, but nothing healthy.

Eventually she comes across some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. "You know," she confides to the camera, "I've never actually had this. I mean, you see what it did to Megan! I'm sure a taste won't hurt though."

Through accelerated video Geraldine eats the entire pint and licks her lips. "That IS good. I wonder how much of this she has?

***

"So I've been to my agent," Megan tells Geraldine as they're sitting at the kitchen table. "I'm going to lose a few pounds, and then the word will be out that I'm back!"

"Losing that weight isn't going to be easy," Geraldine warns. "In fact, I think we need to clear out all this junk you've got, you know, to remove temptation."

"I've thought about that," Megan replies, "but I was thinking, it's always going to be there, so if I can keep it around, and still resist the temptation, then I'll know I've really won."

"Oh, one more thing," she continues, "I'm going to get you in touch with my agent. We're going to be stars together! Just like we always dreamed."

Labels: fiction, Geraldine, Megan, show, weight gain