Chapter 2  The Letter

 

    I heard a noise.  What was it?  I opened my eyes and looked at my watch.  It was nine o'clock.  There was someone at the front door.  I got up slowly and went to the door.

    It was the postman.  He had some letters in his hand.  He looked at my hair.

    "Just got up, Mr. Wormold?" the postman said.  "I got up six hours ago."

    I didn't answer.  I was half-asleep.

    "There's a letter for you," the postman said.  "It's from the USA. Write your name here,please."

    I wrote my name on the postman's paper and took the letter.

    "Thank you," I said and closed the door.  I went into the kitchen and looked at the letter.  It was big and blue.  At the top it said: "Rogers, Tannenbaum and Schutz, Attorneys, Hollywood, California, USA."

    "American lawyers!" I thought.  Was the letter for Teresa and not for me?  But my name was on the front.

    Then I opened the letter and read it.

 

                                       Rogers, Tannenbaum and Schutz Attorneys

                                                   Hollywood, California U.S.A

Dear Mr. Wormold,

     We work for Mel Parks of the MegaMonster Movie Corporation.

     Mr.Parks read the first half of your book Every Morning.  He likes it very much and wants to read the second half of the story.  He also wants to meet you and talk about making a movie of the book.

     Mr. Parks is in London on March 29th and 30th.  He is staying at the Waldorf Hotel.  Please telephone him there.

     Please do not talk to anyone else about making a movie of Every Morning.

                                                                                                                                            Yours truly,

                                                                                                                                             R. Steinlack

 

     I put the letter on the table and smiled to myself.  An answer at last, two years after Teresa sent the first half of my book Every Morning to all the Hollywood filmmakers.  The American word "movie" was much nicer than the British word "film".  And today was March 29th.

     I found the phone number of the Waldorf Hotel in the telephone book.  Then I telephoned Mel Parks.

     "Hi, Mel Parks here."

     "Erm. Mr.Parks.  You don't know me," I said slowly.  "My name's Wormold, Frank Wormold."

     "Mr. Wormold!" Mel Parks answered in a loud voice.  "Or can I call you Frank? It's very good to talk to you! How are you?"

     "Fine, thank you," I said.

     "Say, Frank," Mel Parks said.  "Why don't we have lunch today?"

     "Yes," I said.  "How nice."

     "Ok," Mel Parks said.  "See you here at the Waldorf at twelve thirty."

     "Right," I said.

     "And bring the second half of your story Every Morning with you," Mel Parks said.

     I put the telephone down.  There was no second half of Every Morning.  I looked at my watch.  It was half past time.  I got a notebook and my old pen and started writing.

     When I looked at my watch again it was eleven o'clock.  The second half of Every Morning was not finished, but it was time to change my clothes.  I wanted to look good because the Waldorf was a very famous hotel.

     I put on my best clothes.  A new brown shirt and dark brown trousers and a jacket.  Then I left the flat and got into the lift.

     "Sixth floor.  Going down," the lift said.  It was a talking lift.

     "Yes, I know," I replied.

     When I got out of the lift I took a bus to Piccadilly Circus and walked to the Waldorf Hotel.