Selby's Stardom by Duncan Ball Page A

I’m
sooooo
nervous with that big camera pointing at me.’
    â€˜Here, Selby,’ Bonnie said. ‘Hey, look at that. He came right over and sat down. This is one smart dog, Artie. And you’re right, he does have a sort of human look in his eyes.’
    â€˜That’s what I said,’ the director said. ‘Okay, let’s roll.’
    As Selby watched, Dino drove into the main street, got out of his car, took off his sunglasses and smiled. Bonnie Blake walked over to him.
    â€˜What are you doing here?’ she demanded.
    â€˜You know very well what I’m doing here,’ Dino answered. ‘Now get out of my way, I’ve got work to do.’
    â€˜Do you really think these people want to be a part of your theme park? Do you think they like you?’
    â€˜Of course they don’t like me. But they like my money,’ Dino said. ‘What do you care? You’re not from this town. These people aren’t clever city people like you and me. Thesepeople are uneducated and stupid. Why else would they be living in this awful place?’
    â€˜Now, hang on,’ Selby thought, ‘we’re not stupid. And Bogusville is a nice place.’
    â€˜Now you listen to me …’ Bonnie started.
    â€˜You tell him, Bonnie!’ Selby thought.
    â€˜Okay, so they’re stupid and ignorant and they smell bad.’
    â€˜Now, hang on a tick, Bon,’ Selby thought.
    â€˜And they’re sneaky and lazy. They’re lots of things,’ Bonnie went on.
    â€˜Hold the show, Bonnie,’ Selby thought. ‘Every time you open your mouth it’s getting worse!’
    â€˜What you don’t understand,’ Bonnie said, ‘is that a town is more than just a town. A town is people. Real, living, breathing people with their own hopes and dreams. They’re not just
things
that you can buy. They’re not like tissues that you can pull out of the box, blow your nose on, and then throw away.’
    Selby watched as Bonnie ran through every emotion he’d ever seen. At first she sounded like she was just explaining something but suddenly she was pleading and then threatening. Thenthere was a long silence as her eyes went from angry little dots to big, wide eyes filled with tears.
    â€˜What an actress,’ Selby thought. ‘She’s just like a real person — only better. That tissue thing really got me. Oh, she’s
sooooooo
wonderful.’
    â€˜The problem with you,’ Dino said, ‘is that you don’t know what’s good for you — or for the stupid people of Dumsville.’
    With this Dino turned and walked away.
    â€˜That dirty guy,’ Selby thought. ‘I can’t let him get away with that! I don’t care what the script says, I’m going to bite that boofhead into next week!’
    With this, Selby growled a deep growl that suddenly grew to fierce barking and then took off after Dino.
    â€˜Hey, Selby! Stop it!’ Dino yelled.
    â€˜Cut!’ the director cried, and Selby came running back to Bonnie, wagging his tail.
    â€˜Hey, that was great!’ the director said. ‘It was almost as though Selby knew what was happening. I reckon that dog could act the pants off both of you.’

    That afternoon, Bonnie took Selby behind the set to where the stars’ trailers were parked. There were three of them: a huge long one that said ‘Bonnie’ on the side, another big one that said ‘Dino’., and then a little dog house on wheels that had ‘Selby’ painted on the roof.
    â€˜Yours is tiny,’ Bonnie said, ‘but don’t worry because you’re going to be in my trailer with me. You’re my dog in the movie so you’re going to be my dog here on the set too.’
    â€˜That’s sweet of her,’ Selby thought.
    Selby remembered when he’d first seen Bonnie Blake in the TV soapie
Restless Hearts Aflame. Then
he’d seen her being interviewed