The Saints Can't Help Me Now

After taking a nasty fall, I sit at the top of the ramp Frieda is kicking ass on and watch her continue to tear it up. For only starting a few years ago, she’s a natural. She had never heard of skateboard before coming to America. She lived in a very rural part of Germany. She told me after seeing many American movies, she decided at a young age that she was going to move here for college and study Film. That’s how we met. We were roommates in college and became inseparable after that. We like a lot of the same things. The only thing we don’t share an interest in is MTV. She is obsessed. I could definitely leave it after my history with a few of its stars. She has no idea, and I don’t plan to tell her. That’s a part of my life that I chose to leave behind. I’m not about to have it catch up with me now.

Frieda runs up the ramp and sits down next to me. “Are you injured? Do we need to travel home?”
“No I just needed a break.”

She looked alarmed. “You are broken? Do we need to travel to the hospital?”

I laugh. “No, Frieda. I wanted to rest for a few minutes.”

Her cheeks light up and she laughs at herself. “Oh. There is a man looking at us.” She notices quickly.

I snap my head towards where she is looking and a man is walking towards us. He’s cute, slicked back brown hair, a nice smile, blue eyes. I slide down and meet him halfway. “Uhm, hi.”

He smiles. “Hey, I saw you two skating, you’re pretty good.”

“Fried is sweet but I’m not so great. If you saw, I took a pretty nice faceplant.”

“Her name is Fried?”

Frieda joins me. “I am named Frieda, but my roommate calls me in small Fried.”

He laughs and she looks down, embarrassed. “Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you, I think it’s cute. Are you German?”

She grins. “Yes, I am.” Frieda quickly whispers in my ear like a schoolgirl with a crush. “He called me the cute!”

“And your name, American caretaker?”

“I’m not her caretaker, I’m her friend, and sometimes translator. I’m Milly, and you, mystery man?”

“My name is Jimmy. Would you girls like to go out for a drink?”

I look at Frieda and she smiles. I giggle because I think she’s already in love. “How do we know you’re not a creeper? I mean, you were watching us.”

“Come on, it’s not every day you see two gorgeous girls tearing it up on skateboards. I just thought I would come strike up a conversation.”

Frieda leans in my ear. “I do not have the understanding of his words.” She whispers.

“He thinks we’re hot and thinks we’re good at skateboarding.” I whisper back.

“Oh!” She smiles wide. “So,” She looks back at him, “Where do you want to travel?”

He chuckles. “Follow me ladies.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Jimmy takes us to a bar down the street that he says he frequently comes to with friends and buys us a few beers to start.

“So, how’d you both end up here in LA?”

“We both came to school for film. Frieda got a job after graduating as a camera operator at a movie studio. Until today, I worked at a news station as a slave for the talent.”

He laughs. “What was your actual title, if I may ask?”

“I was told Production Assistant which apparently means kissing the ass of the news anchors and being a slave.”

“You know, where I work might need someone like you. It’ll be a lot of work, but you wouldn’t be a slave and you’d actually be helping with a production and it’s damn fun. Would you be interested?”

I take another sip of my beer. “Hell yes, I would be interested!”

“Great! Let me make a call real quick.” Jimmy walks out of the front door.

I chug the rest of my beer and then cheer. “Whoo! I love this guy, do you love this guy?”

Frieda laughs. “You drink very little and become betrunken the quick.”

“I have a trunk?! I’m no elephant!”

“No, no! What is English word, drunk?”

“Oh! Yeah, I do become betrunken the quick Fried but you’re German, you’ve been drinking beer since you were born.”

“Milly, I have the questioning for you.”

“And I have the answering.” I grin.

“I have become interested in Jimmy. Will you let me speak to him?”

“Of course, Frieda. Hands off.”

“I do not have the understanding, but thank you.” She smiles and drinks the rest of her fifth beer while I order my fourth.

Jimmy returns with good news. “So, I talked to my boss. You are welcome to stop by on Monday and do a tour and meet with him and if you like it and if he likes you, you might have a new job!”

I start clapping. “Yay!”

Frieda leans over to Jimmy and loudly whispers. “She has become the drunk. I have not become the drunk but I would like to.” She smirks and orders a double shot of whiskey. Let the party begin.