BUTLER Brett

After going the way of the waitresses in cheap bars to the most popular comic actress, Brett Butler, star of TV series "Grace on Fire", has received, it seems, everything had dreamed of - money, fame, favorite work. But the past did not give her peace of mind ...
Rushes backstage manager: "Julia Anderson-your babushkaN rung her neighbors - she said, tried to commit suicide". Brett freezes for dressing table, a hand holding a lipstick, began with a small quake. That evening she flew to Alabama.
. It was there, . Grandmother's house, . years ago, she was sobbing at the door, . vain attempt to dokrichatsya Rights, . more akin to that in her view was: "Why do not you answer mneN Say anything, . show me! "That man was Roland Dekartur Anderson,
. Her own father. Father, whom she tried to forget all my life.
Brett looked out the window and remembers, remembers ...
Here's their house in the town of Montgomery in the south Alabama. Brett lacks little sisters and hides them under the beds. Grandmother told her that today is expected to eclipse those who will be watching him, can permanently blind. The newcomer to the work of the father found his daughter, zabivshuyusya the far corner of the wardrobe and sobbing with fear. He calms the girl, gives her a huge orange and took in his arms, is the living room to watch "Great comedy show" Andy Dean. Soon, Brett, eventually forgetting about the eclipse, laughs loudly and enthusiastically looks at his dad - he's funny comment on the events on screen and also jokes, although most of his jokes Brett does not understand. She just likes to sit beside him, like when he calls her Ugryumkoy and funny frowning, click on the nose.

Here's another scene - a bright, sunlit room, sadly my mother, father and suitcases going to leave. Brett watched him with surprise: Dad did not say what is going on a business trip. He puts the suitcase on the floor, her mother said: "I'm sorry, Carol, it would be better for both of us, and she begins to cry. Brett understands what has happened is something bad and crying for company. Father hugging daughters one after another with the words: "Good luck, baby, I'll be right back" and goes to the door. At the exit, he stopped for a moment, and Brett dug into his eyes, for some reason trying to remember every detail - Roland broad-shouldered, stocky, hair, crew cut, "it home favorite sweater knit. Then the girl did not even guessed that he sees the pope for the last time.
Soon Brett learns that mum and dad divorced. Not even know it from my mother, but from the neighbor girl. The town in which they lived was small - to meet a stranger the events. Not surprisingly, divorce Carolyn Anderson discussed all the neighbors, because it was the only "divorcee" in the street. Most of its condemnation: respectable parishioners believed that the inability to be a good wife - a sin. In addition, Caroline did not go to church: then, in the mid-sixties, preaching in the South often ended with the words "... and let them live separately from the color of the white race, for so it is written". Not that my mother loved to do all in defiance, but she hated racists fierce hatred.


Brett and she felt the change in attitude to their family, it is not often heard behind him: "That went a daughter of the very". Fortunately, it is little concern. She knew exactly what to live like the inhabitants live in Montgomery, she absolutely did not want. Looking at the neighbors, she showed them the language and skipping ran home - watching TV.

An old "Sony" was her only joy. Girl greedily watched all the series for teenagers, all the fantastic films, but especially liked the comic show. It sometimes seemed that if the long and hard look at the screen, you can find yourself on the other side, right on the stage, next to your favorite comics. Brett somehow was convinced that on stage she would not look stupid or ridiculous - it would have made the whole audience laughing, frowning, or simply stretching out her lips, as was done by the artists.

. In order not to miss a TV show, the future queen of hearts often ran out of school
. There was, however, is another reason - it seemed to her that without her the house can happen something bad. For my mother's back Brett does not feel safe - Carolyn whole days lying on the couch, reading women's novels. The house has a housekeeper, was replaced by another, and the girl complained of an elderly negress Grace, a lively Irish Lola: "Why can not she find a rabotuN Why does nothing to hozyaystvuN" Housemaid just sighed sadly.

. Instead of work, Carolyn found herself a new man
. Alan Butler was quite decent party - lawyer, with a decent income, except that bald too early. Brett, of course, was jealous of her mother a new boyfriend, but I could not help it - soon, Carolyn Anderson changed the name of Butler and his family moved to Miami, where Alan had his own business.

After Montgomery Miami seemed paradise. Brett found that life apart from the TV may be other joys. Low brunette with a sharp tongue (she was blonde, much later) was a success - in its fourteen beauty Butler looked at all the twenty. At least in the bars it has always allowed unimpeded. And she enjoyed it at full steam, Brett spent the evening not for homework, and in the overheated environment of drinking and music guys.

. Almost all the men, whom she had found himself in the bars, were over for many years - to peers, she never had a particular interest
. The musicians, stylists, even the bartenders - they were different, but something vaguely reminiscent of her father: stocky, broad guys who prefer the free style of clothes and short haircuts. The scenario was the same: the men approached, smiling, was treated to drinks and soon led Brett to his home or in a cheap hotel room. Its relations with the opposite sex have never been too serious: a pair of failed loves approved in the thought that the art of love - the art of throw-first. And that Brett has succeeded.

But for Carolyn Butler with a new husband, the case went wrong. Shortly after moving he began to long stay at work, leave for unexpected trip. Once a home has nazvanivat, not even particularly hiding, a woman, all became clear. Six months later, the marriage fell apart completely, and Caroline for a long time lay in the hospital with a diagnosis of alcoholism and depression.


Next frame: excited director's school Brett, looks at the class and asks her to immediately go with him. "Since your mother had an accident" - he explains on the move. In the hospital waiting room they are greeted by the doctor, family friend. "She tried to commit suicide. Swallowed barbiturates. His condition was grave, but will live, "- he answers to the unspoken question girl. Potent sedative, he ordered it himself - "Caroline could not sleep". "And now, now she can zasnutN You almost killed her!" - Beside himself shouting Brett and rushes to the doctor with his fists. Her attendants dragged. Reassured, she quietly asked: "You will not find kosyakaN" "Unfortunately, not a burden, - a serious responsible physician. - Here, take a cigarette, it is weak, with menthol ". Many years later, the story Butler did a reprise: "How do you think, what good could come of my life, even if the first cigarette I offered doktorN"

. Sisters take her to her grandmother, and Brett leaves school and goes to work - as a waitress, a dishwasher, a girl on the phone
. Six months later, in the office, where it prints the orders and carries coffee, when the phone rang. It was my mother. "I'm going to find your father - even a bad relationship, you can hear how her voice trembles. - The term "alimony" no one has repealed. You know, I need the money. Come vmesteN "
And two abandoned women go on the hot July sun highway in the direction of Alabama - Julia's grandmother lives there, the mother of Roland. Both visibly nervous: my mom to estimate a possible plan of action, and a daughter ... daughter is confused and overwhelmed. Pope, of which she had not heard for so many years, may come to meet her a few hours. Besides, she had no idea that he is hiding from the payment of alimony. A couple of times they miraculously avoid the accident - Carolyn sat tight for many months on anti-depressants and has lost the speed of reaction.

House Julia looks clean and well maintained. But the door to them no one opens. After waiting half an hour, my mother fell into a rage and starts pounding at the windows, shouting in the street: "Open up, I know you're there!" Soon on the threshold appears neat old lady, nervously recover hair: "What are you, dear, come. I watched a football match and had not heard ". Entering the house, Brett examined with interest - she was here last time just a little girl. He waited out of politeness, while adults will share with meaningless phrases, she blurted out: "I will go to the kitchen, pour myself juice - you then there sokN Grandma looks around nervously, but immediately took himself in hand, nodding.

.
. Brett often thought, as if formed its destiny, if passed by a trash can, she did not see in it something gleamed
. Intrigued, Brett leans over and reveals an unexpected discovery among the papers - two empty cans of beer and crushed "Playboy". In an instant, she realized - my father somewhere here.

Pouring himself juice, Brett stealthily sneaking behind the backs of adults and deeper into confusion corridors. Grandmother's house was built in Victorian style, layout certainly engaged admirer of Gothic novels: spiral staircases, unexpected turns, heavy oak doors. Passed one of them, Brett heard some inarticulate sound - whether a sigh, or the shuffling of slippers - and realizes just feels: Roland Anderson, hiding behind that door. "You zdesN - she asks a broken voice. - Dad, talk to me! "In response - silence. Scene by the sound of my mother and my grandmother saw a strange picture: Brett, . Sobbing, . beats his fists on the locked door and shouted: "Why do not you want to talk with mnoyN I'm your daughter!" Tell me anything! "Open the door!" His white grandmother calms her, . from the ill-fated attempt to pull the door: you, . dear, . here a long time nobody lives,
. Brett resisted, but eventually surrenders. They leave with nothing: Grandmother argues that knowing does not know where her son is hiding.

. The onset age girl said it is in his style: retired from regular work, entered the army and met her future husband - all in one day
. Such rotations avoid using even in Hollywood, but the script for the film "Young Butler" is replete with accidents. Accidentally poured wine on the white shirt of an important client, stumbled upon a poster calling to join the army. "Uncle Sam needs you!" - Finger uncle with a goatee rested directly into it. In his pocket Brett was $ 23 ahead - the tedious everyday waitress. "Although some change, and besides, and pay well," - she decides, and finding the recruiting office, sign the necessary papers. She was given 80-day trial period, during which you can change your mind. Then she had to travel to a distant fort MakKlelann - it will monitor the rocket launchers.

His contract Brett washes dark Guinness at a nearby bar. Playing in the pool, she unsuccessfully brandish cue and falls between the ribs of a man standing next. "Next time take the club more - that I did not break through a cane" - a smile, he notes. Butler with surprise stares at the stranger - a broad-shouldered, his hair, crew cut, thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes - all the same type, which she always liked. Suddenly she decides for himself: "I marry him". Stranger's name is Mike, and he is older than her ten years. The next day they go together to the recruiting office and break the contract, a month later, she moved to him, three months, said: "I agree" at the Palace of Marriages.

. His first wedding night was spent in a cheap hotel room, . buying at the very same $ 23 champagne ( "I spent all cash on Valium, . not to be nervous during the wedding ", . - Mike explained.), . and the morning brought a Cadillac and went off in all directions.,

.
. Mike earned the small building, but his soul was devoted to hunting and fishing
. "The season - he announced in a car, smiling blissfully, - fish went". Honeymoon they spent in the woods, catching trout, surrounded by numerous relatives of Mike. Brett felt both embarrassed and delighted - she grew up without a father, she never had brothers, and communicate with so many men were unexpectedly close to her in a novelty. After the trout season opened hunting quail, then hares ... Mike was a real hunter in the spirit, not in vain in his family had a lot of Indian soldiers. "I feel happy only when I hear the barking of dogs, scenting prey," - he said, jerking bolt shotgun. That is the responsibility of the squaw, Brett learned very quickly.


The first time Mike hit it on the morning after the wedding night. She still poezhivaetsya, remembering resounding clout, he slapped her with a crafty tie. Solar tale of two lovers hearts turned dark thriller. Beloved husband burst after work and yelled: "Who are you screwed today sukaN" He drove her kicked out the door for the amusement of the neighbors, and then dragged by the hair back. He beat her heavy army boots, threw insensible to the car and drove abandoned forest roads, threatening to drown in a swamp or shot like a dog. Once Mike got a shotgun, put it to his head and forced to drown in the toilet engagement ring, saying: "I do not want this nonsense reminds me that you're my wife."

. The reason for the punishment could be anything - a harmless phrase, intonation, sight.

. For three years they lived together, Brett has learned a lot and learned a lot
. For instance, how wash the blood from clothes. I learned how much it costs to mend a broken eyebrow and how best to powder bruises. "According to statistics, domestic violence - the main cause of female deaths in America - Butler would write later in his memoirs. - They had hoped that one day they wake up, and her husband is once again the way it was before the wedding. But then becomes unclear how one could generally fall in love with this monster. "

Their last day she remembers every detail. Hitchcock probably would have made this a great episode for his film: her husband serenely sleeps in the room, a young wife in a clean room and accidentally stumbles upon a baseball bat. She slowly approaches the bed and, as if in a trance, to estimate how accurate blows to smash the skull immediately. Still, hands down, unable to cause him pain. After a while, pushes him and says: "I'm leaving you". My husband jumped on the bed: "So you think prostoN rid of me so easily, dryanN!" He rushes out of the bedroom and returned with a shotgun. "So prostoN" - he repeats in a rage and shoots her in the head. Bullet, whistler next to his ear, stuck in the wall. "Hey, you nearly hit me!" - Says she's like a dream. Male in response throws her things on the street. Curtain.

Returning to Atlanta, she re-arranged as a waitress, but it works now without the old enthusiasm: to live well beyond seemed devoid of any meaning. After work, she aimlessly wandering around the city, wondering what she do, explores the courgettes and dives and accidental falls in the small comic performance in one of the clubs. America then boom humorists, artists of the spoken genre appeared in many clubs and even pubs: they joked from the stage or just opening for the audience before the concert of local rock band. Sipping white wine, Brett listened with admiration performances by local comedian: low fat seemed to her most witty man in the world. He spoke to the audience, joke and wink at room. "Women are generally difficult to understand. You, miss, ever waiting man, knowing that he was not pridetN "- Brett suddenly realized that he was drawn to the question to her. A drop of wine, she said grimly: "Even the two. The first twenty years of my life, I was expecting to return my father and Jesus Christ ". The audience laughed, some got up to look at, not whether it is a duck decoy. Comedy, satisfied with the answer, giggled: "I told you that women can not understand. You what, wait for them till porN "" Well, father, perhaps not - replied Butler. - As for Jesus, I am at least sure of one thing - he gave us not because of what I had done something bad ". The crowd banged laughter.

Inspired by the warm reception, Butler waited for the artist leaves, drank more wine for his courage and climbed on stage. She came up with an independent view to the microphone and began joking, imitating their favorite comedian, techniques which she loved so much copy as a child before the mirror. After the speech she was approached by the manager of the club and was offered a contract: two performances a week for $ 50 each. No, God knows how much money, but Brett was happy - were sold her child's dream, she will perform on stage! Soon it became known, the name Butler flashed on posters in New York and then Los Angeles. A few years later on her solo show got famous producer from Hollywood, who was looking for character actress for filming in a humorous series. So Brett Butler was "Grace in the fire."
Interesting work, huge fees, the popularity - a girl from a provincial town seems to have grasped yet the wing volatile bluebird. Yet, in Alabama, she flew with a sense of anxiety, the subconscious told her that the main shock was waiting for her to come.
Grandmother tried to drown. Julia found neighbors who were waiting for her at the game of bridge - half-dressed old woman lying on the floor in the bathroom and mumbled: "I'm not going, not going to die. I just wanted to attract attention ". Seeing Brett arrived, she sobbed: "My dear, I so often thought about you, even wrote a letter to Hollywood. You know, your father died three years ago. "
When he came to my grandmother told the amazing story. Her son until his death bezvylazno just sat in that room, the door of which many years ago, sobbing Brett. He left his house only at night - to buy a book and eating in a round -. Yes, and he had nowhere to go - friends from Roland is left. "In his room, everything was still, as it was during his life, I do not touch. You can pick up his things yourself if you want. "
"Things" almost entirely consisted of books. All these years, Roland nonstop reading. And not just read - made notes, left its mark on the fields ... Brett books plunged into a container and took to himself in Los Angeles.
She canceled all concerts and two months, shedding tears, leafing through dusty pages. The mythical image of his father, which she knew practically nothing, began to take on flesh. His thoughts, written in tiny handwriting on sheets of tissue paper, were remarkably in tune with its own. Many years in a row, separated by hundreds of kilometers, they read the same book, worried about the same events in the world. She began to suspect that his sense of humor, too, is obliged to his father - and finally sure, he stumbled on a rough sketch comedy, which he wrote a long five years.
. Not stopping at this, Brett began to search for old friends and relatives of the father
. Like zapravsky investigator, she traveled the country and questioned him, asking ... And only by visiting his grave, it is the first time in many years, felt calmer.
Ghost of her father no longer bothered. Brett returned to work, but two months later met her husband. Strangely, he does not resemble its usual elected - a tall, thin bespectacled man with long brown hair and a slightly embarrassed smile. They have been together for many years. Ken does not like to ask his wife about her previous life. And zachemN