Junior Year Box Set

I’d turned it off during my session with Coach Mason. He didn’t tolerate interruptions, like a cell phone, while he worked with me. For what I paid him, he could have my undivided attention without a problem. I turned it on and found there were messages from Ridge Townsend and Bill Callaway, my USC friends. Another was from Frank Ingram with IDC. I decided to make the business call first.

“Mr. Ingram, David Dawson returning your call.”

“I reviewed your application, and I would like to ask you a couple of questions to see how we can help.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said.

“The first question I have is, do you have video chat? I would much rather we speak face-to-face if that’s possible.”

I told him what I used, and he joined my chat group. I was soon talking to him on my tablet.

“Much better,” Mr. Ingram said.

I was surprised he was so young. I expected him to be older if he was a partner. Mr. Ingram appeared to be in his mid-thirties and what you would think of as a California guy: he had blond hair and a deep tan. I could imagine him comfortable either on a golf course or surfing. He was sitting in an outdoor restaurant with his sunglasses on the table. He wore a light blue fitted button-up shirt.

“I took the liberty of talking to Rita James. I hope that was okay?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s fine. I’ve asked for her guidance.”

“What do you expect we will do for you?”

I’d had a few days to think about this, and I thought IDC would be more help once the movie came out. I decided to play it close to the vest and see what Mr. Ingram thought.

“Rita told me I should look into help with my image. I’m fairly new to this, so I’d appreciate any help you can give me.”

“David, I know you’re more on the ball than that. Tell me what you want,” Mr. Ingram challenged me.

“I’ve had my friends help me up to this point. They’ve done a great job, but I’m concerned about when the movie comes out. I think there’ll be a window of opportunity that I need to take advantage of.”

“What about sports? What do you want from football and baseball?”

“I don’t really know. What are you getting at?” I asked.

“When you dream, what does the perfect world look like, sports-wise?” he asked.

“I’m like Bo Jackson and play both baseball and football at the highest levels,” I said.

“Is there room for modeling and acting if you do that?” Mr. Ingram asked.

“I originally started modeling because our family was tight on money. Then I found I really liked it. The movie I made was a lot of fun. I can see both as being vehicles to make me comfortable.”

He laughed at my last statement.

“After you’re done with sports, what’s the plan?” he asked.

“I don’t have much of a plan yet. I own a farm. I might settle down and raise a family.”

“Don’t you think you’d get bored? I’ve seen some of the videos, and get the feeling you like excitement and a challenge. I would’ve thought you had bigger plans,” Mr. Ingram said.

“My grandpa was in politics. My grandmother has suggested I go into that. I’ve also thought about going into business.”

“So, your image needs to remain the clean-cut young man with a touch of danger mixed in. Would it be okay if we portrayed you as being single?” he asked.

“Maybe you could get me to be the sexiest man alive,” I teased.

Mr. Ingram gave me a sad look as he shook his head.

“There’s only so much we can do.”

I started to like him.

“You know what I really want? I want to have Hannah Minacci go to the prom with me if only to see the look on my brother’s face,” I said with a huge smile.

“I like how you think. I’d be jealous if you pulled that off,” Mr. Ingram said and then got more serious. “I got the impression family is important to you. Will they be supportive?”

“We’re a close-knit group. I can count on them.”

“Good. I’d like to take you on as a client. We have a lot of work to do between now and when you come to LA. I have some ideas to raise awareness of who you are. My goal is to help you achieve your goals. Something else we must keep in mind is that we’re both in business. My services have to justify themselves. Put simply, I have to make you money, be that in your billable hours modeling or your football contract. Does that sound like something that would interest you?”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Great. I’ll get the contract sent to your lawyers. Could you do me one favor?” Mr. Ingram asked.

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Call me ‘Frank.’ We’ll become close, and I hope you’ll consider me a friend.”

“I can do that,” I said.

We said our goodbyes.

◊◊◊

I sent a text to Bill and had him jump onto video chat. I smiled when a familiar face greeted me.

“Sage! Long time no see,” I said.

Sage had been on my Range Sports photo shoot when we did Napa Valley. She had been a ballerina before becoming a model. Sage could pick her foot off the ground, put it on my shoulder, and use her foot to pull me into a kiss. GRRrrrrr. She was FLEXIBLE. I had hooked her up with Bill when he went to USC last summer. They’d hit it off and had been going out ever since.