The Actor's Redemption
Plain, bare, and fresh out of the shower, Pierre Bouvier, put on his glasses and took a long look at his reflection on the bathroom mirror. Hmmmm... he was thinking to himself, I am not really that good looking. He chuckled then laughed.
But other people would always tell him that he looks like a celebrity or a movie star. He just finished earning his degree in Law from Harvard. And he thought it would be easier to act than to practice Law.
Early morning, while having breakfast with his father, he decided to inform him of his decision. He told him outright, "Dad, I am going to try my luck in acting."
Long silence. The kind that you could hear a pin drop.
"Are you out of your mind? That is downright crazy. No, you are going to be an Attorney, and stay on track!" He, furiously, added, "No ifs, no buts, end of discussion."
Tears welled up in his eyes and all he could say was, "Yes, Sir."
On the first fall of snow, Pierre left New York for California. He told his family he would just quell his wanderlust. Truthfully though, he would embark on his acting career.
He got it easy. His first week in Hollywood, he met the right people and his agent prepared everything. The whole nine yards: from the head shots to the auditions. They kept telling him he has that look which was what people were into those days.
It was a sunny Thursday, and his seventh audition. He was no longer jittery and his presence was more authoritative and commanding. The movie will be about a historical war. All eyes were on him as he delivered his lines perfectly. He aced it.
Karen, the bottle blonde casting director, talked to him in a high-pitched voice and said, "We will give you a call after a week or two." Then she winked at him.
The seemingly eternal waiting ended when his phone rang and it was Karen. She said he got the part.
Pierre felt euphoric. His dreams were coming true. One at a time.
After two hours, he made a call to New York. He was waiting for his Dad to pick up the phone. After about six rings, Francois Bouvier, answered the call.
"Hey, Dad, it's me. How are you?" His Dad replied after a sigh of relief, "Well, I'm good, son. How about you?" Pierre told his father about the news, afterwards, there was a long pause, then he heard a sudden flop on the floor. Dead silence.
"Hey, Dad, it's me. How are you?" His Dad replied after a sigh of relief, "Well, I'm good, son. How about you?" Pierre told his father about the news, afterwards, there was a long pause, then he heard a sudden flop on the floor. Dead silence.
His father had a massive heart attack. And was dead on arrival at the emergency room of The Saint Peter's Medical Center in Midtown Manhattan.
Consequently, his world crumbled into myriad pieces. Pierre succumbed into clinical depression.
After two winters, he enrolled again at Harvard and took up a Master's Degree in International Law.
He graduated with honors. He visited his father's graveyard the following day. He paid his respects then he promised to make amends and make him proud.
Pierre Bouvier became the Executive Director of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), with headquarters in New York, on the seventh death anniversary of his late father, Ambassador Francois Bouvier.
Pierre, finally, felt precious peace of mind. And the loving presence of his dearly beloved father tugged at his heartstrings which made him smile. A bittersweet moment, a closure, then, a miracle occurred, a conviction of moving on to a promising future of a new and happy life.
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