Chapter 1 (partial)

I was getting used to rising at four-thirty to exercise and run before going to the studio. At the studio, they first announced on Monday that we would be taking a one-week hiatus next week. We had been working long and hard, and it was time for a break.

When we came back, we would be doing our location shots. These would be out in Colorado at Mr. Easterly's ranch. This gave me a lot to look forward to. I would have to arrange a trip home and a side trip to Detroit to meet Mark Downing and tour Detroit Faucets.

The Lead asked me where he could get more of the hairdryers in makeup. They were working wonders for them. I told him they were doing the production tooling now and that the units would be available later. "How much later," he inquired.

"I would guess six months."

"Who should I make out the purchase order to? I need these now. The dryers will help with our shooting schedules tremendously."

After reflecting on getting thrown into a horse trough many times, I agreed with him and told him to make the order out to Jackson Engineering.

While small for the studio, his purchase order was a lot to me. Ten thousand dollars would almost pay the startup costs.

The morning's shoot went well. I think everyone was energized by the idea of having a week off. While I was waiting for my next scene, the key grip from another set approached me.

"Rick, I'm John Dawson. We are having a problem setting up a shot over on sound Stage B. I've been told that you are good at mechanical things and maybe could help us."

We shook hands, and I told him, "No guarantees, but what is the problem."

"We have to do a fight scene on top of a moving train. The Director wants the fight to bounce around because of the track joints. This is before welded rail, so the joints really can bounce the car around."

I thought back to the clickity-clack I loved and remembered at times how we got tossed around inside the cars, so it must be a problem on top.

"I'm aware of that. What have you tried so far?"

"We tried bouncing the cameras, but that is what it looks like, the cameras moving, not the people. Our next step is to have stuntmen do the fight on top of a moving car with a camera suspended from the side of the boxcar."

"Even then, you would have to be moving at speed to get the effect the Director is looking for. That is a recipe for disaster," I mused.

"You got it in one."

"So, modifying the cameras to bounce doesn't work. Using a real-life setup is too dangerous. That leaves a modified boxcar. How about cutting the top off a car and mounting it on something like walking beams or camshafts? That way, you could get the amplitude and frequency that you need."

"Yeah, we could put airbags all around to reduce the falling danger. It would also allow us to set up several different camera angles," added an excited Key Grip.

Cast in Time Book 6 Available in June 2024!

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More details coming soon.

Earl E. (Ed) Nelson

I have always wanted to be an author. I had my first rejection slip in about 1965. Wish I had saved it. For many years the only writing I did was technical as pesky things like three children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren came along.

My technical writing was in the field of quality in several different journals. I worked in the field of quality for over fifty years, starting as a line inspector and ending up as a Vice-President of Quality and elected a Fellow of the American Society for Quality.

Then a wonderful thing happened. I lost my job and was out of work for almost eight months. To keep from going crazy I wrote. I posted my stories on an online site, and lo and behold people read them and said nice things. Fast forward about eight years and I am retired and writing for the fun of it.

A lot of what is in my stories is based on my life experiences, gasp! Give or take a lie or two that is. The one fortunate thing in my career is that I got to travel worldwide and have been to most of the locations I write about.

In my younger days, I tried hot air ballooning, sky diving, white water rafting, spelunking, and target shooting. I have collected stamps, drove in road rallies, lowly rated by the US Chess federation. I built a Kentucky long rifle and a dueling pistol. I am a licensed HAM radio operator. My hobby is having hobbies.

My true passion is reading. Trapped in a hotel room I would read the telephone book. The TV would not be turned on. I have averaged 200 books a year for the last sixty years. I knew those long flights were good for something.

BTW I was born in the middle of an air raid in England during World War II, the house next door was destroyed and our windows were blown out. That is probably the most interesting thing I have been involved with. Mum never forgave me. Happily married for 56 years I hope my wife doesn’t catch on to what a goof I am.