Residential Contracting 101
With over 20 years of building experience, I would like to share with you my insights in navigating becoming a successful contractor. With many different avenues of the building world its key to understand what problems will arise on any given day. A man once told a saying that stuck-the 6 p’s in life- Piss Poor Preparation leads to Piss Poor Performance. Preparation builds everything in construction, without preparation the jobsite will not run correctly. The best advice I was ever given was to learn a little about every trade giving you the ability to understand trade lingo and secrets. An example would be painters use the terminology flash; this means when the sub structure bleads through the paint. Subcontractors will give the best pricing if they respect your knowledge of the industry. If the subcontractor feels they will have to hold your hand through the job they will charge an extra fee…i.e. I call it the aggravation fee. In this blog I will explain the key elements in finding success in all aspects of the industry. Contracting is a physically and emotionally demanding job which requires planning and foresight to complete projects on time within budget. Picking your customer is just as important as picking your employees or subcontractors. I have worked for some of the most demanding customers leading me to question at the end if the job was even worth it. Sleepless nights, constant changes, lack of payment, lawsuit threats, adding work that was in the contract are just a few things you could face with a tough customer. With so many moving parts at all times it is critical to be able to adapt to changes within a short time frame. Materials will come in damaged, subcontractors will be late, employees will get sick, but the deadline you set does not change. The stress can be overwhelming at times keeping your mind in a good place is key to navigating all that is thrown at you. Choosing your client picking the right jobs-Keep these questions in mind The first question to be asked is what the time frame is to start the job to see if it fits within the timeframe for your business. If the time frame doesn’t work then move on from the project or let them know when you would be available to start. If the client really wants to use, they will wait until you are available. Taking on too much work will only lead to problems. Construction is a serviced based business, staying on top of the project and client will eliminate an unhappy customer and construction issues that will be over seen. With online presence if details are missed and customer service lacks it will only be a matter of time the phone will not ring. The second question to be asked to the client is do they have a budget in mind for the project. If they answer yes this is good, follow through with what the budget is. If the budget seems low let them know, this will eliminate a tire kicker, educate them on what the price range could be. If the budget seems reasonable then continue the discussion to the next question. If they answer no let them know that you can give them an estimate to see if the project is feasible with their finical capabilities. Taking on a job that is not correctly budgeted will lead to an unsatisfied customer due to non-transparency of the construction cost. The third question to be asked is anyone else bidding on the job, if the answer is yes, understand you might just be number check for the contractor doing the job. Dig a little deeper and find out how many numbers they are getting and why. If your business model is to be competitive be completely transparent with customer, this will gain trust with them. Let them know you get what you pay for and if you they choose the lowest bid it could lead into lack of quality of work.
The fourth question I will ask is there any specific subcontractors they wanted to use. If the answer is yes then I would explain to them you only use the subcontractors you have a working relationship with. Otherwise, this could backfire as the subcontractor might not show, do subpar work, talk behind your back to the homeowner. In my experience I would stay away from using any homeowner to alleviate problems down the road. A quick conversation now can save headaches down the road. The fifth question I will ask are planning on getting the job permitted, this needs to be known it takes more time for the permitting process. Plans will have to drawn submitted and approved to the city before work can commence. The sixth question I will ask if a residential remodel is are you going to be living through the remodel if yes understand this will take more time to navigate the project due to answering questions and cleaning the house on a daily occurrence. I would recommend seeing if the customer would be willing to move into an Airbnb or friends for at least the demo portion of the project. If they do plan on living through the remodel add a couple hours a day to accommodate the extra time that will be required. The seventh question I would ask in a residential remodel is how old the house is to see if there is asbestos that would need to removed by a proper company. A home built before 1979 will most likely have some asbestos in the house, use a licensed company with proper insurance to dispose of the materials. If everything looks good to this point find out a little more about the client personality. If the client seems reasonable, I would bid the job. Unreasonable people can cause you more stress than its worth. These are some red flags I would look out for. Some jobs are not worth the money. Very demanding in the way you are going to perform your job- I.e., tell you how you are going to do your job- You’re the professional not them! Give you a hard time about your price- haggle with price you estimated- The price is the price! If they are a family with little money and you want to help them out is one thing, if they are trying to beat you down is another. Mention they have a lawyer-there is no need for them to bring up that they have a lawyer - Run for the hills as if the job goes south, you will be the one losing out! Tell you what the payment terms are. It’s your business you get paid how it works for your company. If you want to get paid every Friday, put it into your contract-If the clients do not agree move on it will save you frustrations If they talk bad about the last contractor, chances are they will talk bad about you. There is a reason why the contractor does not work for them anymore, unless he did subpar work this a red flag Clients are using an interior decorator that will purchasing all of the materials- The materials could be ordered incorrectly by the interior designer your company will not make the mark-up it deserves. Interior decorators usually add time to the job as well as act like your boss. Charging a little extra for the time and stress that it will entail is only fair. Clients want to purchase the materials- You are using your knowledge to buy the correct materials-The mark up on the materials keeps the doors open working for wages only pays the bills The husband and wife do not get along-You will become the mediator between the couple it will lead to taking sides a losing proposition- A drama free work place is always best! Dangling carrot-if you do this job the next one will be better-Only look at what there offering at the present moment, if its not a good fit do not take the job for a job down the road…Its not worth chasing a job that might not happen! The Art of the Sale First things first selling your company is all about presentation. In meeting your clients for the first time show up with a collared golf shirt tucked in, belt, nice jeans, and newer shoes. Have a truck that a clean, no dents scratches, preferably washed the day you are going into your meeting. Have a leather note pad that is clean no dirt or paint visible. Show up 5 minutes early, if you’re running a little late shoot them a text to let them know. Treat the situation as if were going on a first date, best foot forward. As you introduce yourself give them a warm greeting, letting them know you are very interested in the work. Find out a little about them, hobbies, where they lived, etc etc. You are going to be working with them on a daily basis its nice to know what makes them tick. Having a good working relationship from the start is key forming a solid relationship. As the conversation progresses find out who wears the pants in the family…ie who’s the final decision maker. If its fits the wife, chances it is…..then kindly let the husband know happy wife happy life when their in a stall mate on an issue. As your looking at the project throw in some suggestions of what you think would look good from past experiences, this will get their attention that you have knowledge and want what’s best for them. If you see ways to save them money in their project let them know, money is a large point of the sale keep that in mind. Mention that you’re not the least expensive contractor but you’re not the most expensive either. Your customer satisfaction is your number one goal which leads to more time spent on keeping them happy. One happy customer will lead to another, one unsatisfied customer leads to work in the future. Bring up the fact the finishing the job on time is key goal to your business, many contractors run several jobs at once causing the jobs to be finished way behind schedule. You must stand out as having integrity, good morals, and the ability to problem solve to get the job. The clients will be testing you to see if you’re a good fit as well. Keep in mind as you take your notes that you must not forget anything they mention as it will come back before the job is completed…i.e. we mentioned that to you before we started the job! Take pictures of the proposed area for work, that way you can use it to better right your estimate. Let them know you will give them a detailed outline of when the job will be completed letting them see how long each phase will take and correlate it with your payment schedule. Before you leave their house let them know when the estimate will be sent to them. MAKE SURE YOU HIT THAT DEADLINE! Once you sent the email over with estimate make sure you get confirmation that they received it. Wait at least 2 days before checking with them, hopefully they contact you first! If they want negotiate the price, let them know that it is the best price that you can manage, its not worth losing money before you start. I closed 80% of the work I estimated by being very transparent and friendly. If you come off with an attitude charge double what the going rates are you might only land 1 out of 10 jobs as well as getting the reputation of being expensive. Bidding the job Looking up industry standards on pricing is what I would go buy for pricing. If you google the coat of any installation there will be a cost range for everything. Looking at the cost ranging from high to low I would tend to be in the middle. Some items might be low on the internet if this is the case use your best judgment not to lose money. Closing sales is key to success and keep the doors open for business. Being in the middle on pricing is key as most customers shy away from contractors that are extremely low or high on the price range. I tend not bid out hourly as wages do not pay for retirement. Bidding is better as customers no the exact price of the cost of construction. It also keeps the job moving quicker as time and material contractors take longer to complete projects…Thus costing the client more money and valuable time they could spend in their house. Using a Contract Using a detailed estimate tied to a contract covers your butt in 99% of the time. Having a piece of mind that every aspect of the job is covered in the estimate and contract protects both your company and the client. Key terms to include in your estimate/contract are. Have a schedule on excel showing the start dates and dates of each trade this will show the customer you are organized with time lines. If not written in the detailed in the estimate the item is excluded- This ensures if its not written down its not included. TBD- To be Determined- A phrase on a line item that has yet to had final decision of products or service needed. -The pricing will follow the decisions to be finalized Give out what your written warranty will be for parts and labor this changes state to state. If the homeowner provides the product than no warranty will be given on that particular item. In the contract have a start date and end date with the verbiage subject to change due to weather, product delivery, change orders Have a progress payment schedule to ensure the client understands when funding will be expected-Including if not payment is rendered service to the project will stop. Have written terms of how change orders will be charged-cost plus 20% or a set fee Make sure in your contract that arbitration is required versus going to court- This will save lawyer fees and going to court Many contracts can be found online and each state requires different contracts
Finding leads Finding leads is easy with the right network of people. I personally do not find working for friends or family members a good fit. Relationships get strained when money is involved, causing undue stress for both parties. I have listed a couple of ways to build a network or find work using the internet. Get in contact with realtor’s- Realtors have a big client base of homeowners who need work done Contact local Architects to see if they are working with any general contractors Leave some business cards at your local materials suppliers-Doowindow/lumber-many times clients will ask salesman for a referral. Join a business networking group- BNI is one of many Join a internet website lead generation company- Houzz, Angie’s List, Home Advisor, thumbtack, Yelp run an ad on craigslist Use a marketing company to market your website-This could become costly with little results Create a Facebook business page Create a Yelp business page
Building your subcontractor base Having 2 subcontractors for every trade, gives you the flexibility of completing jobs on time if the one the subcontractors is too busy at the time you need their service. Your subcontractors are the face of your business, choose owner run companies that are professional. Check to make sure there license are up to date..ie workman’s comp, liability insurance, state license. Choosing subcontractors with lettered vans, logoed t-shirts is s key to looking professional in the clients’ eyes. In the past I have gotten a lot of subcontractors for material supply shops, stopping by jobsites, researching the internet using Yelp, Home Advisor, etc etc. Once you get one good subcontractor ask them if they know any other trades they would recommend. One good subcontractor leads to another in most cases. The key to having a good group of subcontractors is to let them know that you are there to get help them get the job done. They do work for you but without them you are nothing…keep that in mind! Make them aware a clean jobsite is required at the end of everyday to ensure the proper safety for all parties including theirs! Over the years I have referred a lot of companies work when there is only 1 trade needed. Referring work to subcontractors is a good way to get top priority when you have work that needs to be completed ASAP. Timing is everything in times of emergency having a good group of subcontractors will make your business run smoothly. Pay your subcontractors immediately after performing work, this will make them feel appreciated! A happy subcontractor is one that will gladly go the extra mile for you knowing that there not just a number to your business! Buying lunch once a week for the jobsite is always a good token of appreciation!
Supervising In supervising any jobsite its key to monitor everything from materials on hand, weather, vehicle parking (if applicable), jobsite safety, and subcontractors’ workmanship. If you hired a professional there should be little supervision in the work being performed, on rare occasions a new hire might need some mentoring to get the results completed correctly. If you see a problem with there work address it with the worker directly, no need to call his boss…. building repour with the worker letting him know you got his back goes miles down the road! Checking in on the job first in the morning to answer any questions or changes that need to be conveyed and once in the afternoon to make sure all work be completed is done per construction industry standards. A job that is run blindly will have many more issues than one that is watched over. I have seen many jobs with no site supervision, leading to subpar quality work as well as safety hazards. Its better to be like an eagle than cluck like a turkey!
Working with the City/Inspectors On permitted jobs the city and site inspector will be a large part of how smoothly the job runs. Each phase of construction has an inspection allowing for the project to continue. Make sure your subcontractors are aware that the project is inspected before starting the job. The best way to stay on his good side is to provide a clean jobsite and having the job built to the highest standards possible. When having the site inspected be courteous to the inspector asking any questions or concerns you have with the work during the job. Being completely transparent will save you aggravation of problems down the road. The more he trust you the better if you seem sneaky or rude he will make your life a living nightmare! Many inspectors will have an attitude towards you….I suggest keeping quiet and doing what ever he wants….he’s the boss no need to get in a pissing match you will not win at. How to deal with irate customer Stay calm during any argument with an irate customer. Never raise your voice or show that you are bothered by their disgruntled behavior. If the customer is trying to get more from you than agreed upon stand your ground. Worst case scenario is you walk from the job, which in the long run be more of a loss for the client. I have only run into a couple of these clients; they are unreasonable and not worth losing sleep over a few dollars. Its best to terminate the relationship as it would be my best guess that a referral from this customer would not be one you wanted anyway. If you feel it was just a miscommunication on your end, take reasonability and remedy the problem. Taking accountability for your mistake will go a far way in their eyes and on future issues that arise. Prepping the homeowner pre-construction Before starting the job, it very important to give the homeowners a warning of what will happen during the construction process.

1. All furniture in the proposed working area must be moved- I would recommend having the clients take care of this to limit the risk of damage to their belongings.
2. There will be dust that will be in the house up to 3 months after construction-I would recommend hiring a construction cleaning company at the end of the job even so after it is cleaned dust will be present months after words.
3. There will be conflicts between you in the homeowner at some course of the job. - You will do your best to eliminate them as quickly as they arise-i.e. material damages, miscommunication, job delays
4. All decisions on materials must be made before the start of the job- this will eliminate job stoppage due to materials not being on site.
5. All materials will be on site before commencement of job-
6. Payment structures must be made per contract otherwise job will stop until payment rendered
7. Cars are to be moved out of the driveway- Ensures ease of loading and unloading of materials/tools
8. Give the specific hours that workers will be present- i.e. 7-3:30
9. Determine what areas are allowed to be used as staging for tools/materials
10. If animals are present in the home that they put outside or in a room during the day
11. All valuables in the house are locked in safe
12. Ask if using client’s household bathroom is okay or to bring in Porter Potty
13. Being transparent as possible is key to keeping a great relationship with your client!

During Construction During construction it is key to take detailed photos to eliminate any damages that were not caused by the construction process. I would also make a video to ensure all areas are included. All subcontractors should also take progress pictures to ensure if problems arise in the future, they will not be responsible for any work that they did not perform. Keep an on-going log of progress to the homeowners and share the pictures for there records. This will keep homeowners excited of the progress being made. When the house is gutted to the studs it is important to have construction photos showing where all utilities are run in the walls or sub floor. If there is a problem in the future there will photos showing all utility locations. Protect all flooring with plywood or floor protective. I also like to protect front door and tarp all areas where subcontractors are to be working. Make sure to cover any chandeliers/furniture/doorways with plastic to eliminate dust. Ask the homeowners if they have any concerns that they could think of. We’re all human and possibly a detail was missed! Post Construction Phase If the project went smoothly appreciation should be shown to the customer. Find out if the husband likes a particular type of liquor. Bring the wife a bouquet of flowers. Send a Christmas card to the family letting how much you appreciated the work. You know you have done a good job if they tell you they will refer you to their friends. The best compliment you could receive is a good referral. In Summary Try to find a knitch in the market, I found kitchens to be a great remodel projects. Bathrooms are tough as they are small, expensive with little profit margin with every trade involved. Windows/doors are also another great knitch as they can be installed quickly. There are so many different remodeling items that can be stream lined to make the selling installing process flawless. Once the core group subcontractors are in place the job almost runs itself. Every day is a learning experience with new materials or methods in construction. Keeping up with codes, materials, fluctuating labor and material cost is a job within itself. Anyone can be a contractor with the right mindset.

My wife seemed sound asleep as I looked over at her side of the bed, awakened in a cold sweat in the middle of the night from the strangest dream. Like many of my dreams, they don’t exactly manifest in the form of placing me in its shoes, seeing the fantasy world from my own point of view. It’s more like watching a film play out before me; the invisible camera operator guides the picture whichever so way they please, and I simply sit back and watch it unfold. I’d brought this up to my psychiatrist many times before, of course, and his reaction was always the same. “Isn’t it obvious, Ace?” he’d playfully tease, “You’re an actor. It only makes sense.”
This one started differently than any other one my mind had conjured up before. I was guided along an aisle between a sea of auditorium seats, and vertically ahead sat the dock of the theater stage. Unlike the vacant cushioned red row seats that surrounded me, the stage appeared occupied with 12 figures that I assumed to be the actors. From this distance, their faces and even the outlines of their bodies stood as a blur.
The ‘camera’ proceeded forward, and as it did so, my line of sight became more in-focused, and strangely enough, I could make out that they were all of a similar size, race, age, and near identical in stature, only slightly different in their demeanor, and I could almost swear, the closer I got, I could hear them all speaking amongst each other with the exact same voice. It didn’t take me long to figure out that they were identical variants of one another, but furthermore, I was a little embarrassed of myself of how long it took to realize that they were all actually duplicates of myself.
Twelve different versions of myself, dressed in separate costumes and hairstyles, speaking in different accents and dialects, all mingling amongst themselves in a single horizontal line across the stage, the entire scene looked like a moving painting of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. As I stepped closer - or I should say ‘glided’ closer, wherever which way this imaginary ‘camera’ intended to lead me - one peculiar version of myself stood out to me first. It wore a brown leather jacket, washed-out jeans on top of rugged boots, and blew a cigarette as the fumes danced over its curly brown bowl-cut hair.
That was the Lance Jackson character I’d played in The Curbside Chronicles, one of my first gigs on an old NBC serial drama back in my early acting days. The character was somewhat of a rip-off of James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause if the angsty teen persona didn’t sell that enough.
Another one presently on the stage was my Reese Malone character I’d played in my first feature film role, a shy but clever recluse who served as the ‘nerdy one’ of the bunch amongst the main cast in the movie. And no, I didn’t get the girl in the end.
Henry Clerval, in a made-for-TV adaptation of Frankenstein, appeared on the stage as well, standing out like a sore thumb dressed in 19th-century garb. That one landed me a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Then there was Charlie Stone, the tall, dark, and handsome gentleman next door who actually did get the girl this time in a romantic comedy I’d played in. Don’t confuse that flattering description of myself with me being conceited; my makeup artist did wonders for me in that role, I remember. God, I secretly cringe looking back on it, though I’d never mention a word of it in interviews.
Cliff Potter, the passionate and eager-to-please high school teacher with a chip on his shoulder, did everything in his power to prove to his inner-city students the importance of a good education to get far in this life. Ugh, not one of my proudest works - another to add to the bad trend of ‘white savior’ flicks from the 90s.
As the perspective shifted through the line of the various roles I’d played over the years, like a physical timeline of my portfolio reflected before me, I began to notice the main one who stood center stage, not talking to anyone. Instead, his eyes stared off aimlessly into the empty crowd.
It was one of the more recent roles I’d played, just after the one that landed me my first Oscar. Jonathan Mayfield, a good family man, loyal husband, caring father role I nabbed in ABC’s latest sitcom, Joop’s Boulevard, a complete reverse from the role I’d played prior…
I tried to make out the words that were being said amongst the crowd of duplicates of myself, but to no avail. You know how dreams are; nothing makes sense at all while everything also does at the same time, in the moment, at least. It’s not until you wake up and realize how nonsensical everything is. Words and text appear impossible to decipher in dreams, and hearing things with your left and right brain sometimes proved no different.
Though, as I concentrated harder, I began to notice that the volume that they were all speaking at began to descend, until, eventually, they each came down to a subtle whisper to the variant next to them. Just going off of my judge of character, though I still couldn’t make out their words, they seemed to be whispering out of means to keep some sort of secret, as if they didn’t want to be heard. Everyone but Jonathan, that is, who remained as frozen and rooted to the ground as a tree, staring off blankly into the distance.
Then the ‘camera’ began to pan more toward his direction, and soon began closing in on his face. Even though my physical body wasn’t present in this very scene, from some abstract dimension, I suppose, a sensation from within my gut grew a nervous itch. Something was off about Jonathan’s eyes. They were mine, of course, with my actor body serving as the canvas that played him, but his lifeless eyes, as I perceived them, weren’t actually lifeless at all. Something lay just beyond the windows of his sockets.
He was afraid. Of what, I didn’t know, and that, in turn, made me just as anxious…
In the frame of the dream currently presented by the ‘camera,’ Jonathan then remained the only center focus of attention, his paralyzed, panic-filled eyes serving as a close-up shot. It’s almost as if he was staring at me face-to-face, making me more uneasy. And at once, the whispering amongst the eleven other clones of myself stopped altogether, and dead silence remained.
I could feel my heartbeat rapidly climb from that imaginary place where my body would’ve otherwise stood, and slowly, as the ‘camera’ panned into an over-the-shoulder shot in reference to Jonathan, I suddenly discovered the source of fear shared by him and the rest.
Behind him stood the character I chose to shut the door on and never look back a little over a year ago now, the one who, even in my dreams, still came knocking even after all this time. The Oscar winner himself…
He stood parallel behind Jonathan, glaring malevolently at him, but Jonathan remained to stare forward, trembling, as if he knew turning his head would end for him the same way it did the Greeks who looked Medusa in the eye.
I woke from the dream immediately after that with a sort of survivor’s relief, as if doing so saved Jonathan’s life. Ridiculous, I know, but as I said before, you know how dreams can be…
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Chateau Marmont
The following afternoon, we wrapped up shooting for the day for the new and upcoming police detective role I was currently starring in as the lead, and I was now leaving the studio lot to meet Patrice for lunch at the Chateau Marmont, our usual lunch date spot. She had ordered her usual caesar salad with a side of just berries (said she was trying to watch her weight, which I thought was ridiculous; she looked fine) and I got the charcuterie board with a side of hummus and fries.
Patrice liked to make fun of the way I took it upon myself to remove pieces of crackers and cheese of the sort that overlapped each other and placed them at their own corners of the plate. I’m one of those types; I just didn’t like things on my plate touching each other.
Some moments passed of us picking out our meals before she started with her opening question.
“How’s shooting going?” she asked, taking a bite out of her salad.
I nodded, as I was still chewing my own food before scarfing it down and answering, “Good. I think this season’s gonna be really good this time around.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m sure the ABC execs could use the pull. Not everyone’s fully gotten on board with moving everything over to streaming, it seems like.”
“It’s streaming,” I affirmed.
“I know, but you know how stubborn a lot of the oldheads are with understanding that the days of episodic, weekly releases are kind of a thing of the past. Everyone wants to binge nowadays.”
“Mmm, I don’t know. I think there’s some sort of strategy to doing weekly releases over dumping everything at once still,” I added. “I mean, think about it, you binge a whole 13, 22-episode season at once in, like, one or two days, and then now you’re craving more and you have to wait a whole entire before the next one is released, versus if you release then weekly throughout the season, it gives more time for people to talk about it, bringing in more viewership and buzz, and then before you know it, hey, season two is out before winter.”
Patrice concurred with a nod. “Touche. Maybe you can sit in with me at some of these exec meetings back at Universal; they could learn a thing or two from you.”
Patrice was only five years my junior, but if you ask me, leagues ahead of me in the game. I’d been acting since I was a child and got my first break when I was a still pretty much a kid at the age of 15, but ever since she sealed her first contract with CBS to direct an episode of Jordan Peele’s 2019 revamp of The Twilight Zone, she’s been a trailblazer amongst her peers, defying the odds that a woman can still make it in this business well past her prime. She’s long paid her dues jumping through hoops, from running miscellaneous (and at times downright demanding) errands as an on-set PA, then onto 2nd Assistant Director, followed by 1st Assistant Director, before finally landing her big break. The rest is history; she runs her own production company now after her first Primetime Emmy win, and is now in talks to direct and produce the next big project in collaboration with Monkey Paw, A24, as well as Blumhouse. To say I was proud of her was an understatement. She didn’t need my approval.
She then changed the subject.
“So, when I woke up this morning, I found a nice little note left on the kitchen island after you left,” she spoke in a playful inflection, as though it were an inside joke of some kind.
I furrowed my brows. “What note?” I asked honestly.
She smirked suspiciously, like a parent questioning a guilty child.
“Oh, it’s like that, huh?” she teased.
“Uh, sorry, hon, I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” I insisted.
She shook her head. “You’re not gonna give me anything, huh?”
“Give you what?”
“You’re acting skills may fool the rest of the world, but you can’t fool me.”
She then pulled out a small folded piece of paper from the breast pocket of her blazer, which I assumed was the note she was referring to. She held it up momentarily for emphasis before opening it up and revealing what was inscribed.
“‘Til death deliver us from evil, dear Sadie,” she read the words aloud, sending slight shivers down my spine.
A nervous chuckle escaped me, as I didn’t have a clue as to where the note came from, though there seemed to be no other suspect at the moment. She and I were the only ones who lived in that big house, and Teresa, our cleaning lady, only stopped by once every two weeks, and this week wasn’t her turn.
“Hey, tell you what, I won’t spoil any ‘possible’ upcoming surprises for our… you know,” Patrice said.
I did know exactly what she was referring to. Our 7th anniversary was just two weeks away, and no, I didn’t forget. But this wasn’t part of any elaborate scheme leading up to a big surprise. That wasn’t what I had planned, anyways.
“Patty, I’m sorry, honey, I seriously don’t know-”
“Gosh, you thespians sure know how to commit to a role, don’t you?” she leaned back in her seat, hands clasped, still attempting to fish it out of me - to which ‘it,’ I still wasn’t sure of.
“You said you found it on the kitchen table this morning?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
I took a closer look at the words, particularly the handwriting. It wasn’t in the way that I wrote.
“That’s not even my handwriting,” I noted.
“Oh yeah, I’m quite aware of your dedication skills to playing the part - believe me, I know,” she egged on.
I stammered at what to say next, but nothing came out.
“Like I said, I won’t spoil the fun. I’ll just play along and see where this leads me to,” she continued. “Besides, who said I maybe didn’t have a little surprise of my own?”
She sipped her sparkling lemon water as my eyes somehow got transfixed on the endless bubbles fluttering to the top of the glass.
“‘Til death deliver us from evil, dear Sadie?” I repeated the words.
It was the most quoted, repeated, and arguably recognized line from modern-day cinema taken from the last picture that cemented my status as an Academy Award winner. It was as famous a line as “Good evening, Clarice” or “May the Force be with you.”
“I’ve tried not to even think about that script since…” I began, then faltered.
Patrice grew quieter as well, dancing her fork between her salad.
“I know,” she spoke in a low voice. “Me neither. That’s why I was… intrigued, is all. Hopefully, it doesn’t in damage control or anything like that,” she dryly humored.
After taking a bite from her fork, she looked up and noticed the solemn demeanor on my face, and quickly reverted herself.
“I was just kidding, babe,” she tried to soothe.
I took in a quick, deep breath and looked down to notice I’d barely touched my food.
“You know how I feel about that role,” I said almost in a whisper.
Patrice nodded earnestly. “I’m sorry. That was… insensitive of me. Trust and believe, I didn’t forget.”
All I could remember, on the other hand, from last night was that disturbing, trippy-ass dream. I never experienced anything like it. I just said I hadn’t thought of that role since then, and yet, he showed up at my subconscious door last night, clear as day, as true as the sky is blue…
“I think I might need to pay Cromwell a visit,” I suggested.
“Cromwell? Why?”
“I think I might be sleepwalking.”
“Um, what makes you think that? You’ve never sleepwalked before. Right? Well, at least as long as I’ve known you.”
“No, I haven’t, but I remember my mother saying that my dad used to do it years ago from time to time. Not too often, just once in a blue moon, but it did happen, so I know it runs in the family. I’ve been told it’s genetic.”
“Do you think it can happen this late in your age?”
“It’s possible. It’s the only other explanation I can think of as to how that got there.”
I could tell Patrice wanted to prod again with another playful tease at the notion that I was bluffing but could perceive her noticeably restraining herself.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
“So, how’s the production going?” Dr. Cromwell asked, taking a seat in the chair across from mine.
“Well,” I nodded. “Very well.”
“That’s very good to hear.”
His cheerful, gravelly, booming voice was filtered throughout his old age, and I always found his grey mustache to be a suitable accessory to his facial features. Patrice jokingly referred to him as the ‘real-life Pringles man.’
“My wife and I finally got through season one just the other week,” he continued, “after we finally had some time to ourselves to relax finally, and I gotta say, you might be my new favorite TV dad, Ace.”
I smiled and forced a flattered chuckle. “Aww, you’re too kind, Kirk.”
“Well, I think the day I become ‘too kind’ might be the day my field of profession is a little too oversaturated,” he joked. “So tell me, what’s on your mind? I know since the last time we spoke, we were at a different place, but it seems that things have improved since then, which is wonderful, but I’ll go ahead and stop speaking and let you have the floor, yeah?”
I inhaled and exhaled.
“Well, like you mentioned, things have been a lot better since last year. I, uh, haven’t had a drink in six months, so that’s something.”
“Good,” Cromwell uttered. “Is that something you’ve been managing well? Are you happy with staying sober?”
“Much happier,” I affirmed. “I haven’t had a taste for a beer, wine, anything since…”
My mind began to trail off to last night’s vision of terror. The menacing figure looming over Jonathan flashed in my mind.
“... Yeah, since then,” I finished.
“That’s great, Ace,” Cromwell said. “That’s really great. Glad to hear things are going well for you.”
“Mmm, well, almost perfectly well.”
A short laugh escaped Cromwell. “I guess I suppose you wouldn’t be here today if things were, am I right?”
“Yeah… just a forewarning, it’s nothing bad, really. At least, nothing at this level, I should say.”
Cromwell’s lips furrowed in a curious study.
“I… think I sleepwalked last night,” I confessed in a low tone as if I had just admitted to wetting the bed. “As far as I know, I’ve never done it before. I mean, Patrice claims I never have, but I do know it runs in the family. My father used to do it once in a while, years before he passed, per my mother.”
“Hmm,” Cromwell uttered. “What made you come to that conclusion? That you sleepwalked?”
“Well, yesterday, Patrice and I had lunch, and she pulled out a note that she said I left on the kitchen island either the night before or maybe the next morning - whenever. I have it right here, actually.”
I pulled out the note and handed it to him to see for himself.
“Recognize the words?” I asked.
Doc’s eyes danced left and right in succession as they studied the paper.
“‘Til death deliver us from evil, dear Sadie,” Cromwell repeated the words. “If I didn’t know any better, that’s a quote from The Eight Ball, isn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s right.”
“Congratulations on your Oscar win, by the way.”
I hesitated a moment before responding with, “Thank you.”
“But uh… I’m sure you’re not just here to gloat about your recent career boost to me now, are you?” Cromwell candidly confirmed.
“... No,” I answered sincerely. “To be honest, Kirk, I know it sounds a little ungrateful to say, but I’m not proud of my win. Everyone around me praises me for my work, applauds me for my performance, saying I absolutely, without a doubt, deserved it, but the truth is…”
I trailed off, noticing Cromwell’s understanding visage, knowing good well why I felt the way I did.
“... Well, you remember how I was last year,” I stated, to which Cromwell concurred with a single nod. “The heavy amounts of drinking, the bad financial decisions I made, the random violent outbursts…”
I shook my head at every word that carried with my voice, ashamed of each action I’d made in the past year following the departure from the role.
“I swore to myself,” I continued, “swore to Patrice, that I’d never take it that far ever again for any role that comes my way from here on out. I will never commit myself that much to a character like that again. Any character.”
Cromwell squiggled his notes on a piece of paper.
“I’m going to assume that,” Cromwell held up the note, “that based on this note, and based on what you’ve told me today, you believe this is what you wrote when you slept-walked - excuse me, sleepwalked - last night, something in relation to the character you played in that film? The same film that nabbed you the Academy Award, must be still haunting you? Is that correct for me to assume, Ace?”
My face stared off at the ground at Cromwell’s feet, I’d imagine in the same pose I’d seen Jonathan replicating in the dream. And as with the dream, from some unseen dimension, I could feel the presence of some malevolent figure looming over me, with me oblivious to his company.
I simply nodded as an answer, as if speaking might set off an internal alarm of dreadful pandemonium.
A moment of silence passed before I finally had the courage to speak again, clearing my throat.
“If you notice, too,” I added, “from my pre-screening sheet when I signed in at the desk, you’ll notice my handwriting on their compared to the handwriting on the note aren’t even the same. I know that because when I took on the role of… him, I adapted a new one to better immerse myself.”
I followed Doc’s eyes again, noticing them shift left and right from both sheets of paper, as his head nodded in confirmation.
“Yeah, it does look like two different people wrote these,” Cromwell said. “Ace, last night, when you believed to have been sleepwalking, as you claim, do you recall having any dreams of some sort?” Cromwell finally asked. I was expecting it.
“Yes,” I whispered. “He was there.”
“Who was?”
That face… that face burned into my brain. A glare that could make the Devil himself flench.
“Geb Oleander,” I hissed his name, like spouting venom from a snake. “The character I played.”
“Mmm,” Cromwell nodded. “And why do you think Geb would show up in your dream last night? Has he been on your mind lately?”
I shook my head. “No, no he hasn’t,” I answered quickly. “He’s the last thing I’d want on my mind. And I’m not sure why he popped up in my dream, or nightmare, I should call it.”
“Describe the dream to me - if you feel comfortable, of course.”
Maybe talking it out with someone was just what I needed to shake the feeling off. After all, that’s what Kirk was here for.
I described in as great of detail as I could recollect, from how the perspective of the dream seemed equivalent to treading along a dolly camera system, and how it felt like I was floating rather than walking, to the numerous duplicate versions of myself in the different roles I’d played over the years lined up on stage mingling, and of course, the terrifying transition of the dream into a nightmare as the camera closed in on the Jonathan alter ego-version of myself, petrified as a prey locking eyes with its predator.
“I haven’t thought about him in over a year, and there he was, as if he was just, you know, taunting me,” I spoke. “Almost like a reminder, you know? Like, he was saying, ‘I’m still here.’”
I don’t think I realized it at that moment, but my voice had changed to his when I said the words, and with a shuddered recoil, quickly brought myself back.
The doc’s left hand scribbled across the paper in various loops and directions, which I assumed was legible to him and only him.
“Ace, correct me if I’m wrong, but the current part you’re playing right now - that you’re currently shooting - is a detective role, yes?” Cromwell asked.
“Yes,” I nodded.
“This is a new sort of part for you, isn’t it?”
I tilted my head left and right in a so-so way. “I’ve played similar personality types in the past, but this is my first actual role as a cop, yes.”
“So you’ve been fulfilling this new role as a police detective, a very competent one at his job, I’d assume, and you’re now having visions and nightmares of a previous role you played as a serial killer returning in your sleep… can you guess where I might be going with this?”
It wasn’t that hard to put two and two together. I think Kirk sometimes forgets that part of my job as an actor is to be a part-time psychologist in order to get in the heads of each character I play. No offense to him.
“You think the archetype of the detective is in a tug-a-war within my subconscious against that of the serial killer?” I presumed to be the correct answer.
Cromwell nodded, then raised his hand in preparation for possible blowback, “It’s all right, you can say it.”
I let out a brief sigh. “I know it’s your job to analyze down to the barest bone, but don’t you think that might be a bit of a reach, Doc?”
“Ace, wouldn’t you agree cutting a patient down to the barest bone to discover an ailment can be quite unnecessary when all they came in with was a bad cough?” Cromwell remarked.
As funny as it sounded, I suppose he had a point.
He continued, “Sometimes, the simplest answer is just that. Our brains hide everything from us while at the same time leaving behind its messy footprints for all of us to see. You being the actor that you are of your caliber, I’d imagine, are putting in all this work, all this research, studying this new character you’ve taken on from top to bottom, reshaping your mind into that of an actual detective - this is simultaneously coinciding with the previous role that you did as the complete opposite, whether your consciousness chooses to recognize it or not. I can see it clear as day. You soon start to realize that our different personalities within us aren’t just separate pieces of a puzzle, but instead they all bleed into each other. A baked pie had to be whole before it got sliced into pieces, it didn’t just become that way to start. Now, am I one-hundred percent confident that I’m right on that theory? Of course not. Everything is subject to be questioned and further analyzed like anything else, and me being an expert doesn’t make me the expert. However, the last thing I want for you is to overthink and overanalyze a problem that’s already proving to be somewhat stressful for you. For the sake of simplicity, for now, let’s just say things are exactly as they appear, yeah?”
At the end of the session, after some time chit-chatting and discussing more trivial matters, Cromwell slipped me his own special doctor’s note for reference in case the studio execs or producers needed it.
“I’m gonna prescribe you some Trazadone,” Cromwell said. “We’ll start you at a low dose of 25 mg, and if need be, we can increase the dosage if your quality of sleep doesn’t improve. It should help lower the chances of any potential sleepwalking in the future. I also recommend asking Patrice to keep tabs on you as well, see if she notices any unusual sleep patterns from you or, of course, if you commit the naughty deed, of you sleepwalk again.”
He smiled to add a pinch of humor at the end to always try and end on a positive note, putting up his finger like a parent politely correcting their child, and I appreciated his warm goodwill. I was to have a follow-up appointment with him again three weeks from now for an update.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After picking up my Trazadone prescription from the pharmacy, I was exiting the hospital lobby when suddenly a high, cheery female voice called out my name.
“Ace!” the voice called.
I jerked my head, always expecting the 50/50 chance of an unexpected fan encounter, then was met with delightful surprise to see my old co-star.
“Mandy,” I grinned as I made my way over to her for a hug.
We briefly embraced, as we hadn’t seen each other in a little over eight months since we wrapped up shooting on The Eight Ball, and a firsthand, up-close witness to my elaborate performance as the notorious Geb Oleander. She did reach out to me much later than that, actually, after news broke out - thanks to TMZ, yours truly - that I went into rehab, showing her support and that if Patrice and I ever needed anything she’d be there.
“How’ve you been?” she began. “You and Patrice getting by well?”
“Yeah, we’re great, Patrice is doing wonderful. I mean, can’t even begin to scratch the surface,” I said forcing a chuckle.
“Oh, that’s so good to hear… and you? How’ve things been? I know since we last spoke, things were kinda…”
She didn’t have to finish, as I knew exactly what she was about to say.
“I’m doing much better, thanks,” I assured her. “Much, much better.”
“That’s great, Ace. Seriously, I’m happy for you - happy for you both.”
“Thanks, Mandy. You look great, by the way. I’m digging the blonde on you.”
She blushingly scoffed. “Aww, you like it? Thought I’d switch things up, ya know? Gotta reinvent yourself every once in a while. You’re not looking too bad yourself, these days. TJ and I’ve been watching Joop’s Boulevard almost every week, when we have time, that is, and we both just adore you as Jonathan on the show.”
I coyly smirked to the side. “Aww, thanks,” I appreciated. “I see you’re making big moves yourself. Hear you’re in talks with signing a deal with Disney for an upcoming Marvel project?”
“Mmm,” Mandy playfully grinned, looking to the side. “I’ll just say, it’s ‘in the talks’ still.”
“Nice. I have no doubt they’ll find a good fit for you. Patrice is more of the geek with that stuff, so I’m sure she could give you some pointers.”
She laughed. “Well, Ace, I’d love to stay and chat some more, but I got a meeting to get to in like” - she looked at her smartwatch - “yikes, fifteen minutes.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course, no worries, we’ll catch up,” I let her on her way.
We were both just leaving the hospital and on our way out, and I held the door open for her as we both exited the building. She pulled out her Ray Bans and slipped them over her eyes as the bright LA sun stunned us both in the face.
“But hey,” Mandy said, “send me a text later and we should all plan to get together and have dinner or something, yeah? TJ and I, you and Patrice? We’ll make it a double date.”
“Absolutely, that sounds good to me. I’ll catch ya later, Mandy.”
“It was good seeing you, Ace!” she smiled and waved as she walked in the opposite direction of the parking lot to her car.
“You too…” I almost forgot to say back.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I made it all the way back to my Jeep Grand Cherokee (Patrice gifted it to me for my 47th birthday last year) and after taking a seat behind the wheel and shutting the door, stared at the orange bottle of pills I’d just been given. My eyes, for some reason, got fixated on seeing my name in capitalized print across the label, then to my date of birth.
When I looked up at the rows of cars lined up across from me, I could still see Mandy making her way to her car, reaching in her purse for her keys, strolling carelessly by in her flowy dress, and her dyed blonde hair dancing in the wind. She was a natural brunette, I remembered, and the only other time she dyed it blonde, from as long as I’ve known her, was when she starred alongside me in The Eight Ball…
Then, a strange phenomenon began to occur. Recalling the events, it was hard to say specifically when each moment overtook me, but by a weird flash, not of light, but brief black-tinted shades of vision, overlapped my eyes, like the switching shutter of a vintage projector, and my brain grew foggier with each passing second. It was like slowly noticing and growing more cognizant of upcoming inebriation, though, I hadn’t had a drink in a little over a year. I was afraid of passing out, but in a moment’s notice, it was suddenly over just as soon as it started, or so it seemed.
Some beats had passed before realizing that my eyes had followed Mandy all the way from her stroll in the parking lot all the way to her car. I’d been staring at her for way too long, I thought. But it was only just that - a thought. I’d compare another time to this sensation almost like when I used to get ‘runner’s high’ when I used to do long-distance running, but it felt as though me, myself, were taking a seat behind the wheel of my conscious, and the rest of my body started driving on autopilot. I suppose that explains why I didn’t take notice of me tossing out the bottle of Trazadone on the overpass not too long after.
Again, it’s hard to say how long the entire thing lasted, but at some point, I made it back home to Patrice in time for dinner that evening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
She was in her study, as usual, typing profusely on her desktop, answering and sending emails back-to-back, with a cup of hot tea on the side.
“Hey, hon,” she greeted.
“Hey.”
“How’d it go?”
“How’d what go?”
“Your appointment with Cromwell?”
“Oh… yeah, it went well.”
“So, what’d he say?”
“Um, he, uh… prescribed me some Trazadone. Said it would help with the sleepwalking. If that’s what it is.”
“Okay, well that’s a good start. When’s your follow-up?”
“Three weeks from now.”
She nodded, then her eyes furrowed at the sight of what I assumed was my attire.
“Did you have that on when you left this morning?” she questioned.
“What do you mean?” I sounded puzzled.
She shrugged. “I coulda sworn you threw on your teal blazer and slacks when you left this morning, not your jeans and leather jacket.”
“It’s just blue, baby.”
“No, it’s teal.”
I scoffed. “You like the blazer better?”
“You look good to me in either one, handsome.”
She shot me a devious smirk, and I shot back a playful wink.
“Let me go grab my pills out of the car, I think I left them.”
“Okay.”
When I got to the car to check, however, I began to wonder just where the hell I put them. Losing little things like keys or cards were normal for me, and Patrice often had fail safes in place for me in the event of it happening, but strangely, I found the brown bag that I’d pulled the bottle out of, but not the bottle.
Recounting my steps, the last thing I could honestly recall was getting in the car after leaving the hospital, and staring at the prescription bottle, confirming that I did indeed pull it out from the bag. All just after I got done talking to Mandy…
I checked under all of the seats to see if it rolled under, but found nothing. Then I checked the trunk, to which there was still no orange bottle, but something else unusual caught my attention. An ever-so-slight hint of greenish-blue glistened in the sunlight over me barely sticking out from the cargo floor, stuffed in the spare wheel tub.
Then Patrice’s voice naggingly echoed in my brain, “It’s teal.”
I lifted the compartment, and there it was. My ‘teal’ blazer and gray slacks, both crunched and sloppily bundled up atop the spare tire. Damn, I just took that to get dry-cleaned last week, too. And then I noticed another color jumbled across the solid tints of teal and gray.
Splatters of newly-dried crimson…
Is that why I changed? Was I bleeding earlier? Surely, I would’ve remembered that…
I went back into the house to meet Patrice in the study.
“Honey, I’m gonna have to drive back to the hospital, I can’t find my-”
When I made it to the doorway, I noticed she wasn’t there. But this time I could hear the TV was turned on, with the volume echoing throughout the house with how loud Patrice must’ve had it. I met her in the living room and saw her standing in front of the screen with her hand clasped over her mouth, eyes liquidated in horror and dread.
“What is it, honey?” I stood next to her.
She said nothing, just stared at the news ahead, and I soon did the same.
Breaking news reported that Mandy Shoemaker, who I’d just seen not too long ago, was found stabbed to death in her home. Her husband, TJ, also a friend to Patrice and I, wasn’t home at the time, and unfortunately had to be the one to find her desolate body sprawled on the living room floor.
Patrice sniffled, and I put my arm around her for comfort.
The news anchor spoke, “It’s still unknown at this time of any prime suspects and as to a motive for the horrific murder of Mrs. Shoemaker, but police have shared a disturbing finding at the crime scene that we presume was left behind by the perpetrator. We do want to warn folks sitting at home or at work, viewer discretion is advised.”
They proceeded to show a partially blurred photo of Mandy’s lifeless body, revealing barely legible blurred letters carved into her torso by the sick fuck. He left behind a message? God…
The news anchors translated the words for us in fine print, as they didn’t want to show the actual photo taken at the crime scene for obvious reasons. When I read what was inscribed into her skin, I felt nauseous, taking my arm from around Patrice.
“‘Til death deliver us from evil, dear Sadie.”
Then I just blankly stared at the screen, and realized I was standing there just as Jonathan was in the nightmare. I could feel his presence looming over me, somewhere in an unseen dimension, his glaring, hellish eyes jeering at me.
Geb Oleander was back, and it seemed he had some unfinished business with me…