Karen is from Illinois. She followed the American dream west to make her future. In Peoria, she was beautiful, young and tan and everybody knew she would be a star. But now her empty stomach reminds her that home was a lifetime ago.
Karen spends her days on casting couches and nights trying to stand out against the crowd of young and tan Midwestern girls.
Billy lives in a mansion on the hill. He has money and connections. Karen gives Billy everything he dreams of. Billy gives Karen enough cash for a burger and another day’s chance of being discovered.
The young boy was impatiently running ahead. Lagging behind him, the elderly couple held hands and constantly stopped to take in the sites. They would read the signs and take pictures and discuss what they each were seeing. Growing frustrated, the boy eventually stopped and turned to them and said, “We need to go faster Papa and Gramma or we won’t get to see everything.” The old man turned to his wife and smiled. “He will learn someday that by slowing down, the quality of the places we do see is much more rewarding than how many places we see.”
Jerry Brotherton 