didnât even realize he knew how to turn it on, let alone use it.
Turned out he didnât.
He glanced our way and grunted. âCassia, come and help me.â He gestured to the spot on the sofa next to him. âWe need a plan.â
I took a seat and took the laptop in hand. âA plan? For what?â
âI need to get on the internet and research advertising tips. Maybe come up with a slogan, a new way to promote the business. Something we can use in the commercial Iâm writing.â
Mama took a seat in the recliner on the opposite side of the living room, and against my better judgment, I focused on the laptop, scrolling from one site to another. We examined other restaurantsâ marketing strategies, but most seemed impractical for Super-Gyros. Too elaborate. Too costly.
One thing did seem doable, though, so I pointed it out. âIt seems like they all have celebrity endorsements.â I pointed at one site that featured a pro football player. âCustomers show up because they trust the word of the endorser.â
âExactly. Thatâs what we need.â Babbas leaned back against the sofa, his eyes narrowing. âSomeone big. A name that everyone recognizes.â
âWe donât know any famous football players,â I said. âOr basketball, for that matter. So weâll have to come at this from a different angle.â
âRight. The sports thing doesnât really work, anyway.â My father released a slow breath. âMaybe what we needâor who we needâis someone from Hollywood.â
âHollywood?â Mama and I spoke in unison.
âYes. Hollywood has produced all sorts of superheroes over the years. Superman. Spiderman. A million more. Why not use Hollywood to promote Super-Gyros? Itâs the perfect idea!â Babbas rubbed his hands together and his voice tookon a joyous tone. âIâve got it! The answer was right under our noses the whole time. We have connections.â
âWe do?â I asked.
âYes.â He looked at me, his eyes now gleaming. âYour cousin Athena knows people.â
âAthena?â My cousin might be an award-winning sitcom writer, but I doubted she would hand over the contact information for her Hollywood co-workers. No way.
âShe knows famous people because of her job,â Babbas said. âMaybe she could get whatâs-her-name from the sitcom to help us out. Whatâs that one ladyâs name again? The blonde? Or maybe that fellow who plays the part of her husband. He might be good. I could see him as a superhero, couldnât you?â
Babbas began to list others from the sitcom, but heâd lost me completely. I still couldnât get past the idea that he thought my cousin might be willing to connect us with these people.
âBrock Benson!â From across the room, Mamaâs voice roused me from my ponderings. âIf you want to get peopleâs attention, thatâs who you need. Brock Benson.â
âB-Brock Benson?â I quivered like gelatin as I spoke the name of my favorite TV and movie star. âHow would we get him here?â
âWe will call Athena and invite her to come to Texas for a visit.â Babbas stood and paced the room. âOnce she comes we will mentionâin a subtle way, of courseâthat we would like to meet with Brock to discuss a plan.â
Like my father had a subtle bone in his body.
âWhen he arrives we will show him the commercial idea and ask him to star in it.â
âSounds dreamy, but we canât pay him,â Mama said. âThatâsa problem. A big star like Brock Benson will expect to be paid a lot of money.â
âOf course we can pay him,â Babbas argued. âWeâll offer him a lifetime supply of sandwiches. No one in his right mind would turn that down.â
âBut if heâs friends with Athena, then he probably gets all of the gyros he wants
Morag Joss
Sally O'Brien
Jessica Fletcher
Stephanie Rowe
James Hadley Chase
Humans (v1.1)
Lola Carson
Sherry Gammon
Sam Crescent
Kit Tunstall, R.E. Saxton