Leftovers: A Novel (21 page)

Vivian and Babs had reservations in the famous Bar Room whose walls and ceiling were adorned with toys and sports paraphernalia donated by famous patrons. When they walked in, all eyes turned to them as diners quickly started whispering to one another. It may have been because Vivian was wearing a gorgeous rose-colored dress with matching peplum jacket designed by Lilli Ann. It clung to her narrow waist and then flared out dramatically at her hips. Or maybe it was because Babs squeezed into Brownie’s Chanel suit and accessorized with an oversized pair of dark sunglasses, which she never took off.

As soon as they sat down, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne was brought to their table with a note from Brownie and the Tupperware Company, thanking Vivian for all her hard work.

When the waiter came to take their order, the only thing Babs asked for was a bowl of consume and a side of cigarettes.

Vivian looked at her. “Talk about a liquid dinner.”

“Hey, I’m thirsty. I’ve been driving a porcelain bus all day.” Babs pointed to the plate of food in front of Vivian. “Besides, you’re eating for both of us.”

“I’m actually starving.” Vivian had ordered the filet mignon and Lyonnaise potatoes and managed to scoff down every bit of it.

“So, dahling,” Babs said in her best Tallulah Bankhead voice, “how was your day?”

“I’m not certain. I couldn’t get a read on the director. I had to do so many takes today to get it right.”

“Brownie implied they all liked it.”

“We’ll see.”

Babs looked around the room. “Hey, look at all the attention we’re getting. Isn’t this grand? They all think we’re somebody.”

“Yeah, but who?”

They both giggled as they toasted with another glass of champagne.

After dinner the girls hopped into a cab and headed down to the Empire State building and zoomed up to the 102nd floor observatory where for dessert they feasted on a 365-degree view of the New York City skyline.

“It’s simply breathtaking, isn’t it?” Vivian whispered.

“Yes, he is,” Babs said out of the corner of her mouth as she drooled looking at the gorgeous man standing next to them.

“I’m going to have to put a muzzle on you.”

“Ruff! Ruff!” Babs barked.

•  •  •

During the next two months Vivian kept up a hectic schedule of throwing parties and training new dealers. The commercial was finally going to premiere during an episode of
Make Room For Daddy.
The top public relations executives, including Brownie, were so pleased with the end result and Vivian’s performance that they launched her into a huge print campaign for the company. Jockeying her back and forth between Abbot and New York and occasionally off to the burbs for a location shoot, Vivian was already appearing in newspapers, magazines and roadside signs as
the
Tupperware lady.

The night of the commercial’s airing, Gloria and Debbie came over to Babs’ house to share in the excitement.
Make Room For Daddy
was almost three-quarters of the way through and Vivian, who was sitting next to Stew on the sofa, had to remind herself to breathe, she was so terrified. The sound was off on the television set as everyone waited anxiously.

“Vivian,” Debbie exclaimed, “did you see the billboard out on Route 1?”

Gloria stretched her arms out wide. “You’re bigger than life!”

“It makes me look fat, doesn’t it?” Vivian asked.

Stew looked at her like she was crazy. “Hardly!”

Babs hollered from the kitchen. “Is it coming on soon?”

“It has to be,” Debbie said looking at her watch. “The show’s almost over.”

Vivian started fanning herself. “Is it hot in here? I’m so nervous.”

Stew awkwardly put his arm around Vivian and hugged her. “You know, Viv,” he struggled with his words, “I really miss . . . you . . . when you go off to do the promo stuff and . . . ”

Vivian skirted the awkward moment and looked at everyone in the room. “I miss all of you too.”

Babs came running in with a bowl full of popcorn and sat down next to Vivian.

Gloria pointed to the television. “This must be it!”

Stew jumped to his feet and turned up the volume.

As the sitcom faded to black they heard a full orchestra begin to play and then Vivian appeared on screen. The girls in Babs’ living room squealed as they saw her wearing a simple but stunning Jonathan Logan cobalt blue shirtdress cinched at the waist. She had on a short strand of pearls and white kid gloves as she took a stack of Tupperware bowls out of the backseat of her car.

She paused and smiled at the camera, so natural-like. “Hi there. My name is Vivian Lawson and I’m a Tupperware lady.”

Everyone screamed again as Stew flung his hands. “Shush!”

The camera followed Vivian up the walkway to the front door of the house in Short Hills.

“This is my friend Pat’s house and things are popping inside. Why don’t you come in and join the party?” Vivian motioned us to follow her.

They cut to Pat’s living room where 15 women, some seated, some standing and others looking at a display of Tupperware products on a table were all chatting with each other and smiling.

Vivian joined the group of women admiring the Tupperware as she voiced over the commercial.

“The girls love getting together to meet old friends and make some new ones.”

The commercial cut to Vivian standing before all of them while holding up a Tupperware bowl in one hand and the lid in the other.

“Then I give a demonstration.”

She gracefully put the lid onto the bowl.

“Watch me show them how to use the patented Tupperware seal. See, you put the lid on tight then press down the center and lift the seal a bit on one side.”

Vivian did so and they heard a whoosh sound.

“Hear that? That’s Tupperware’s airtight promise to lock in flavor and lock out air.”

They cut to Pat’s kitchen where Vivian pointed to a bowl of lettuce. She picked up a leaf and snapped it in half.

“So salads keep their crunch.”

She jiggled a bowl.

“And gelatin keeps its jiggle.”

She picked up a pitcher full of water.

“Since Tupperware can’t spill or leak . . . ”

Vivian turned the pitcher upside down.

“You can store it any which way in your freezer or refrigerator.”

They showed Vivian slipping a bowl sideways into a stocked freezer full of Tupperware.

The next scene, Vivian walked into Pat’s living room and spoke directly to the camera.

“Plan to attend or host a Tupperware party soon.”

She held up a copy of the Yellow Pages and pointed to a Tupperware ad.

“Just look us up, under plastics.”

With all of the female extras smiling behind her, Vivian held up a small wrapped present next to her face.

“And don’t forget, every hostess receives a valuable gift from,” and she paused for a brief second, “Tupperware.”

All of the women converged around Vivian as they chattered away, admiring the Tupperware. The music swelled to a finish and the commercial faded to black.

Everyone in Babs’ living room cheered.

“Does my voice really sound like that?” Vivian asked.

They all laughed and congratulated her as the phone rang. Vivian jumped to her feet. “I’ll get it.”

“I bet it’s Hollywood calling!” Babs exclaimed as Vivian went into the kitchen.

She turned back and looked at her. “Oh, stop it.”

“Hello?” she said as she picked up the extension.

Vivian turned away from the group as she heard the person’s voice on the other end, just as the doorbell rang.

Babs ran to the door, opened it and standing there was a burly United Parcels Service man.

“Delivery for a Miss Vivian Lawson.”

“Vivian, Santa’s here,” Babs shouted as Stew, Debbie and Gloria dashed outside to see what it was.

Babs held back, catching a glimpse of Vivian’s face. She looked so pale, she wondered if she were speaking to a ghost.

“How did you know I was here?” Vivian asked in a serious tone. She saw Babs watching her and waved her to go outside.

Babs joined the others as the UPS man unloaded a large box onto a hand truck.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Just a brand new color TV,” Gloria said, nonchalantly.

They all laughed as Babs opened the garage door. In there was a boxed refrigerator, a washing machine and dryer and a large record player and radio console squeezed in beside Vivian’s Chevrolet convertible.

Babs gestured to the far corner. “Maybe you can stuff it in there next to the rest of the loot.”

Vivian slowly came out of the house and made her way over to Babs’ side.

“Viv, who was that?”

She had trouble even saying his name. “Paul. He congratulated me on the commercial and . . . ”

“And what?”

“He wants to see me.”

“Well, you’re not going to.”

“No,” Vivian said, unconvincingly.

“Vivian!”

“Of course not.”

The deliveryman grabbed his clipboard with the paperwork. “I just need the lady’s Jane Hancock.”

Stew gestured to Vivian. “She’s the one right over . . . ”

He cut him off. “I know which one is Miss Lawson.”

He handed her the clipboard and as she signed it he pulled out another piece of paper. “Miss Lawson,” he asked sounding like a shy kid about to ask for his first kiss, “any chance you could sign this too?” Vivian looked puzzled. “If my wife found out I met you and I didn’t get your autograph I’d be sleeping on the couch for the next year.”

Everyone laughed as Vivian took the paper and pen. “Of course, what’s her name?”

“Carolyn.”

This was Vivian’s first time ever doing this so she had to really think about what to write. “Dear Carolyn, Wishes do come true! All the best, Vivian Lawson.”

She handed it back to him and he hopped back into his truck.

“Thanks a million!” he hollered as he drove off.

Vivian waved. “No, thank you!”

Debbie grabbed Vivian by the shoulders. “You’re famous now!”

Gloria pointed to all the boxes and the car in the garage. “With
everything
you could ever wish for.”

Vivian laughed. “Everything except a house to put it in.”

Vivian’s schedule became even more exciting but hectic in the weeks that followed. The Tupperware commercial was such a huge success that the corporation signed her to a three-year contract. Of course Brownie would continue to be the corporate face of the plastics company but Vivian would be the media spokeswoman. Receiving a salary of $30,000 per year, Vivian would also take home any monies made from creative bookings. Her commercial was airing nationally all the time and bringing in huge residuals. She was also paid extra for the print modeling and radio advertisements she did for the company.

Plus, she didn’t quit her day job. She had created a small army of Tupperware dealers who were working beneath her. Stew was actually running this end of the company, virtually single handedly. The occasional parties Vivian did find time to host were so popular that she had to move them to auditoriums to handle the crowds of people who not only wanted to buy the Tupperware and share in the fun but also meet Vivian in person.

When many looked at the timeline of events, they flippantly said her success happened overnight. But overnight? Hardly. Vivian had been paying her dues since she was born. It’s just that when the returns started coming in, they came in faster than anyone could have imagined. Vivian herself was the first to admit that none of this was or could have been planned or thought out. It was fate and a lot of hard work.

Getting up the nerve to stand in front of groups of strangers and figure out how to motivate them to buy product took brains, guts and determination. And from being invited to Jubilee to Brownie taking her under her wing and offering her the commercial to it being a tremendous success, Vivian had experienced synchronicity in its truest form.

Up until now it could still take an actor in Hollywood years to develop notoriety and a fan base. But with the advent of television the entire process was sped up. With over 10 million homes watching TV in 1955, a person could become a star overnight. And that’s exactly what happened to Vivian. She was now a household name and rolling in cash.

This meteoric rise would have been difficult to handle even for someone who already was a celebrity, someone used to the limelight and being paid handsomely for it. But for Vivian, this was obviously virgin territory hence there were bound to be some challenges for her along the way.

•  •  •

Babs watched Stew as he put his clothes into the bedroom dresser with a long face.

“Well, at least you’re getting your room back, Stew.”