The Deadliest Cast Member - Disneyland Interactive Thriller Series - EPISODE FOUR (Jack Duncan) (SEASON ONE) (4 page)

“I seem to recall you bailing Jack out of all kinds of different situations.” Stan said to Kendall as he grabbed Jack’s muscular arm, “You were skinny as a rail back then, not an ounce of muscle on you. If you didn’t have Kendall watching over you, I don’t know if you would’ve made it.”

Jack smiled and looked up at Kendall, “You were a giant even as a kid.”

Everyone laughed.
 

“Well, it’s a good thing you followed him into The Teams, Kendall because Jack wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” Stan put his arm on the mid section of Kendall’s back. Stan was shorter and hunched over in his old age. He looked like a dwarf next to Kendall.
 

“I was at the right place at the right time, sir, Jack would have done the same thing for me. You guys have always treated me like family, and I have always appreciated that.”

“You aren’t
like
family,” Stan said, “you
are
family, son.”

“Thank you, sir.” Kendall had an appreciative grin on his face.
 

“Hey Dad,” Jack turned to Stan, “did I ever tell you the time when Kendall got beat up by a girl?”

Stan smiled, “No? I don’t think you have?”

“We always went to Circle Vision 360 when we needed a break from the sun—we went there at least once a day and sat through the shows. We would spin around in circles, and it would make us dizzy—although that show made you dizzy no matter what.”

Stan shook his head wondering what kind of trouble they got in while they were running around the Park unsupervised. There were probably so many things that he’d never heard about.
 

“You two are lucky the CMs have always loved you and treated you like family; otherwise you would’ve been banned from the Park,” Stan said.
 

Kendall laughed in agreement.

“So we were watching American Journey’s, I think, and I spun into this lady. She went from zero to furious in two-seconds and started screaming at the top of her lungs. I said I was sorry and tried to walk away when she grabbed my arm. Then, Kendall stepped in and said ‘ma’am I’m sorry about my friend, he won’t do it again, can you please let go of his arm?’”

Kendall smiled as he remembered how the story ended.
 

“The lady looked at Kendall while she still had a death grip on my arm, and she started yelling at him. She was out of control, and I was in shock—I couldn’t move. So Kendall, who sounded just like a cop even though he was only around eleven at the time, says ‘ma’am I’m only going to ask you one more time, please release my friend’s arm, you’re hurting him.’”

“And I think I said, ‘because he is small,'” Kendall added as he laughed.
 

“I think the lady thought he was a lot older, because of his size. She reared back and hit him in the head with her purse with everything she had—she totally knocked him off his feet and he hit the ground. Then she proceeded to yell at him, saying he threatened her. Everyone scattered and left the theater.”

Kendall was chuckling, and Stan looked shocked.
 

“I went to check on Kendall and he was on the ground staring at the ceiling. He was out of it, but he still said the same thing that he’d always say after we got off a great ride,”

‘
That was quite a ride, Jack.
’

They all laughed.

“There are probably a lot of stories like that, where you stuck your neck out for Jack. You’re a good man, Kendall, and I’m glad to have you as part of the family.”

Kendall put his hand on Stan’s shoulder and smiled.
 

“Walt was the same way with me, in his own way. He was fiercely loyal to the people who were loyal to him—and he would go to bat for you against all odds. Walt and Lillian had a unique relationship. Lilly didn’t always agree or like the hours that Walt put into all of his endeavors, but she stuck with him no matter what, to the end, and she was loyal to him. That’s how your mom was with me; she would fight for me until the end. Life is great when you have a loyal soul mate.”

“Well, Dad, that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about, it’s Kate—”

“Oh no, Jack, don’t tell me you screwed things up with her again.”

Jack paused and gave him a look, “No, Dad, contrary to what you might think, I don’t screw up every relationship I’m in.”

Kendall squinted his eyes and gave Jack a look that said,
are you sure about that?

“Ok, whatever you two, look—ever since she was a little girl, Kate has dreamed of being proposed to on the Mark Twain.”

Stan cut him off, “Wait—you’re going to propose to her?”

Jack looked at Kendall, who grinned, and then he looked back at Stan.
 

“Yes, Dad, I want to be with her for the rest of my life.”

“That’s wonderful, son! I’m
so
proud of you!” Stan hugged Jack.
 

“So, Dad, I need your help, can you arrange something so I can make this happen for her?”

“Son, you have come to the right person, I can make almost anything happen in this place.” Stan smiled as he squeezed Jack’s arms.
 

Kendall and Jack chuckled, knowing that if Stan decided to resurrect the
Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship
, and drop it in the middle of the Rivers of America, the Imagineering team wouldn’t challenge him for a second.
 

“I have the PERFECT thing for you, Jack,” Stan said with a mischievous grin on his face. “I need a few days to make it happen, but this will blow her mind.”

Jack smiled, knowing that Stan learned the art of showmanship from Walt, and had a knack for planning events.
 

“Ok Dad, but nothing crazy, just something simple, romantic, and memorable.”

“Ok Jack, but all of the CMs at the Park have watched you grow up, they love you, and they’re family. So I want to invite as many as possible, past and present, so they can be a part of this as well.”

“Ok, Dad,” Jack said hesitantly.
 

“You know, our wedding here was so special. It was right in the middle of the Castle entrance, on the golden spike. That circle in the ground represented our never ending love for each other.” Stan got emotional as he looked into Jack’s eyes. “Your mom would have loved to see you propose, Jackie.” Stan’s eyes welled up with tears.
 

“I know, Dad.” Jack put his hand on Stan’s shoulder and then moved in to hug him.

“I’m happy for you, brother.” Kendall gave Jack a giant bear hug as the
Mark Twain
slowly pulled back into port.

SEVEN DAYS LATER

Anxious guests lined the Rivers of America, some who had waited hours to get a good spot for
Fantasmic!
The jazz band cruised around the River on a wooden
Tom Sawyer Island
barge creating a festive mood throughout New Orleans Square.
 

Jack told Kate tonight was a special occasion, so she wore Jack’s favorite pink dress. Her thick, wavy blondish-brown hair, and her deep blue eyes reinforced what Jack already knew—Kate was beyond beautiful.
 

As Jack walked through the River esplanade, he noticed several off duty CMs, and they stopped him to say hello. This happened a lot when they were at the Park, so Kate was accustomed to it, but tonight there were an unusual amount of people approaching Jack.
 

Kendall appeared as they walked towards Cafe Orleans. “Well, hello there Kate, you look stunning tonight.”

“Thank you Kendall,” Kate said as she shook his hand, “why are you all dressed up?”

“I’m going to escort you to your seats,” Kendall paused, “you will be watching the show from the balcony of Club 33.”

Kate’s face lit up with her mouth open as she turned to Jack.

“I’ll be up there in a minute Kate,” Jack said as he pulled Kendall aside, “hey, have you seen my dad?”

“Not yet, but he should be here shortly.”

“Ok, because I have a sinking feeling about this, I don’t know what he has planned, and you know how he can go overboard with things like this.”

“Overboard is an understatement, my friend.” Kendall smiled as he took Kate’s arm to take her up to Club 33.
 

Jack looked around for his dad, and more CMs approached him. He was starting to second guess his decision to ask his dad for help. After talking to a few CMs he’d known since he was five years old, he headed down Royal Street and made a sharp right where Disney artists were drawing caricatures of guests. He opened the door and headed up the stairs to the Club 33 dining room. On his way to the balcony, he stopped in his tracks.

“Mr. Eisner?”

“Jack!” The CEO of the Walt Disney Company stood up from his table to greet Jack with a big hug.

With each passing second, it became apparent that the biggest moment of his life was going to be totally blown out of proportion.

“I wouldn’t have missed your big night for anything,” Michael Eisner said in his distinctive New York accent.
 

“Well, thank you sir, I appreciate that.”

“So where is she? I want to meet her!”

“I think she might be on the balcony already.” Jack walked Eisner out to the balcony where Kate was standing, her well-manicured hands rested lightly on the railings.

“Is this the lovely Kate that Stan can’t stop talking about?” Eisner said as Kate turned around.

“Mr. Eisner?” Kate looked shocked as she extended her hand to him.
 

“Wow, you’re even prettier than what Stan had described!”

Kate blushed and looked at Jack, smiling. “Thank you Mr. Eisner, it’s an honor to meet you.”

“Well, I’m going to leave you two alone so you can have a nice
quiet
night together on the balcony.” Eisner winked at Jack, only further confirming his suspicion that Stan had something crazy planned.
 

“This is amazing, Jack,” Kate said enthusiastically, “thank you so much for doing this. I’ve loved this Park since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated with Walt, and I’m so lucky to have met someone like you who shares this same passion.”

“I’m the lucky one Kate—and you look amazing tonight.”

“Hello Mr. Duncan,” a Club 33 CM greeted them on the balcony, “we are setting up a special table for you tonight on the balcony.”

Jack nodded his thanks then smiled at Kate. Looking over the railing, Jack saw his dad frantically walking down Royal Street towards the Club.
 

“Kate, I’ll be right back.” Jack headed down the stairs to meet his dad at the door since he knew he would use that entrance.
 

“Dad?” Jack squinted his eyes at him suspiciously as he met him at the door.
 

Stan was caught off guard, “Hey Jack, you look great, son!”

“Dad, what exactly do you have planned here? I’m hoping this is a quiet evening for us on the balcony, and not one of your extravagant, over-done events.”

“Um, Jack, don’t worry son, she’ll love it. Just trust me—romantic and memorable, just like you wanted.”

“And simple—remember that one, Dad?”

“She’s going to love this, Jack!”

“Kendall knows about what you have planned, doesn’t he?”

“Maybe—look, stop asking so many questions, I may be an old man, but I can still take you down.” Stan smiled as he blew past Jack up the stairs.
 

“Michael!” Stan said as he approached Eisner in the dining room of Club 33.
 

“Stan, it’s great to see you!” Eisner hugged him.
 

“Thank you for coming, it really means a lot.”

“No problem, Stan, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Jack smiled and walked out to the balcony where Kate was sitting at the small table, with a white tablecloth, flowers, two plates, and lavish settings.
 

Jack sat down at the table with a worried look on his face, “Kate, I have something very special planned for you tonight, but I have to warn you in advance, I left some of the planning up to my dad so it might get out of hand.”

Kate put her hand on top of Jack’s on the table, “Don’t worry Jack, your dad is a gem and means well, don’t be too hard on him.”

Jack smiled, but he still didn’t have a good feeling about this. He didn’t like surprises.
 

“I’m so excited to see Fantasmic tonight!” Kate said with a big smile as she leaned over to smell the flowers on the table. Jack looked Kate in the eyes and held her hand as the head chef of Club 33 walked out on to the balcony.

“Good evening! Tonight, I have something unique planned for you that I think you will like. We are going to start with a five course meal based on your personal favorites.”

Kate’s eyes lit up as she smiled at the head chef and then at Jack.
 

They savored the gourmet meal as they enjoyed the ambiance of New Orleans Square from the Club 33 balcony. After the five-star dessert was served, the lights dimmed on the Rivers of America. The sound of an orchestra holding one grandiose note echoed throughout the entire Land. The multitude of powerful speakers placed throughout New Orleans Square allowed guests to feel the strength of the music. The crowd applauded as floodlights pointed to the sky revealing Mickey Mouse on stage. Michael Eisner and his guests made their way to the balcony along with Stan and Kendall.
 

“Can you believe this show, Jack?” Eisner said.
 

“It’s very impressive, sir.” Jack’s noticed how dry his mouth was getting as his mind envisioned the worse case scenario.
 

“This show is mind boggling, Mr. Eisner, the way the River is utilized is brilliant, and undoubtedly one of the greatest Disney shows I’ve ever seen.”

“Well, thank you Kate, I’m glad you like it.” Eisner smiled as he leaned over to whisper to Jack, “You’ve got a great woman here Jack, I definitely approve!”

Jack grinned as Eisner put his hand on his shoulder.
 

Mickey Mouse, from his stage at the front of
Tom Sawyer Island
, conducted the inspiring music, made the water dance, and caused fireworks launch into the sky. As he raised his arms, water fanned out from the River in full color. Mickey invited the audience into his imagination as images from
Fantasia
magically appeared on the huge screens of misting water. Next, dancing monkeys appeared with a large alligator in the background, then Pinocchio, and after that, the
Sailing Ship Columbia
appeared with a lively scene featuring a boat full of pirates. Captain Hook and Peter Pan clanked swords as they fought throughout the ship.