Indigo: The Cat's Meow

by Lucius Parhelion

Good jobs were hard to come by in 1930, even in booming Southern California, even in Hollywood. Fred Doyle was relieved when the chores his brother Charlie conned him into taking over, serving as handyman and cat sitter for their landlady's son, accidentally led to decent work with Carl Belasco, youngest and sharpest of the Production Heads at Metropolitan Pictures.

But now Fred and Carl are being drawn together by more than painting woodwork on weekends, trying to keep track of Mr. Flurry the cat, or even correcting errant movie directors. They’re realizing that a more intimate and illegal taste they share is turning them toward each other. Too bad that onlookers, including the ever-conniving Charlie, may notice the growing attraction before Fred and Carl do.

Given this tangle, a quick trip to buy decorating supplies on romantic Catalina Island is likely not the wisest of ideas…