Meet Monica Velour(A Woman of a Certain Age) by Veronica White

I look at my face in the mirror and there is no doubt I am a "woman of a certain age." How did the time pass so quickly? Gone are the days when I was mistaken for my children's sister and got carded at the clubs. When will I become invisible in today's youth-oriented society?

I have done all the right things. Slathering my face with every moisturizer from LaMer to Crisco. I own or have owned almost every excercizing apparatus known to man. Mysteriously, my weight has been the same for five years - give or take a few pounds.

What's that you say? Exercise equipment must be used daily to get noticeable results.

OK. The pity party is over and I do what I always do. Focus on the positive circumstances of my life. I think of vibrant mature women who appear to be in the prime of their lives and eagerly embracing life's challenges.

There is Annette Benning, who won a Golden Globe best actress award for "The Kids Are All Right."

There is Helen Mirren, an award winning actress, who at age 65, rocked a bikini on the front pages of the tabloids.

There is Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer, both female anchors of national evening news shows.

There is Oprah Winfrey, who now owns a cable TV network.

Now a new woman is poised to join their ranks. A woman who moved from an expensive apartment in New York City's Meatpacking District to a trailer park in a Detroit-area suburb to portray an aging porn star.

I cannot relate to the porn star who took her clothes off for a living. The closest I came to disrobing for "art" was when a renowned Detroit-area artist begged me to pose for a nude oil painting. Of course, I declined.

I can relate to the porn star who is a "woman of a certain age." And Kim Cattrall lived in Monica Velour's skin, willing to grow and willing to take chances to make her film career more viable.

And I realize now, that I must take more chances. At my age, I feel life is fleeting. There is so much more I want to accomplish. I am running a race as my life's desires ferociously nip at my heels like a Pitbull.

Kim Cattrall fearlessly grabbed the plum role of an aging porn star in "Meet Monica Velour" and literally squeezed all the creative juices out of it.

Gilbert Films is establishing a track record of producing films with generous roles for women. Meaty roles that have gleaned stellar performances. Last year, Annette Benning won the Golden Globe best actress award for "The Kids Are All Right." Julianne Moore was also nominated.

It is amazing that this 49-year-old woman is allowed to believably celebrate new nuances of her sexuality. Tobe Hulbert(played by Dustin Ingram),her teenaged lover shows her honor and respect. While planning his first elaborate symbolic seduction of Monica, he is more attuned to a woman's feelings than a man twice his age. The roles were reversed as Tobe's sophisticated lover guided him to unexplored explosive heights.

The camera close-ups of Monica Velour unforgivingly show every imperfection. The camera also follows her as she searches for dignity and attempts to move beyond the porn star years. With minimum skills and finances, she hopes to find work and gain custody of the young daughter, who is curretnly living with her ex-husband. A man, whose sole purpose in life is gaining evidence against her to support the fact she would not be a stable parent.

Kim Cattrall sent two messages: Women of a certain age are not invisible and they are a force to be reckoned with.

I dedicate this song to us:

The little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine.......Let it shine.......let it shine.

DEADLINE MURDER-CHAPTER ONE (PART FOUR)

Maria had walked into the locker room with her press credentials minutes after the game with the Minnesota Vikings. Was she bold or just naive? Most women reporters either waited until they thought the players had showered to invade their domain or they waited patiently outside in the interview area. The players, in various stages of undress, hastily scrambled to cover themselves. Even the ones just stepping out of the shower. Everyone except Damon Duquesne, who had made the game-winning touchdown in the last thirty seconds of the fourth quarter. As the reporters and camera crews converged upon him, he continued toweling off his almost perfectly sculpted body.

"I'm so sick of all the post-game questions," he thought. "Maybe, I'll just be rude today." His full frontal nudity was ignored by the other all-male reporters and camera crews.

"OK, you ignorant jackass, I'll play your game," Maria thought as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd. "I'll be damned if I'll miss another of their gutsy and spontaneous remarks these jocks give immediately after a game. I'm tired of the sanitized, well thought-out replies I get when I wait outside the dressing room until I get the "all clear."

Standing in front of Damon, notepad in hand; she tried hard to ignore his male member which seemed to be on the verge of flowering to its full glory. "With thirty seconds left in the game, what were your thoughts as you sprinted to the end zone with the Viking's best defensive player Carl Joseph breathing down your neck?" Did you think you would make it?" She knew he was enjoying her discomfort as he refused the dry towel offered by Jeff Samuels, the team quarterback.

The wide receiver's gray eyes sparkled, no twinkled. Deliberately playing with her, he pretended to ponder her question. After what seemed like a light year, he finally responded: "I had a good momentum going and I also knew I had the moves to fake Joseph out of position. He's a great linebacker, but I can still outrun him." Damon grinned and stepped closer to Maria. The distance between him and her was now almost politically unacceptable. The other reporters shouted questions, but he had focused on her. Damn him. She had fought too hard for the right to be in this locker room. And she wanted his respect. Again, Jeff Samuels offered the towel. Damon brushed it away.

"Dynamite, I have one more question," Maria shouted, being careful not to get any closer.

"OK," Damon chuckled, thinking this chick must have some rather large cojones.

"Your momma said that you could go 10 and long anytime." Maria stated, looking directly in his eyes. "Your momma lied. It looks more like six to me." Laughter erupted around the room. Damon's cockiness disappeared along with the rigidity of his male member. With a white towel now covering his body, he ended his interview in a surly mood. The reporters moved on to the other players. Jeff's eyes were moist with laughter, but he thought he saw Maria Hamilton, the female reporter, shoot him a grateful look.