Vanessa K. Bernardo - Page 6

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          a role that petitioner was unable to fulfill, not only because of           
          her lack of experience in the music industry, but also because              
          she held a full-time job throughout 1999: until November 14, as             
          store manager and district training coordinator at Mervyn’s                 
          Department Store (Mervyn’s) in Hayward, California, and,                    
          thereafter, as store manager at a GAP store (the GAP) in Beverly            
          Hills, California.2                                                         
               At the time of the trial, petitioner had contributed                   
          approximately $35,000 toward furthering Melissa’s career,                   
          financed, in part, by a $24,000 distribution from her section               
          401(k) retirement plan.                                                     
               Since the inception of Cool G Records and the start of                 
          Melissa’s efforts to build a reputation as a singer and composer,           
          both of which occurred in 1999, Melissa has not been compensated            
          for any of her live or recorded performances.                               
               From the time it became clear that Melissa intended to                 
          pursue a professional career in show business, i.e., from the               
          time Melissa began attending the Los Angeles High School for the            
          Performing Arts, petitioner and Melissa have had an oral                    
          agreement or understanding that any reimbursement to petitioner             
          of moneys invested in Melissa’s career would be realized solely             




               2  During 1999, petitioner earned gross wages of $78,558               
          from Mervyn’s and $6,669 from the GAP.                                      





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