at the Hollywood Roosevelt

 

When I watch that Sopranos episode where "Christopher Moltisanti" goes to Hollywood to try to make a movie deal, sometimes I recall a trip I made to Hollywood in the early 1990s, for a couple of days.

        I signed up for a seminar in screenwriting taught by somebody who had done some TV and movie scripts.  I bought his book and was reading it, when I arrived at LAX.  I had reserved an affordable room at the Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood, which was the location of the one-day seminar.

        In the evening I went downstairs to the hotel's restaurant - after ordering, I was reading the seminar guy's book.  Glancing around the room, I noticed a man who looked like the book's author.  (His picture was on the back cover.)

I thought, "Hey! I bet that's him!  I mean, I stayed at this hotel because the seminar is downstairs tomorrow morning, probably he did, too!"

        I was kind of thrilled at the idea of meeting a published author personally, so I was thinking, Yeah, I'll go over there and say Hi.

So I walk over - there's another guy at the table, with him.  I had the book in my hand - and I just asked him - "excuse me..." - asked him, "Is this you?  Did you write this book?"

And he says, "No."

(lol)

        He and the other guy just seemed kind of surprised, and - not - upset with me, or anything.  Just sort of like - "Hmmm, this woman thinks you're the author of - that book in her hand..."

        I said, "Oh - well, sorry to interrupt you. - I just thought you looked like the author's picture, here..."

The other guy said, "...But better-looking, right?"

me:  "That's what I meant."

They laughed.

I think maybe I laughed, too - sort of - a little bit - to go along with their laughing.  

I went back to my table.

        My dinner arrived; I was eating, and reading... the waiter brought over a glass of white wine that I hadn't ordered, and pointed at the two guys who were leaving; they waved to me on their way out.

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