I know I'm not in the best shape in the world, but it was about 90 degrees outside and I had been on a shopping spree in CVS for medical supplies. I had to carry 2 gigantic bags of ice packs, bandaids, tylenol, you name it from downtown Evanston to my office on campus. I had underestimated the distance, it was probably about a mile. It felt like 3. Once I dropped the bags off and spoke to my supervisor (also working on her day off) I had to hustle back downtown to the movie. I had really only given myself 25 minutes for the round trip, but I actually needed closer to 40.
Anyway, we got in and found some decent seats. I laughed quite a bit and I could see why someone might get a bit teary-eyed at the ending. Half a box of popcorn and a diet coke later, Kathryn needed to use the little ladies room. I was probably so dehydrated that my diet coke got absorbed right into me so I waited outside. That's when things got interesting.
Across the lobby (about 20 feet away) sitting on the opposite bench outside the little boy's room, was a girl. She looked about 17. I laughed to myself that I would have to tell Kathryn that the girl looked like Jessica from True Blood. Aside from the hair, which is red on the show, this girl was a dead ringer (pardon the pun). She was talking to a younger girl, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her. It was uncanny. Then I noticed she handed something to the young girl and I could have sworn I heard* her say "we just wrapped".
Oh. My. God! It WAS Jessica. I got up and stood by the ladies' room door, keeping one eye on my vampire, and one on the lookout for Kathryn. Soon, I could bear it no longer and went in the restroom to see if I could hurry things along (I do not intend to cast aspersions on my friend, there was a long line). When I got back into the lobby, Jessica was gone! Less than a minute later, Kathryn emerged and I quickly filled her in on the sighting.
Kathryn was all in. She suggested we try to find her, but I had my doubts. We were excited at the prospect anyhow. As luck would have it, as soon as we stepped out onto the sidewalk, Jessica and a man with a cain used by the visually impaired came out of a little restaurant. My friend and I gawked for a few moments (we did try not to look like we were gawking) and confirmed for ourselves that, despite the light strawberry blond hair, THAT was indeed Jessica.
The couple went their way and we went ours, ready to google to find out her Evanston/Chicago connection. At first it was mysterious. We couldn't find anything about her living in the area or going to school here but we were confident. We ate an excellent dinner at Mt. Everest, an Indian restaurant, then headed home after hitting Barnes & Noble.
As we awaited the Purple Line Train, who should come to the station but Deborah Ann Woll (we did find out her real name). I did my best not to stare, I mostly kept my back to them, but I'm sure I wasn't playing it cool. On the Purple we were in the same car as Deborah (and the guy we now were pretty sure was her boyfriend). When it came time to switch to the Red Line, they went to the second car rather than the first. We cannot confirm that they were trying to evade us, but the second car was not the most convenient choice.
In retrospect, we would have probably been better off acknowledging that we knew who she was, rather than looking like a couple of creeps. Oh well. All I can say is that even though I only had one day off this weekend, it was a pretty awesome one.
* I have often claimed to have super-sonic hearing. I think it is to make up for my poor eyesight.
Sounds like you girls had fun! I love your reference to the best vampire books ever. The ones by James Howe and starring Bunnicula.
ReplyDeleteI thought you might like that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, your "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!" was probably the opposite of playing it cool, as was my blatant staring.. :)
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