Thursday, December 21, 2006

16 Years ago Tonight or Carpe Per Diem

Tonight is the winter solstice. 16 years and one month ago I was hired to work as a juicer on an ABC movie of the week, 'The Marla Hansen Story'. This was an important gig for a number of reasons not the least of which was that I was broke and concerned as to where my next rent check was coming from. It was a shitty summer for those of us in the film biz cause Ted Turner had some sort of Olympic style games going on here in Seattle and all the car commercials and Movies that would come to town stayed far far away. This was also the beginning of the end of the film business in Seattle as we lost our competitive edge, due in no small part to the games, to Vancouver BC which is now a film making power house thanks to the Canadians subsidising the industry and really making it grow. But that bit of vitriol is for another post.
I had just started dating this woman that I had known for a year or so who was intellegent and cooked and had a cool apartment on first hill with a view of Queen Anne, the Space Needle and Down Town. She also had a great job and made big bucks and was pretty and funny and sang and cooked. We danced around dating since we met but just before Thanksgiving we "hooked up". Bow chicka chicka bow bow
The job was for about 4 weeks and so I dashed off to Portland to shoot this film. I stayed with a friend named Stacy and the show was really cool. It was about a model in New York that had her face slashed up by her land lord because she would not sleep with him. Pretty sick fuck if you really think about it.
John Grey was the director and we were shooting at the same time Gus Van Sant was shooting Private Idaho in Portland. It was cold as it was December and we got one of those regional snowstorms that hit Seattle and Portland.
My official title was with the transportation dept cause I drove the light truck but I was really happy to be there and be lighting a budgeted show for a change. Larry Nielsen was on the show as well as a couple of other buds and the guys and gals in Portlane were the best. Really friendly and good to work with.
So we wrapped the show and as the driver I was asked to take one of the trucks back to Seattle to get the shelving taken out at Seattle Cine and then run it back to Portland. I said sure for Per Diem and a plane ticket back to Seattle. They weasled abit even using Mt St Helens coughing as an excuse to put me on a train but I held out and got the bucks. I think it was 75.00 and a plane ticket. Small Victories.
Now the truck I was moving up to Seattle was a Cab Over Mac with testy brakes. I white knuckeled it up to Seattle in a snow storm in a run that should take 3 hours that took around six.
When I got here it was a winter wonderland. At the time I lived on lower Queen Ann on Roy Street and had to drive a 10 ton truck though snow covered roads dodging the families going to enjoy the nutcracker at the old opera house. Dipshits ignored lights and put their precious ones at risk by crossing in front of a truck on snowy roads. I got home and parked.
Lorraine was expecting me and waiting at my apartment cause we were lovey dovey and missed each others little snoogy woogie kissy faces. I walked in the door and said, "Put on your dancing shoes and red dress baby cause I got per Diem and Im spending it all on you!" we went out and had a drink at Harry's that was around the corner and then off to TS McHughs that was across Mercer. It was snowing. Sean McVicker and his irish band were playing and people were coming into the warm bar stomping snow off their feet and a woman even entered with cross country skis. It was really cool. 16 Years ago tonight.
Lorriane and I both knew we wanted to have kids and we were making kiddie noises and Sean and the band were playing 'Silent Night'. I said, "If we ever get married...let me rephrase that. Will you marry me?" She looked stunned and asked me to repeat it. I did. She Looked stunned and said, "Ok."
We then proceeded to get conspiriatoral and decided to keep it to ourselves until..Im not sure what, but we decided to keep it betwixt us. I went and ordered a bottle of Champaigne, Whidelsy Mark if I remember and told the bartender that I just proposed to my date and she said yes. Next thing the band announces that we had just gotten engaged and suddenly the whole 'keep it to ourselves' thing was just out the window. Many congratulations. We drank the champaigne and in love with each other went home.
16 Years ago tonight.

10 Comments:

At 9:08 PM, Blogger Lorraine said...

Awww, Pooks. It was a magical night. And I'm still glad I said "ok".

 
At 8:15 AM, Blogger Grish said...

That's very cool there Eric. Congratz to you guys..16 years ago tonight..:)

 
At 12:27 AM, Blogger Iwanski said...

You rock.

You f***ing rock.

 
At 10:29 AM, Blogger barista brat said...

that was a great (and very sweet) story!

 
At 2:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now I'm verklempt. Tawk amongst yourselves...

 
At 8:30 PM, Blogger Sling said...

Congrats on yer smooth talkin' self.. :)

 
At 10:55 AM, Blogger Knitty Yas said...

happy winter solstice and happy holidays to you and your wifey! and i wish you three (cant forget the little'un) an outstanding new year. :)

and sometimes i think you're in the wrong year my friend. 1949 all over again.

 
At 8:02 AM, Blogger jLow said...

What a great story! You big romantic lug, you!

 
At 3:31 AM, Blogger Grish said...

Happy New Years!

 
At 10:56 AM, Blogger Natalie said...

Awe..I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories. We're coming up on 6 years in April. In 10 more years I'll write my own mushy story. =)

 

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