HACK MAN
Posted by Erik Frey Sat, 17 Aug 2002 05:49:00 GMT
i went to sushi for lunch at my favorite haunt, and the waiter walks up, points behind me, cups his mouth and whispers “gene hackman!”
i glance behind me (oh so suave) and sure enough, sitting at a table in the corner is the man himself, kind of a bit older than he looks in movies.
i come from a long line of loud-mouths, so it was kind of hard to not blurt out “OH MY GOD! GENE HACKMAN! WOWWW!” in the middle of a crowded resteraunt. my dad does that crap. he’s the kind of guy who flirts with waitresses when it’s obvious they aren’t interested, and still gives them his card at the end of the evening, even though he lives on the other side of the planet. “if you’re ever in sydney, australia”, he once told this shy, confused girl in a thai resteraunt, “look me up”.
sure, dad.
so i kept my cool, didn’t say a word. by the end of lunch, the place was empty except for his table and mine, so i turned around and said
“i’m sure you get this all the time, but i love your work”
acquiescing nod, “thank you”
“royal tenenbaums was a fantastic movie”
“thank you”
and i smiled and walked away. he sounded like he’s said those thank you’s a million times over.
it’s understandable.
but in a way, now, i almost wish i had jumped out of my seat, toppling over raw fish and drinks, wasabi flying out at hapless neighbors, and screamed “OH MY GOD GENE HAAACKMAN WAAH THHBRTHTHBTH!” before tripping over a chair and being dragged out by the staff.