My Saul encounter was beautiful - not at first, but by the end of the reading I was in Heaven literally! Okay, that was a bit too much. At the time though I was on Cloud 9 for the first time since well when I first heard about the reading or when I found out I was going to meet Saul!
On November 1st - Stephen and I left around 6:30 PM. By 7 PM we made it to Old Town Pasadena, however we couldn't find the street to the reading and we kept getting lost, a couple of times stopping and asking for directions. Meanwhile I was getting more and more nervous and what I was wearing didn't exactly scream
subtle in anyway. I wore small pink/white beach shorts and a regular black $5 dollar shirt and horribly worn out black sandals, chewed at the heels from the cats - ugh. Not exactly my best moment. In my mind I pictured myself wearing various things, something other than what I was wearing - jeans at least and a cute top that ties in the back - a nice pair of *NEW* black sandals or some kind of open toe shoe - perhaps some glitter - nice long pair of earrings - instead I wore what I had, which was making me freak out a little.
When Steven and I finally found the place it was in a small alley in Pasadena. A very
SMALL place. I thought the theater would be huge, at least on a college campus size area. It wasn't. When I wandered in I asked someone if the reading was taking place there, he said yes. Although the sign already told me so outside, Stephen insisted that I ask someone inside to make sure before he took off. After he left I walked in and then quickly back out. I felt really out of place there - Everyone was dressed nice - A couple of people in jeans, but mainly a lot of dresses and fancy suits. Everyone seemed to know your name - It was the Fancy version of Cheers, only not a bar and not in Boston, Massachusetts.
I walked out, called Kelli, Callie, tried to call Angie. I called Mom. I was really wanting to go back to Stephen's place. After talking to a handful of people I got off my cell phone and wandered back in. I checked in on the right, which was a small Library and then I walked to the left room, a reading room where they had a small table near the end with drinks. I walked over to the table, in line and just kinda spaced out. Suddenly I spotted someone with red hair standing right next to me...OMG...Elinor Reid - Saul's wife. I turn my head slowly in her direction and sure enough it was her! Her small black rimmed glasses, stout nose, puffy red hair and chubby red cheeks. Not thin, but not overweight either. And then I heard Saul behind me - Talking, laughing, I turn around and there he was behind me - perhaps about 7 no 5 feet away - Omg, I can't be that close to him. I rush past them, only like 5 feet further and stand against the wall. I can't even look over at him and I don't have a chance becuz as soon as I start to look up Elinor turns and greets me out of the blue -
Hi, I'm Elinor - Hi I'm Kris-Kristina - How are you? - Good. How are you? - Good - Good. So, what brings you to the reading? - Without thinking I see Saul stand next to her, his back turned getting a drink, I point in his direction and say
him...I'm here to see Saul [How dorky that sounded!]. Elinor looks over and quickly turns back around -
Oh! You're the one he's told me about. The one who made a page for him online - Yeah - Well, it's nice to meet you, your photo is waiting for you in your seat - Thank you - She turns over and taps Saul's shoulder he turns around. I forget if she tried to introduce me or not. I think she tried, but without even taking a minute to think I quickly hold out my hand and shake his. I tell him my name, but I don't think he heard me cuz Elinor was talking. He smiles awkwardly @ me and then @ Elinor. During this point Elinor introduces their son, Sam, who was next to Saul. Sam smiles and says hi. He's cute. Looks like Saul, but with blond curly hair instead. Saul kinda smiles and then brushes off past me without saying anything. I was left dumbfounded. Elinor looked a bit flushed over what Saul had done and apologized quickly, explaining he wanted to be in the reading room with the other actors. I said it was okay and shortly we parted ways - In other words I was snubbed by Saul! I was upset, though it took me a couple of minutes for it to sink in. I rushed outside and sent Stephen a text telling him what happened - I think I called Kelli as well.
Later on I walked back in and just stood near the entrance to the reading room and waited, waited and watched everyone talking and enjoying cocktails. Everyone dressed nicer than myself. Everyone talking about the reading. I heard Elinor talking about Saul a little bit. She stood across from me as we waited [Sometimes looking over @ me]. She talked about how busy he had been and where else he was traveling to, like for the
Through Roses play in New York, etc. I asked her if I could get a photo taken with Saul after the reading and she said sure. She told me to go up to her after the reading so we could talk to Saul.
After 8 PM I got tired of waiting and decided I wanted to sit down in the reading room. This lady who walked past me felt the same way. We both asked another lady near the doors and she said okay. When we wandered in she said we could sit down wherever we wanted to. I just stood there frozen, trying to find a picture in one of the seats. The lady who said we could go in and asked me to sit down. I told her I didn't know where to sit cuz Saul had left me a photo in one of the seats, but I didn't know which one. She told me to ask Saul. He was sitting down on the edge of the stage, surrounded by the other actors [Amy Brenneman, Bruce Weitz, Jim Ortlieb]. I shook my head and said no and rudely she said
"well I can't help you. You're just going to have to go back or find a seat" and I said I'd ask Elinor instead and walked away from her. I went to ask Elinor, but she was surrounded by people. I walked near the doors to the reading room and figured I'd just wait until she walked out of the other room. Instead their son Sam wandered in through the doors. I asked him if he knew where the photo was. He said he'd get it for me and walked into the room. I followed him. He walked back up to me and gave me an envelope. I thanked him and he walked off.
The lady I met earlier was sitting by herself, three rows down from the stage, so I decided to join her. I could have sat in the first row but with the clothes I was wearing I wasn't about to do that. Ha ha! We talked for a while. She was really sweet. She told me her kid was going to the school that the reading benefit was for and she wanted to be there to check it out and support them. I told her I went to the reading to see Saul and explained how he had given me the photo. She thought that was really cool. After a few minutes as I watched Saul on and off. He looked over at me and smiled, slowly walking over. The girl next to me told him how nice it was of him to give me a photo. He smiled and said he had owed it to me for quite some time. He kept asking me constantly if the photo was okay and I said yes. I told him it was fine and I thanked him for giving it to me. He seemed a bit more attentive than before. He apologized about earlier, explaining he didn't recognize me. I laughed nervously and said "
not even with the green hair?" - I don't remember what was said after cuz the girl next to me talked about his movie from back in the 80s,
Against All Odds and then shortly after he wandered back over to the stage. I was going to mention
Death Ship and
Getting Even with Dad, but I was really nervous and just having Saul standing in front of me was a trip.
The reading was fun - Although I wasn't paying attention to the stories half the time [
plus I joined in whenever anyone else clapped or laughed], I loved it! I loved how everyone acted and reacted to each other - I looked over @ Saul a lot, trying to take in as much of him as possible so I wouldn't forget what a great experience it was. It was surreal. A lot of times it felt like I was watching a movie. I knew the crush on him was over becuz I would have been way more giddy and excited though maybe that was also becuz his family was across from me watching him too. And through out breaks from the reading Saul would look over and smile @ his wife and kids. I smiled too. It's cool how dedicated he is to his family. Not many people are like that it seems. Especially in Hollywood.
After the reading, Saul and the other actors stood up from their chairs as everyone clapped. Saul looked over @ me and gave me a big smile [
Which I did in return] and then everyone started to bow - Saul, kept his eyes on me and bowed, almost bowing for me it seemed - It was just such an AWWW moment for me! After the reading I walked up to Elinor and asked her if I could get a photo taken. She said yes and asked me to follow her to the stage. We briefly chatted and I also explained the situation with my clothes. She told me I looked fine though [
Yeah right!]. She called to Saul and told him I wanted to get a photo taken. He said sure! I thought he was gonna stay on stage, but he jumped down [
It was cute! He's such a Rollie Pollie though, lol] and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Elinor took a photo of us and then Saul asked her to take another one just in case - awwwww! I thanked them both and Saul said no problem, smiling the entire time. I forget exactly what else he said. It was just a brief encounter with him, but @ the end he said "
You take care darlin'" and he held out his hand for me to shake - I had been deciphering this moment all night - I had shaken his hand once before, but I wanted a hug - Through out the reading I wondered if I should hug him before I left or just shake his hand - Fuck it! I thought and instead wrapped my arms around him and gave him a quick hug - which surprised him, ha ha! and then I hugged Elinor. It was brief though. I was nervous, especially with Elinor watching, ha ha. I thanked them both again and we parted ways. While I was outside on the phone I spotted Saul, Elinor and his kids walking out of the place. I was tempted to take a photo, but being it was so dark I knew they'd look over @ me and I didn't wanna weird them out.
Stephen pulled in just as they had walked out and I guess he talked to Saul for a second. He introduced himself and told Saul I had traveled over 180 miles to see him and that he hoped I had a great time - Saul told Stephen I had a lot of fun, that he had given me a photo and we took photos together - Stephen said that would make me happy and Saul replied back that it did. Aww!
Before Stephen arrived he asked me to stop Bruce Davison so they could meet up for a second. I interrupted Bruce while he was talking to some lady and asked him if he would stay and he said yes. Stephen and I ran in and said hi to Bruce. Stephen took a photo of us together and then we said good-bye. I wish I had brought a photo so Bruce could have signed it for me. Oh well! Perhaps next time.
It was A LOT of fun though. Regardless of the stressful week I had and the crappy clothes I wore, I met Saul and he was really nice. Though he snubbed me @ first I know it's cuz he didn't know who I was and like Stephen said Elinor probably chewed him out for it, ha ha! Cuz as soon as he realized it was me later on his personality changed, but I kind of expected that. I know Saul doesn't really like to talk to anyone he doesn't know, so it's cool that he took me in not only as just a fan, but as a friend too. He seemed to feel bad that he had reacted that way in the beginning. I noticed that right off, especially when he kept asking me if the photo he had given me was okay. I kept insisting it was fine - which it was! And being he printed it off himself it's more personal to me. I didn't get a chance to talk to him much, but at the same time I'm glad too cuz I was really nervous and honestly had no idea what to say, especially with Elinor hovering around like crazy, ha ha.