Will-o'-the-wisp encounter.

As I was walking by the Castro Theater on my way to work the other day, I noticed a woman wearing big sunglasses walking with two men.  “Wow,” I thought, “she kind of looks like Julie Andrews.”  When I passed by them, I heard her talking—it was the unmistakable, wonderful voice of Julie Andrews!!!!  Julie Andrews in the flesh!!!!  Commence internal freak out—do I bother her for a picture, would that be rude, but how can I let this moment go by, she’s about to head into the theater, go after her, now...now!!

Me: Excuse me, I’m sorry, but…are you Julie Andrews?

JA: [with a smile] Most of the time, yes.

Me: [with UTTER JOY] Oh my gosh, I am a huge fan.  [Immediately kicking myself for saying that—of course I’m a huge fan, everyone is a huge fan.] Could I bother you for a picture?

JA: Of course.

One of the men took our picture.  She had to go into the theater, so I thanked her and we said goodbye.  I immediately took my phone out to text the picture to my family, but for some reason, I could not get to the message app…my phone was stuck in the clock app…my alarm was going off…I was in bed…it was time to get up for work.................

What an emotional roller coaster.

*As a rule, I hate stories that end with “…and then I woke up.  It was all a dream.”  But I couldn’t resist.  It was so real.  The only way Dream Claire could have known it was not real life was that Real Claire doesn’t walk by Castro Theater on the way to work.  But I cannot blame her for being distracted by the excitement of meeting Julie Andrews.

Maybe one day.