Emle’s

I wore an oversized flannel shirt that was dark blue with a hint of yellow over a gray cropped top. I had on baggy ripped “mom jeans” and black booties. My hair was still damp from the shower I had taken earlier. I was meeting up with a friend from New York. We worked on a show together in the summer of 2016. He was on a road trip and had stopped by California so we had planned to grab some food and catch up.

We sat and ate and talked about what we had been up to. We both have a passion for photography, so we shared our recent photos. In the midst of us catching up an elderly couple sat down at the table next to us. I kept glancing over at them as we chatted and noticed that they must have known the owners with how friendly they were all being with each other.

We finished eating and continued to talk. I got up to use the restroom and when I came back the elderly woman at the table next to us smiled at me. She said hi and she complimented my flannel.

She went on to say that my flannel not only looked comfortable but it looked worn. She liked the vibe we were giving off and said we both looked very artsy. She said she was an artist and wished she had a canvas to sketch us right then and there. I couldn't stop smiling as she continued to compliment us.

She went on to talk about how much I reminded her of herself when she was younger. At one point she looked at the man she was with and then back at us and pointed at me. She said, “She is my kind of girl.” She kept complimenting my flannel and talking about how much she loved how artsy we looked. I was in awe.

The friend I was with had come from New York and was 24 days into his cross country road trip. When he mentioned that, she said that he chose the right friend to hang out with in LA because I encompassed what LA was without seeming overly confident or snobby. I blushed at this comment.

She then talked about how she was intuitive and felt that we were going places in the tv/film industry. She continued to talk about her intuition. Every few seconds she would apologize for talking so much. I kept reassuring her it was fine and I was sure to thank her for all of her ever so sweet compliments.

She packed up her leftovers before she left and my friend and I left moments later.

I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear the words she said until I heard them. I think sometimes pursuing a career in a field that is so risky can sometimes feel terrifying. I often wonder if I’m putting my effort and love in the right place. I can't imagine wanting to be a part of any other industry and having this woman look at me and tell me what she did made me feel good. It made me feel like I was doing something right.

So Dee, I’m sure you won’t see this. But thank you. Thank you for saying hi to us that Thursday afternoon in Emle’s. Thank you for being so sweet and for talking with us. Thank you for complimenting my flannel.

Maybe I’ll see you around the diner again, except maybe next time you’ll be in the corner with a glass of wine and a sketch pad.