Dorothy has landed in Miami. For those of you not in the loop, see my story “Conveyor Belt”.
Dorothy does not have a great trip on the plane: high turbulence and a long flight with a lay over in Houston. Can’t say as there was much sleep the night before…given the recent romance…this results in a barf bag readily at hand, hair well well well beyond FF and into “walk of shame”, a pale face and wrinkled everything.
When I finally make it to the baggage claim for my pick up – the guy has to squint. He isn’t sure it’s me. Dogs breakfast walking down the concourse. I have to actually say, “I’m Frangione, Lucia Frangione on your sign there, it’s me. Don’t worry, I think I’m past the barf stage.”
Right beside him flounces the other Canadian chosen for the Miami adventure: a beauty named Donna. She’s young and gorgeous with long flowing hair and a diaphanous shirt hanging half off her lean brown body. She was on the same flight as me but somehow came out fresh as a daisy. For a second I think, “That is’t fair, how did that happen?” Then my mind flashes back for a second to what I was up to a short eight hours before…”okay, it’s fair. It’s fair.” And totally worth the barf bag.
Our young handsome chauffeur directs all his answers to my inquiries to Donna. Converses with Donna. Opens doors for Donna. I smile to myself. She’s so used to it, she doesn’t even notice. She’s lovely and thrilled to be in Miami and invites me and our chauffeur to join us for dinner. I see him greatly tempted and I see him professionally decline. After he leaves she says “Darn, I was really hoping for a ride!”
Our hotel is the Aloft Miami Brickell. The lobby looks more like a spa/martini bar rolled into one. It’s very funky, lots of art on the wall and colourful throw cushions. My room is large and sexy. I flop onto the bed in a very unsexy way and snore myself into oblivious for half an hour.
Then Donna and I head out for dinner and end up at The River oyster bar. The food is fresh and the waiters are tired. Florida is getting sleepy and we are just waking up. We have a lovely fresh light meal and I ask the goddess across from me “What feeds you spiritually?” And out spins a complicated curiosity. A road of longing and joy and mistakes and misgivings. Gratefulness, tradition and brand new inclinations. It’s a wonderful conversation. Never write off the young.
We head back to our hotel and the outdoor pool is as warm as bathwater. We have half an hour left to swim before they kick us out. The spa/martini bar staff think we’re crazy but we jump in. We glide like coy fish in the warmth under the full moon, palm trees waving around us and one stray cat sneaks along the edge of the light looking for a curiosity to catch.
We are up in five hours for an early morning call. Life on set. Rigorous bit of glamour. A quick phone call from the Fellow. A smile and a big white bed.
