Last night I was watching Paper Towns with my kids.  It’s a cute rite of passage movie that is reminiscent of my favorites from the 80’s like Pretty in Pink and 16 Candles. However, this isn’t a movie review, it was the phrase, “What happens with us now” that stirred a memory and inspired me to finally write again.

When I was in my 20’s I was living in Los Angeles and I had quite a crazy life.  I crashed parties and rock concerts, met and worked for celebrities, tried out for reality TV shows and when I look back on it I only regret one thing.  One thing that left me with a nagging question which still remains unanswered.  It’s silly really.  I’m now 49 years old, but it was that question “what happens with us now,” that makes me still wonder.  Not wonder with doubt or regret, but wonder what would have happened if I had answered the question differently.

So, here’s the story.

It was a winter evening and I was at Newark Airport waiting to board the red eye back to Los Angeles.  The gate was empty.  There were almost no passengers, but I did notice one.  He was tall, lanky, had long dark hair and was very good looking in an unusual way.  Our flight was called as we boarded the plane I realized that this good looking guy was in fact Keanu Reeves, or at least I was pretty certain he was.  My heart was pounding, as I knew I just had to say something to him, but I didn’t want to seem like the stupid star struck girl that I was, so I said something really lame as I passed him in first class…  “Are you Keanu Reeves?”  He looked up, straggly hair covering his eyes and said, “Yes.”  I said, “Oh my god – my sister is going to be jealous.”  His response startled me. “Hey, can I come hang with you in a bit?”  I silently gasped, and said “sure”.

What happened next is one of the most memorable stories of my life.  After we were told we could get up from our seats, Keanu came walking back into the economy cabin.  He looked at me and sat down.  Conversation started and flowed so easily.  When he excused himself to go to the bathroom, the flight attendants swarmed me.  “You stole him from first class” they stated.  “We were so excited that he was on our flight and then he got up to sit with you!” I smiled, and told them how shocked I was.  They asked me what he was like and what was going on.  I told them he was really sweet.

When he came back we talked about everything imaginable.  I’m not sure really what I told him about me, I asked him so many questions.   He was returning to LA from a cover shoot for Details Magazine and the movie Point Break was just about to be released.  He had a really bad cold and was feeling kind of rough, but really wanted to chat.  We spoke about his family, his love of motor cycles and his band.  Conversation was easy and fun.  We moved around the empty plane like a couple of kids.  We sat on different sides to get different views, we took quizzes in the magazines.  He crushed the MENSA test in the magazine, which made me feel quite embarrassed about my own intellectual ability.  I mean this is the guy from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” I didn’t expect him to blow me away on the MENSA test!

As our flight time was coming to an end the flight attendants bombarded me when I went to the bathroom.  “We are ALL talking about YOU!” the stated.  “So, did he ask you out?”  “Did he ask for your number?” “He’s definitely going to ask you out.  I mean what guy leaves first class to sit with someone the WHOLE flight and then not ask them out.”  I smiled, “I don’t know, I mean, he’s famous, I’m just some girl on a plane.”

And then it happened.  We landed.  He walked with me to the baggage carousel.  He had carry-on.  He said, “I’d offer you a ride home, but I only have my motorcycle.” I said, “Thanks, but I have a suitcase.”  He waited for my bags to arrive, and then he looked at me and said, “So, what happens to us now?”  This is where you cast your vote and decide if I said the right thing.  What would you have done in my situation?

I looked at him and smiled and said, “You’re going to become some big, famous actor and …. I don’t know, I’ll probably own some small restaurant or something.” With that he leaned over, gave me a kiss, said “goodbye” and I watched him walk away.

I have often wondered what would have happened if I had just given him my phone number, answered the question differently or left my stupid suitcase and taken the ride.  I regretted not being bolder, but my feeling at the time was if he wanted my number he would have asked for it.  It never occurred to me that he may have been just as insecure as me.  Over the years I have watched his career blossom, but his life endure more tragedy than most.  I was a nanosecond in his life, but I hope someday the memory of our time on the plane will come back to him, I hope that he remembers me and the time we spent together and it makes him smile.

For my children, I have told them and their friends the story many times.  I hope that they remember that if they are ever asked “What happens to us next” they have the courage to say what they really think and feel and remember that they only live once, so they should take that ride on the motorcycle!