Sunday, December 7, 2008

QUIET PLEASE, I'M TRYING TO SLEEP

I keep thinking about how I wish I'd started blogging a few years ago. When my life was interesting. When I first got divorced and decided to try to make a go of it in the film industry. I wonder if you can blog historically? Write about stuff like it's happening now but actually it happened a few years back.

Like the time I was in Toronto to film exterior shots of Blood Ties and I was staying in the swank Sutton Place Hotel. I was trying to get on with the 5 hours sleep I get per night when I am working but the people in the next room were watching a hockey game and kept cheering loudly every time I started to drop off. I squinted at the alarm; 1:40 a.m. I got really annoyed. Inconsiderate sots. After a particularly loud round of cheers I slammed back the covers, flicked on the lamp and grabbed up the complimentary house coat. I shrugged it on as I marched to the door. I opened it slowly and put my head out into the hallway, no one there... good. I stepped out into the hall and as I faltered, trying to get up the courage to bang on their door and ask them to quiet down, I stepped too far out and let go of the door. It shut with a loud click. It was the sort that locked automatically At that exact second I realized I didn't have the card key. Arrrgh! I looked down at my pyjama clad legs showing below the hem of the housecoat that ended at my knees to the fuzzy blue striped socks on my feet. I ran my hand through hair that I just knew was sticking up in about 50 different directions. I was going to have to ride the elevator down to the lobby and ask for a key. Looking like this. At night. DOUBLE Arrrgh!!! I decided to get on with it before someone came out of their room and found me standing there, and slunk down the hall. On the ride to the lobby I made up my mind that the only way to save face was to just march up to the desk and act as if serving someone looking like a raving lunatic from a B movie horror flick was something they did every night, and if not then get used to it. I think it worked because I didn't notice any looks of horror from the staff, but then, thinking back, I don't think I made eye contact. And it was a swank hotel so I imagine they are trained to keep their looks of horror for after the guest walks away. I got the key, complained about the noise, was assured it would be taken care of 'ma'am', then turned and tried not to run back to the elevator. I prayed no one would be in it, and was thankful for small mercies when I had it to myself. I got back in my room with very little of my dignity still intact, walked past the mirror without looking because I didn't want to know, sank back into bed and flicked off the lamp with a sigh of relief. A few moments later I heard a knock on a door out in the hall, a door opening, muffled voices, and the click of a door closing. The tv next door went quieter and there was only one loud cheer sometime after that, just after I drifted off. I yelled 'SHUT UP' and then I slept.

The next day I was recounting the story to some of the guys who sit in 'video village' with me. The DIT (Digital Image Technologist) laughed that embarrassed sort of laugh. "Ummm... that was me." "What do you mean that was you? You were making all that noise? You are in the room beside me?" "Uhhh... I guess so because we had a guy come to the door and ask us to keep it down because we were keeping the guest beside us awake." "Well I wish I had bloody well known that last night. I would have just banged on your door myself instead of having to go down to the lobby. YOU could have called someone to come up and bring me a key. And what were you thinking, making that kind of noise so late at night. And when do you sleep?" "You yelled shut up." Oh. Right. I forgot I did that.