We shared our Tokyo to Los Angeles flight with a Japanese movie star. According to Dodo he starred with Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai and I took her word for it. We landed to a crystal clear Los Angeles morning, we could see all the surrounding mountains. The smog is no more, apparently they've cracked down and eliminated it. While getting the car at Enterprise, I checked and re-checked my pockets. Too many young salesman in starter suits shaking my hand and calling me by my first name. After years in the more formal cultures of France and Singapore, I found their easy familiarity strange. It felt like a con man was selling me a recently "borrowed" car that would probably break down once on the freeway.
We drove up the 405 to Santa Monica for breakfast. As requested, Dodo chanted "stay on the right" from time to time. I wasn't used to driving in the US and was afraid I would slip up. We ate at a cafe on Wilshire named Literati but the only books in sight were those in a painting that hung on the wall. The portions were absurd - we could have shared our breakfast with a small family.
On our way from the west side to the east, we cruised through Beverly Hills, hit Sunset and stopped in a bookstore in Hollywood. James Spader was leafing through a book near the check out line. I nudged Dodo and nodded towards him but she stared blankly at me. I later tried to explain who he was to no avail. I got the same reaction when I took her to Hollywood and Vine. Neither did much register on her face when I pointed to the spot on sidewalk outside the Viper Room where River Phoenix died of an overdose. Hollywood trivia is overrated. The two hour drive to Palm Springs took three and a half. It was an uphill, stop and go slow motion torture. I was so happy to reach the hotel and drop into a dead man's sleep.
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