How to Manifest Brad Pitt into Your Life…or Restaurant

One of my cousins claimed that I may just have “the shining” with all the manifestations going on around me.

She reminded me that we were just talking about Anne Northrup and her sister on Sunday, and then I see her and her bumper-stickered car the very next morning. And there was my I Love This Story post…and then, I remembered one of my favorite manifestations of all…BRAD effing PITT.

So a year ago, I was in New Orleans for work, just like Brad Pitt (if think about Brad as often as I do, you gotta check out www.PittWatch.com). He and Ange and the kids were living there while he filmed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The week or so before I left, the women in my office and I tracked every picture we could find of Brad and Ange walking around New Orleans or hanging out on their second story deck/patio. For sure, I was going to be able to spot where they lived while I was there.

My plan was to walk in the mornings and evenings, zig-zagging through the French Quarter keeping an eye out for a well kept second story spread. I was fully prepared to run into to the happily un-married couple wearing sunglasses and Gap-like clothing, only more expensive. I imagined running into them at full-speed-walking mode. Maybe act a bit started, like their Peg Perego double-stroller nearly took me out. And then I’d notice the children and comment how beautiful they were, say something like, “I’ve got a three year old at home who falls asleep everytime I put her in a stroller.”

And then I’d be all, “Wait a second, I’m sorry, I totally didn’t realize who you guys were.” Smooth, right? Then I’d be polite and try to let them be, “Well, it’s pleasure meeting you, I’m a huge fan.” But before I could leave them to their peace, Angie would ask what my daughter’s name was and I’d have to tell the story about how she’s named after a motorcycle and then Brad would laugh and say something about how Angie loves motorcycles and then they’d ask if I’d like to get coffee with them since they were heading that way and we’d still be exchanging emails today. But, it didn’t exactly go down like that.

Instead…

It was the last night of my stay in New Orleans and there was a really nice restaurant behind my hotel on Tchoupitoulas Street. The wait for a table was going to be awhile and since I was a party of one, it seemed more appropriate to take a table by the bar, which also happened to be by the hostess stand and entrance. I ordered a beet salad, something I never would have ordered normally, but the waiter claimed it wasn’t going to be what I expected and that I’d love it (he was wrong, it was exactly what I expected). While picking at my beet salad, this guy came in to the restaurant and asked for the owner. Can you imagine what a director’s assistant might look like? Baseball cap, khaki shorts, clipboard–that’s what this guy looked like.

They had a brief conversation and then the guy left. The restaurant owner turned to tell the hostesses something. It appeared that he had just told her she won $1M. Within seconds, there was a buzz throughout the bar staff and dining room servers who kept coming in to talk to the hostess. Something was happening and it was big. Big enough to make up for my beet salad.

Finally, the hostess came over to ask if she could get me anything and I asked her what the big scoop was.

“They’re filming a scene for Brad Pitt’s new movie right outside on the street here and they may have to come in the restaurant for it,” she told me.

“Brad may have to come in here?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but I get the feeling he may.”

Holy shit! I was going to see Brad Pitt up close and at the hostess stand…maybe. Or what if they didn’t come in the restaurant and just did all the filming from the outside. I had finished my beet salad and was trying to decide on getting a full course, dessert, or just going outside. I really did want a dessert, this was one of those places that you knew had yummy, yummy desserts. Then the owner made an announcement to the dining room that in 45 minutes, they were going to have to close the front entrance for about an hour. Anyone wanting to leave the restaurant was going to have to leave from a different entrance.

I was a mess, should I go out and see if I could find him outside or stay put and see if he actually came in. I ordered a dessert as chocolate always helps me with such major decisions. In the end, I decided to take my chances on the outside of the restaurant.

By the time I made it outdoors, a crowd had started gathering to watch the filming. I joined them to see all that went in to setting up a shot…a shot that would eventually be all of five minutes of filming. And then, there he was. So handsome, so utterly cool, so Brad Pitt…and taller than I expected. I watched as he spoke to the director, did a chest bump with one of the assistant-like people who was running around with a bullhorn, telling people where to go.

And then, I watched them set up the beginning of the scene…inside the restaurant. Take, after take, after take, Brad Pitt started the scene by walking out of the restaurant to the street curb to flag a pretend cab. My table in that very restaurant had been less than five feet from that entrance door. I would have been able to see how his shoes were laced if I’d have stayed put (not that I would have been looking at his feet, but you get the idea).

And so, I manifested Brad Pitt right to my dining table, but was too anxious to stay put. There was a real lesson in that night for me. When in doubt, stay put. Don’t move, don’t make any sudden decisions. Stay where you are and you will get what you want.