Years later, I saw the movie Boogie Nights, discovered what movie industry was based in The Valley and realized it was not my hands the men were interested in filming. On two separate occasions, men gave me their business cards, told me I’d be a great hand model and asked to film me. People approached me a lot when I lived in the San Fernando Valley in my early 20s. The only Spanish I remember is “No recuerdo mucho espanol,” “No se” and “El gato es en la cocina,” meaning “I don’t remember much Spanish,” “I don’t know” and “The cat is in the kitchen.” Unfortunately, I graduated from college 24 years ago. Fortunately, I took seven years of Spanish classes in high school and college.
To make things more difficult, I am often asked for help in Spanish. Given my navigational skills, that is like asking Pamela Anderson’s advice about marital longevity or questioning Paris Hilton about astrophysics. Instead, I’m mistaken for Aunt Harriet from Cleveland.Īnd people are always stopping me to ask for directions. When I go out in public, people wave and shout “Flo!” or “Myra!” Then they get closer, turn red and say “Sorry, I thought you were someone else.” Unfortunately, no one has ever shouted “Demi!” or “Cher!” or “Heather Locklear!” at me.
