My friends Natasha and Mimi and I were tired of being ghost in appointment applications. A year after I moved from Miami to Los Angeles, I felt that the only way to meet someone really in this city was to leave.
So we went to the roof bar at the W hotel in Hollywood for jazz night. Surely, we find sophisticated men there.
Anxious to make some new connections, we saw three types next to the bar. Perfect! Natasha, who was the brave of our group, approached them and asked the only guy who looked like a Hollywood model if he had a lighter. He did, and so, we had our entrance.
The friend next to Mr. Hollywood was different. He had long and curly hair and was easy for his eyes. It didn't seem to be placing a front. He appeared as Wes and said he had arrived that same day from Michigan by train. He planned to sleep on his friend's couch until he found a job in Los Angeles, I immediately judged him as one of those American backpackers of free spirit, or what my Venezuelan father would call Hippie.
Was No interested in him. Although I was unemployed myself, I still had higher standards. But I had to admit that Wes was nice.
When he asked me for my name and where it was from, I said: “Laura”, I pronounced it as American Way, “Loh-Ruh”. And I explained that I was born in Venezuela, but I raised in Miami.
Wes looked at me, confused. “Wait, don't you pronounce 'strong-ah'?” asked.
No gringo had said my name perfectly in Spanish before.
I explained that when I arrived in this country when I was 7 years old, everyone at school called me “Loh-Ruh” because they didn't know how to say it in Spanish. I hated it, but finally I got used to it.
Wes said: “If you learned to pronounce the names of people in English, you must teach them how to say your name in Spanish. It is a beautiful name.” He told me to explain it by saying that the “R” in Laura should sound like the “T” in the water. Or even easier: just say “stronger” without the “-er” in the end as “Lou-Dah”.
Immediately delighted, I asked how I knew it, and said he spoke Spanish fluently. He had been interested since childhood and had just spent a year teaching English in Ecuador, so his Spanish was cooler and, he could add, a little sexy.
My interest was spicy. When I opened my dreams of becoming a comedian and how difficult it was to live away from my family in Miami, I realized that I was really listening.
Then he shared stories about playing university football, spending six months in India studying philosophy and his passion for social injustice. Slowly I found myself wanting, no, I need, to see it again.
Who cared if he had no job and was sleeping on Mr. Hollywood's couch. Who was I to judge? Besides, he had arrived in Los Angeles that same day!
For the first time, I met a guy who was not playing any game. He was intelligent, realistic and cute, and I think he liked it. But it was not yet completely safe; I couldn't say if he liked it or if he was only being super friendly with me. You never know with the guys that are not being launched, something that I liked.
I made fun of Wes about whether I could dance salsa, and he replied, maybe a bit with too much confidence, that he could.
I told him that if I believed him, he would have to meet with me in the download in North Western Avenue to prove it. I loved to dance salsa, and I wanted to see how I was doing. I lied and said that my friends and I were planning to go next Wednesday. He laughed and accepted the challenge, and we exchanged numbers.
On Uber's trip home, I told my friends that we had to go to download on Wednesday. Natasha said: “Sorry, baby, Wednesday is my birthday, and I want to go to the good times at Davey Wayne's.” I tried to change their minds, in vain. Well, I might not call, I thought.
A couple of days later, after finding him on Facebook, he was ecstatic when he finally approached. He scrolled for his photos reminded me how beautiful it was. Wes sent me a text message that was excited to show his sauce skills. I nervously answered that there had been a slight change of plans and asked him if he could disc and sauce. After a few minutes of unbearable silence, he replied: “Yes!”
With the top of anticipation, I arrived at Davey Wayne's and immediately took a shot. A year of quotes in La made me a pessimistic, so I tried not to tell all the ways in which this could go wrong, like, what happens if it does not appear? What happens if he is an awkward dancer? That would be a detour. My mind was running.
Then he entered. His hair was tied in a bun, which made it even hotter. After mixing with my friends and singing happy birthday to Natasha, he asked me if I wanted to dance. Nerviously, I nodded with my head.
On the dance floor, I could not only dance, but it was super soft with that! When “Ring My Bell” was lit by Anita Ward, with a fast movement, Wes turned, submerged and kissed me. My bell had been played. I knew that at that time I was not letting this gringo go. Nine years later, we are still dancing and, curious, I became a Venezuelan free spirit backproof who travels around the world with him.
The author is an actor and writer based in Los Angeles, originally raised in 305. She lives in the happy with her husband, Wes. She is on Instagram: @lauradi.lorenzo.
Los Angeles Affairs Chronices The search for romantic love in all its glorious expressions in the Los Angeles area, and we want to listen to their real history. We pay $ 400 for a published essay. Email [email protected]. You can find presentation guidelines here. You can find past columns here.
