First off, it’s Friday the 13th. Hopefully, nobody sees any black cats, walks under ladders or steps on a crack that breaks your mother’s back. Today’s post has nothing to do with superstitious behavior. However, to help ensure that nothing bad happens, it feels like the right thing to at least acknowledge this freaky Friday occurrence.

Stay safe everybody!

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We never know who we are going to meet. Life is great that way. In a moment, you’re scrolling through a menu at a restaurant in Agoura Hills, California with a New Zealand-inspired menu. That apple and pear drink was too inviting not to RSVP to, especially on such a warm, sunny afternoon. As the waitress (who lit up the shaded patio area with her beautiful smile) took our drink orders, there was something about her that hinted at some hidden intrigue. There are polite, charismatic waiters and waitresses. And then there are polite and charismatic waiters and waitresses who are merely making a quick stop as a culinary transporter on their way to something big.

Our waitress was the latter.

With our delicious non-alcoholic fruit concoctions in-hand, a conversation was born of “what brings you out to southern California from Ohio?” After a minute of conversing, as soon as the word, “Broadway” was enunciated, the fun started. Katie (our waitress) told us that she had co-written a play that’s going to be work-shopped at The Mint Theater in New York City this June. She wrote a children-appropriate play, “Devil in the Deep” with Graham Russell, the former guitarist from Air Supply. The story is based on “Treasure Island,” which is enough to gain the attention of children and adults like, quite honestly.

Culturally, we’ve become familiar with stories of a waiter or waitress saying, “I’m writing a screenplay” or “I’m just waiting tables at the Cheesecake Factory until I get my big break!” But to meet someone who has written a play that is going to run in a theater in New York City for a month was quite incredible. A testimony of hard work. Another special moment from this past weekend was eating at a beer and wine selling tavern called the Ojai Beverage Company and sitting at a table next to Jason Segel of How I Met Your Mother and I Love You, Man fame. It just goes to show that we sometimes realize, and sometimes may not realize, who we’re sitting next to or speaking with.

Randomly going to a casual joint in Ojai on an overcast, rainy afternoon for the best fish tacos around (true story!) or engaging in conversation with a sweet waitress can change our days (and summer plans) in a matter of moments.

Talk about an off-the-menu special…

“Devil in the Deep”
The Mint Theater, NYC
Playing in June