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Mom Arrived safe and sound,

Now here's a laugh, get a beer in hand.

I'm sitting in the airport and a film crew comes in, more than 30 people, big fucking cameras, directors, shooting some kind of major motion picture, all talking on walky-talkys with head sets. I am in the front row of seats for arrivals, a dozen other people sitting in rows spread out behind me. A guy sits next to me munching Ruffels out of a small bag, he looks familiar, I recognize his brit accent. Camera's are setting up and I hear a young guy asking people behind me to sign a release to be extras for shooting a major motion picture called Duplicity, the guy sitting next to me I recognize now. This young guy asks me to be an extra and I say "Sure. That's Owen isn't it?" he says "Yes". There's one empty chair between us so I take the release and walk up to him and say "Excuse me, my mom is arriving in a few minutes and we've been asked to extra, a moment please?" He says "No prob got a piece of paper? What's your mom's name?" as I hand him a pen and pad. He writes 'To Kate, best wishes, Clive Owen'. I say thanks. Mom arrives a couple minutes later, I get her photo with Clive in the background and get her a release also, we're now both paid extras. We get a walking part next to him as they shoot his arrival at the airport, we do 10 takes from the same position crossing behind his path as he walks by our Que point, mom's a natural. We get 20 bucks each, other extras are standing around like their waiting for arrivals, and looking at Mom and I like we are hired actors because the producer keeps walking us back to our Que and talking to us about what we are supposed to do. Mom keeps bitching "Why do they have to do this so many times? If I were him I would be pissed about why they can't get it right the first time!" I try to explain that they need different angles for the shot, and many takes to get it perfect. She says "I would also be pissed at all those people preening at my hair and dusting my face with shit constantly" I say "Mom, for what he makes I would let them dress me in drag and make me kiss men". "You would NOT!" she says. "Oh yes I would!" She asks me if I am part of this movie too because the director and I are talking casually about our part.

We made it to the boat and I cooked fresh mahi for mom, we're laughing about being movie stars and I dig into my backpack and pulled out a bag of Ruffels with a couple chip crumbs left in it, it's Clives, I swiped it when he got up. "Mom, Clive not only gave you a personalized autograph, took a picture with you and let you be in his movie, but he's sharing his potato chips with you too" We laugh and nip at the crumbs.

Two martinis each and we are passing out at 8:30.

Give my love to Kimmy, and if you can find a photo of Clive in a magazine please bring it, or better yet print one off the web site for Duplicity, and if you can get a DVD of one of his movies to watch with her the night you arrive it would be great so I can send it all home with her and her autograph. Duplicity airs next spring, Starring Mom.

ben