The typical celebrity spotting for an Angelino is like the prom for an average teenager… hugely anticipated, grossly overrated and usually lacking physical interaction. That said, every once in a while, you score.
For me, a big night in Hollywood consists of a Melrose Avenue stroll to Pinkberry, stroller and dogs in tow. But, New England natives don’t do Chihuahuas. In my house, each of the two dogs weighs more than both of my children, combined. So we roll Bugaboo, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Rottweiler deep.
Not sure if it was the distraction of the waffle cone or the pomegranate seeds, but on one night I accidentally let go of Emilia’s stroller, and it toppled (ok, flipped) down a few concrete steps outside the shop. It took only a split-second, but my life flashed before my eyes. And if she didn’t need an ambulance, I would.
Emilia scraped her face, chipped a tooth and punctured her lip. I screamed maniacally as she bled profusely, and the dogs stood guard. Then, miraculously, an angel appeared- disguised as Elizabeth Berkley.
She came out of nowhere (well, actually, she came out of a pimped out BMW) bearing ice and towels. Don’t let her role in Showgirls confuse you… the girl has maternal instinct. She was helpful, compassionate and sincere. And in the end, thankfully, my ego was more damaged than my daughter.
But in Hollywood, no good deed goes unnoticed, especially by your publicist. And if you were to hear a soundtrack of the moment as it went down, it would be a mix of my screams, Emilia’s cry, and a former “Saved By The Bell” star repeating incessantly “My name is Elizabeth; My name is Elizabeth”.
I have to admit, that for days following, I wondered if a story would surface about Jessie Spano coming to the rescue of an inattentive mother craving fro-yo. I was thankful she was there, but honestly, I couldn’t have cared less that she had an IMDB web page. At that moment, all I cared about was my daughter.
Looking back now, I am way more thankful for her. She didn’t Save the Bell, but she did help save my sanity.
