‘Tis the Season to be Jolly because Colin Firth Smiled at Me—Seriously 

It’s true.  The holiday season is here and it’s in full swing.  People are spreading their own brand of Christmas Cheer by pepper-spraying their neighbors and punching fellow shoppers in the face for the latest X-Box.  (The “Pepper Spray Incident” actually happened in our neighborhood.  I’m glad I’m too lazy to get up on Black Friday.)  ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly, right? Some days I wonder where all the jolly has gone?  I’d just like a smile.  From someone.  Anyone.  A little holiday cheer to remind me of the good inside.  That’s when I remember The Smile to eclipse all smiles.  That’s when I recall the day Colin Firth smiled at me—seriously.   

One of the benefits to living in Los Angeles, besides yoga and sushi on every corner, are the movie screenings.  When Oscar season rolls around, the Studios like to promote their movies by having special screenings.  Sometimes the audience is lucky enough to attend a “talk-back” afterwards and perhaps listen to the Director, or the Producer, or the Second Grip From the Left provide interesting shooting anecdotes.  If an audience is EXTREMELY lucky, one of the films stars might even show up.  This happened to be the case when my husband and I were fortunate enough to see “The King’s Speech.”

I must have been born under a lucky star (Colin Firth’s lucky star), because my husband and I scored a fourth row seat at this Pre-Oscar Screening.  We were seated way over  to the side, but who’s complaining?  The best part about our up-close seats: No one sat in front of me.  I was thrilled for this meant I could actually remove the Phone Book on which I was sitting, and no one would be blocking my view of Mr. Firth on the screen.  

After the movie, the audience applauded, and the lights came up.  The cast walked on stage and to my utter shock, that steely Mr. Darcy occupied the seat DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME!  SERIOUSLY?!  I had a clean unobstructed view of a man on my “Laminated Free-bee List!”  (Don’t tell my husband.)  Luckily, I had actually decided to brush my hair before I left, because to my utter shock I realized Colin (we are on a first name basis now) had a clean unobstructed view of ME.  SERIOUSLY?!

I tried to act casual.  I tried not to stare.  I tried to get my face to turn back to its normal peaked color.  I’m not sure I achieved any of those things.  I do know that I was casually staring.  And that’s when it happened.  Someone in the cast made a joke.  The audience laughed.  And Colin Firth looked at me—and smiled.  

At first, I thought I had imagined it.  But then I wondered why in the world had I quickly looked away in embarrassment?  Why in the world had my cheeks gone from bright red to deep crimson in a span of 1.3 seconds?  I vowed if it happened again, I wouldn’t look away.  I would somehow find the strength deep within to maintain eye contact.  I would not chicken out.  

It happened again!

I chickened out.  

I vowed if it happened again (again), I wouldn’t look away.  I would somehow find the strength deep within to maintain eye contact.    I would not chicken out.  I would smile back.  I could do this.  

It happened again (again)!!

I smiled back! 

I held eye contact and forced a casual smile.  We had a moment. 

“Did you see that?” my husband leaned over and whispered, “He just smiled at you.”

There are some days (not all days) when you can find your inner beauty all by yourself.  And there are some days when a cute boy smiles at you, and you feel your inner beauty rise to the surface to meet that cute boy’s smile.  This was one of those days.  In that moment, I felt like Colin Firth “…liked me very much…just as I am.”