Ran into Mason the Other Day
July 1, 2019 • Los Angeles
So the other day I’m walking up Fifth Street toward the Central Library, one of Mason’s favorite hangouts. I had just been through an intense encounter with a homeless woman in Pershing Square, and my nerves were a little rattled. I looked at one of the people walking east on Fifth, and it was Mason. He had a smile on his face, and I didn’t catch his eye, which makes me think I just missed him looking at me, and perhaps recognizing me. The red hair, rugby frame, backpack, and semi-disheveled shirt were unmistakable.
I was with other people, and I was momentarily floored by the experience, so I didn’t go after him. It was odd, to say the least.
Other authors have written about running into their characters in the real world. Ray Bradbury was an Angeleno who had this experience, and so did William S. Burroughs. No one who’s read about the amount of mind-altering drugs that guy consumed would be much surprised by anything he saw. Comic writer Alan Moore ran into his character John Constantine in London, and had a similar experience in that they recognized each other.
I can’t dismiss the experience, as it was so real, even mundane. If you happen to run into Mason out there, say hello from me.
