I MET IRON MAN!!!

It was 8:25 pm and I had just finished setting a table for four that a man had reserved by phone earlier that day. I looked at the tiny, rectangular reservation paper that hung off of the table by a piece of tape and saw the name Rich and simply shrugged and thought, "I wonder if they're still going to be coming tonight". A few minutes later, four people came in through the door, two of them still behind the room divider in front of the door so that all I could see was their hair, and I asked, "Good evening, did you make a reservation?" Suddenly, Iron Man and Tropic Thunder actor, Robert Downey Jr., stepped out from behind the room divider and said, "Yes, Downey," and my mind just turned blank. One of my favorite actors standing right in front of me, completely unexpectedly, to eat at my work place, 5 minutes from my home.



I led them to their table, gave them their menus, and took their drink orders. Robert and his wife, Susan Downey (producer of films including Ghost Ship, Gothika and The Brave One), ordered two hot teas, and his dad ordered a regular unsweetened tea and I had to break the news to him that we unfortunately didn't have that, and that we had iced green tea and jasmine tea instead. Robert asked me if the hot tea comes in different flavors or just one, and I said one and then went and made the drinks. Once I was in the back I told Sache-san and she said "Okay, stay calm!" and then immediately went and told the news to other employees. I went out and served the drinks and then took their order. Robert started, so I went to his side of the table and stood 3 inches away from him trying to stay as professional as possible, while thinking, God damn, it feels like I'm in a movie right now, not only his voice but the way he talks is just like the way he talked in Iron Man! It was hilarious hearing him say, "Would you like to order anything, dad?" They ordered two orders of pork gyoza (dumplings), two orders of seaweed salad, and beef teriyaki. I was so starstruck that 30 seconds after I left I forgot whether they ordered chicken teriyaki or beef tataki, and had to go back and double check, while thinking "CRAP!" They were all talking and I felt rude interrupting, but part of being a waitress is learning how to interrupt politely, so I did, and Robert looked up at me and smiled while the others were still talking. After I doubled checked, Robert said, "Thank you for double checking, because I think we would actually like two orders of that instead."

When the red miso soup and seaweed salad were finished I brought them out there and when I served the red miso soup to his wife, she said "No, I actually don't want it," and then Robert said "Actually, I'll take it!" What the hell? Haha. Then they were ready to order some sushi and Susan just said "Can I have some vegitable sushi?" and I said, "We have different kinds of vegetables." Then Robert took over and was like, "We would like to have one cucumber roll, and one sweet potato roll," and then his dad asked if we have a lobster roll and I recommended one and they ordered two and ended up loving them. :) As I was leaving I heard how Robert was being extremely enthusiastic saying, "You should try this seaweed salad out, it's delicious," and I tried so hard not to laugh. Later when I came with the chicken teriyaki, Robert was like, "Oh wow will you look at that!" and he said the same thing when I served the huge plate of sushi. Later I came back with a pot of tea to refill his tea and saw that his cup was empty, and when I asked if he wanted more he said, "Yes, please!" I don't know why I felt flattered but I did. After all I made the tea, hahaha! I was scared it'd be too weak or something because I tend to do that sometimes.

At 9 the retaurant closed, which means that the kitchen was about to close, so I went back to the table and asked if they want to order anything else from the kitchen before it closes, and he said, "Yeah, I'd like to order everything we ordered all over again!" and I laughed, and then he said, "Nah, I believe we're good." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sache-san looking very amused.





When they were done eating I was told to clock out, and I was in the back thinking "Shit shit shit, I need to get a picture with this guy, who knows when it'll happen again.." When I went up front again, my boss (and owner and sushi chef of the place), Hayakawa-san, was in the front talking to them like he does with every customer, and told me to go get the camera. I thought he wanted to take a picture with them because the guy's a famous Hollywood star, but he didn't know who it was.. So when Robert went into the bathroom I was like, "Hayakawa-san, the guy in the bathroom is Robert Downey Jr.." "Who?" "Iron man.." "IRON MAN?! Are you kidding me? That guy?!" *points at bathroom* "Yes..." and he walked up to Robert's family and said "I need to ask you guys, is that really Iron Man?" and they said, "Yes it is, but that's not all he does!" and I started talking about how I love the movie Chaplin so much, and then Hayakawa-san started asking if there's a way to get a picture but then was interrupted by something, I don't remember what. When I got a moment with him I said, "That guy is one of my favorite actors of all time." A moment later, Robert came out of the bathroom and Hayakawa-san asked him to sign his autograph on a huge plack, and Robert wrote "For Sushi House!! Hayakawa!!! Robert Downie 2009," and I could see how happy my boss was. :) Hayakawa-san then pointed at me and said "Can I take a picture? She said she's a huge fan of yours!" and Robert said, "Oh really?" and I stretched forward my hand and he shook it and asked, "What is your name?" "Bethany" "Nice to meet you," and I told him I am interested in working in the movie business. Then Hayakawa-san wanted to take a picture, and I thought it'd be all of us but it was just me and Robert, and I was trying to not stand too close because I didn't want to invade his personal space, but then he was like, "C'mere!" and put his arm around me and I was like holy shit.. Hayakawa-san then took a picture with him and looked so incredibly happy. God, a world-famous actor ate at his restaurant. I'm so happy for him.

Soon after that it was time for them to leave, and like usual, we all shouted out "Arigatoo gozaimasita!" (Thank you very much) and after replying to all that, Robert looked at me and yelled "GOOD LUCK!"

God what a nice experience. :) And contrary to popular belief, Robert Downey Jr. is incredibly nice and polite, at least when he is able to enjoy a nice, quiet dinner with his family without being treated like anything other than a normal human being. Until he's done eating at least.. :)

Next - Southbound Train to the Airport

Okay today Atlanta's Marta public transportation system was completely screwed up; I stood at Five Points Station around 5pm for 20 minutes awaiting the Doraville train and I am not kidding when I tell you that one southbound train came every 30 seconds-2 minutes. Everytime one would arrive, I would hear a female voice over the speakers say, "Next, Southbound train to the airport", indicating that yet another Southbound train was about to arrive, only a minute or so after the one that was already there. People all around me were so pissed off and stated that they had already stood there for a half an hour waiting for the same train as me, and everytime the Doraville train was supposedly "arriving", it wouldn't and instead two North Springs trains came, one minute apart. We were like what the hell? Haha, but eventually the Doraville train came but it was packed, although I guess that was to be expected.



No, the funniest Marta related incident occurred the other day: I was sitting there on my way home, minding my own business and listening to music on my iPod really loud when I all of a sudden heard something that sounded like a roar of a snore (I'm not kidding, that shit was loud). My first instinct was to look up, and when I did I realized that everyone in that part of the train, I'd say maybe 5o-70 people, were quietly looking around and looking as if they were just as puzzled as I was. After a few minutes of scanning through the people on the train, I saw that a guy who appeared to be in his 20's was sitting there covering his face and laughing while his face was as red as a tomato, so I assumed it was him, but soon I found out it was actually a gangster looking dude behind him who appeared to be my age. The dude was just sitting there, slouched down with his head leaned against the window and his mouth open, and the snoring continued to get louder and louder to the point to where everyone in that part of the train were laughing their asses off (including me, I'm usually good about not laughing but that shit was funny). Soon, the young guy whose face was red as a tomato (because people thought he was the one that was snoring) ended up getting off and I yelled, "It's okay, we know it wasn't you man," and he laughed and looked relieved. 10 minutes later we finally arrived at the last train station, Doraville Station, and the dude was still fast asleep, and a lady sitting across from me asked if I had a camera or laptop anything to record him with to put it on Youtube but of course, that day out of all days, I did not have either with me. Damn.