Well from the moment that my sister, Ariana, and I got on the plane up until the moment that I walked into the theater, it never really hit me that we were there to see Bea.
Right before we left the hotel I said a little prayer thanking God for letting me come to LA. In the closing of the prayer I asked for the opportunity to actually have a chance to talk to Bea and introduce myself and what not, but since He had already given me the chance to see her show, I was happy with that!
Well we arrived at the theater at around 7:20PM, 40 minutes before the show started
and 10 minutes before the doors opened. After the doors opened, it didn't take
us long to find our seats. We sat in the last row last to seats to the left if
you were on stage facing the audience. Well right before the show started, Ariana
hit me with her elbow as in to turn to my left. She said, "I think that the last lady who walked in is Betty White!" I said, "No,
I don't think that's her. I would need to get a front view of her to tell." Well
right after I said that, she turned and it was Betty White! That really took
me back, because you know I was not expecting to see her there, know what I mean?
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Theatre Marquis
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Anyhow, Bea then came out and she was just breath taking!
Even though we were a distance away, we could still get a
very good view of her. Especially her beautiful flashy blue
coat! Well during intermission, Ariana and I went to the
restroom. After we came back we were standing there wondering
if I should go up to Betty and ask for her autograph. Reason
being that no one was going up to her. We figured that maybe
she had requested for no one to go up to her or that maybe
nobody knew that she was there. Well I finally worked up
the courage to go up to her as she was sitting. I asked, "Mrs. White?" She said, "Yes." I said, "May I trouble you for an autograph?" She said, "Sure." So
then I proceeded to talk to her about the Golden Girls and how much of an influence
the show and how much her character Rose has an influence on me, although I relate
more to Dorothy's character. She was so nice and sweet. Well after I was done
talking to her, I went back to my seat and that was when a few other people noticed
whom it was that I was talking to.
Well then the show started up again and Bea was just magnificent! My favorite
parts of the show were when she talked about her encounter with Mae West and
her imitation of Mae West. That and the three songs that she sang called "Isn't
He Adorable", "Pirate Jenny", and "Some People". But of course the whole show
was just as wonderful.
After the show we stayed behind for the reception with Bea. Once Bea was coming
out, people started to clap and she was just so grateful. Once it was my turn
to have my pictures autographed, I noticed how tired she was. I mean you could
tell how she was having trouble concentrating and focusing on signing. When I
was up there, I asked to see if it was okay for me to go around the table so
that I may take picture with her, her manager (I think it was her manager) said
that he couldn't let me do that. So then Bea said, "Well
that's okay, just get as close to me as possible" and my sister snapped the picture. After that I stepped aside and I thought, "Well
at least I had my picture taken with her and I have her autograph as well.
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Bea siging my picture
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Ariana and I walked back to the hotel at around 11:30PM.
I was staying at the Marriott Hotel and Resorts, which was
just a block away from the theater. Since I work for Marriott,
I was able to get a good rate. As we were coming through
the lobby we could here that the bar that was in the hotel
was playing salsa music. So we went up to the room and put
our things away so that we could go back down to dance a
few songs and have a drink. We walked right in and immediately
started to dance. After we danced three songs, it was time to get a drink and
a breather to go along with it. We sat at the bar and I told the bartender that
I wanted a strong Cosmo martini and my sister ordered another drink. Well after
taking two small sips of my drink, a lady walked up to us and informed me what
she had just heard through the grapevine. We had met her the night before and
told her that we were there in Torrance to see Bea Arthur. So she came back to
me and informed me that she didn't know who, but that all she knew was that the "Golden Girls" were staying in the hotel and that she saw them in the restaurant eating. So I thought, "Well
this is it! This is my chance to actually have the opportunity to meet her face
to face with no one limiting her time. And if she said "Golden Girls" then I'm
sure that Betty White must be there with her as well!" Well I chugged my martini wanting to go to the restaurant right then and there! But then Ariana didn�t
want to go because she thought it would be rude to interrupt her eating with
her friends. So I agreed and decided to go outside to have a smoke while I would
wait for Bea to come out of the restaurant. I was out by the courtyard and you
could look into the restaurant. Well after having about two or three cigarettes,
I saw Bea get up from her table and head out for the door. She was by herself.
So Ariana and I automatically went inside.
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Bea & Me
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Right after I walked in Bea saw me first.
Bea: Oh hello!
Me: (my jaw dropped to the floor) Bea! Hello!
Bea: Where are the restrooms?
Me: Oh just down the hall sweetie.
Bea: Show me.
Me: (I stood right next to her and pointed to the doors) Right there.
Bea: (she grabbed my hand with a firm grip) No sweetie, I'm buzzing and I need
you to show me.
Me: Okay sweetie (I grabbed her by her arm and Ariana went to Bea's left side,
and we were walking her to the restroom.) Can I ask you for a favor?
Bea: Sure!
Me: May I get a picture of you and me?
Bea: Oh I look like shit right now!
Me: Oh no you don't you look beautiful!
Bea: Okay, but before I hear your story, let me go pee first and when I get back,
I'll take the picture with you!
So after she came back
Bea: Okay now lets take the picture!
Me: Oh, is Betty with you in the restaurant?
Bea: Who?
Me: Betty, Betty White?
Bea: Oh no. Why do you ask?
Me: Well because she was at your show and I figured that maybe she would be visiting with you?
Bea: Oh no, I didn�t know she was there. I would have loved to have seen her. She�s
so nice.
(She took a picture with me and then I took a picture of Bea with Ariana. I took two pictures of them because I had forgotten to put the flash on the first one.)
Me: Oh let me take another one because I forgot to put the flash one the first one.
Bea: (Putting her hand on her hip) Oh, I�m so fucking tired and he's taking forever.
But that's okay sweetie, take your time!
(So then after I take the picture we slowly start walking toward the restaurant.)
Bea: So where are you from?
Me: From Texas
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I was telling Bea something that I completley forgot
about; but she looks to be listening and interested
to what I was saying!
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Bea: What?! What the hell are you doing here in LA?
Me: Well we came to see you! Hoping to have the opportunity to meet you and lucky
for me, I did and I'm glad I met you.
Bea: Oh you're so sweet. It�s nice meeting you as well. But why didn't you go
see me in Texas when I went to Houston?
Me: Well I didn't have the money to go, so I didn't.
Bea: Oh you poor bunny, poooor bunny. (Rubbing and patting my back)
Me: Well I didn't have the money this time either, so I got a bank loan to come
see you!
Bea: (laughing) Oh you're not serious?
Me: No, I'm serious.
Ariana: He did get a bank loan, believe me!
Bea: Oh I can�t believe that, you're fuckin� nuts!
Me: Well I tell you that it was worth every little penny!
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Bea & me at the hotel Marriott after she came back
from the restroom!
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(So when we were done talking, I asked her if she would like for us to walk her back to the restaurant and she did ask us to. I walked her just past the doorway when)
Bea: Where did all my friends go? The bastards left me!
Me: No they didn't sweetie, they're back there.
Bea: Oh I see them. (Whispering) Don't tell them I said that!
Me: Okay sweetie, I won't. It was nice meeting you. Take care and God bless.
You�re beautiful!
Bea: (Giving me one last good strong hug and blowing me a kiss) You too dear! Take care and I love you both!
I walked right out and fell over the bar in disbelief! Throughout the time that
we were talking to her, she would give Ariana a hug and then come over to me
and give me a hug. Just back and forth to the both of us. And I loved the way
she hugs you as if she had known you for years and she never wants to let go.
Well after I went back to the room, I could not go to sleep I was still in shock.
It was like one big dream! AND IT CAME TRUE!
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Bea & my sister Ariana. Bea leans on Ariana and tells
her how I'm talking forever and she is so fucking tired!
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Kevin, thank you for having such an awesome well-informed web site! If it wasn't
for that, I don't think I would have ever done what I did.
Sincerely,
Mando and Ariana Lomas
La Feria, Texas
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