MATTHEW PERRY

May 26, 2015

Dockweiler Beach

Playa del Rey, CA

Photo credit: Matthew Perry

Seriously? This only happens in LA.

My friend and I were sitting on the sand, enjoying a sunny but cool southern California day. It was early afternoon on a Tuesday and the beach was noticeably deserted. The few people we saw zipped by on the bike path and quickly disappeared out of sight. Then two guys sauntered along the pathway as though they didn’t have a care in the world. They were clean-looking men in casual business clothes who seemed rather out of place. One had a scruffy beard, and as we talked we watched them pass. I said, “Is that Matthew Perry?”

We considered it from all angles. They were walking north which means they could have come from one of the local beachside restaurants, and Matthew Perry is currently starring in The Odd Couple as scruffy Oscar Madison. I was pretty convinced it was him. Bummer now though because in the time it took for us to decide, they were long gone.

But what goes north must come south.

So, after about 30 minutes they came strolling back toward us. They were still kinda far from where we sat but I stood up, walked across the sand, and stopped on the path in front of them. We were the only four people on the entire beach so, at this point, my move was as conspicuous as they were.

It really looked like him but I still wasn’t sure so with uncertainty, and without raising my hand higher than my hip, I waved at him. He waved back. And, mocking me, he also kept his hand below his hip. Hurray! A fun guy! It must be him.

Once they reached me, they stopped. I said hi, explained My Celebrity Photo Album idea to the scruffy one, and asked if he would take my picture. He smiled and said, “Sure. Go stand over there so I can get the ocean in the background.” I did. He took a quick picture and I came back for my camera. Easy.

I thanked them for taking time out of their big-league Hollywood dealmaking, and we all went on with our lives.

This is a prime example of why I bring my camera everywhere I go and, why I should always consider what I look like before I leave the house. You just never know.

Seriously. This only happens in LA.