Before Johnny Depp was Jack Sparrow, he was Tom Hanson to me

  I know the first question you want to know before I start telling you my story and the answer is, YES!!! He is just as gorgeous in person. Beautiful skin, great hair, mysterious glares and he smelled like soap. But, before I get ahead of myself, I will start from the beginning.

It was Spring or Summer of 1997 and Johnny Depp walks onto my flight. Of course, the theme to 21 Jumpstreet silently played in my head as I tried to concentrate on preparing for departure. But there he was in all his glory.
He was smaller than I thought he would be and had moved from his clean 80's look, to his faux ,grungy, long haired, I don't care how I look but I do phase.

He was quiet and sat in the window seat with no one next to him. When I asked him if he would like a drink, he politely responded with a no and a thank you. He had the softest voice and was sweet. Did I mention he smiled with that smirky sexy smile thing that he always does. Good Lord!! I was smitten.

"You better be ready to jump! 21 Jumpstreet!!!!"

See! That darn theme song was popping in my head randomly.

As I sat in my jumpseat facing the first class cabin, I was trying to think of a cleaver, witty and adorable way to talk to him without coming across as a crazy fan. I wanted to seem cool. I wanted him to think I didn't care, even though his many pictures and posters were plastered across my room in High School. That would, of course, be my secret.

Gosh, he was pretty......

OK, where was I?

  So, we finally get out of my seat and walk toward the galley, behind first class. Don't look directly at him! Don't look directly at him, repeated in my head. Think, Maria!! Think!! Clever....... hmmmm...I could be clever!

After our beverage service, I noticed he was reading Spin magazine. I'll never forget the cover because he held it up high and in front of his face. Either to prove he was a cool music lover or to hide his face from glaring fans. I went with the first option. The cover had Gwen Stefani on the cover and was the first cover that No Doubt was featured on and also the plot of their dramatic video, Don't Speak.

I decided this was my "In" and I could talk about the band.
I slowly walk up, hands shaking, trying to look adorable and say, "So, are you going to LA on business or pleasure?"
WHAT!!!!!?? What did I just say??!!!! Did that come out of my mouth?!! This was neither clever nor charming!!!
I just F#$%ed that up royally.
He lowered the magazine a little and told me it was a little of both. He started telling me that he had just seen his girlfriend in New York (Kate Moss) and was going back home to LA.

Wow, I thought, that's a lot of TMI for a celebrity to share and it was fricking awesome!!
He started asking me what kind of music I liked and asked me if I had been to the Viper Room in LA. I replied no and he said he could get me and the other flight attendants on the list if we wanted to see Dishwalla. At the time, they only had one song out and to this day, there one hit wonder.

So, I am to understand that Tom Hanson just offered to put me on a list at his club?!??

"21 JUMSTREET!!!"

Hmmm, ummm..YES, please!! I am so there!!!!!!!

But, I replied with a calm and cool, "That would be great. Thank you."

Inside, I was dying.

We chatted about music for a bit but I don't remember a thing we were talking about because I was watching how his separated long locks of hair were brushing across his cheek. He was pretty. Oh so pretty.

I then, in my Johnny Depp Daze, decided to talk about his acting. I told him that he was a great actor and I asked him if he knew what I thought his best work was. His reply was What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I said, no. He then picked Ed Wood. I said no, again.

I then went on to tell him, with a dreamy tone to my voice, that it was a scene from 21 Jumpstreet. His girlfriend had just gotten shot at the five and dime and he had locked himself in his apartment watching the surveillance tape of the shooting. He had gone a little mad and had timed out the amount of seconds it would have taken him to save her.

Ahhhh, he was brilliant.

As I looked down at him after describing the episode, he had a bewildered smirk on his face. I think he was shocked I picked an episode from his series and not one of his movies. I could tell he wanted to giggle but he saw how serious I was and held back.

I was slightly serious but mostly I just wanted to be clever and odd. I just forgot about the adorably part. Oh, well.

I then excused myself to get back to work but before I walked away, I asked him if he minded taking a picture with me in the galley. He said, yes!

SCORE!!

I quickly rummaged through my flight bag and could not find my camera. Oh, the horror!! Where was it?!! This is a once and a lifetime opportunity!!

"You better be ready to jump! 21 Jumpstreet!!!!"

There goes that theme song again playing on loop.............

I could not find my camera but DID have my video camera. Would he go for it? I had to try.

He walked back to the galley and I tried to sell him on the video camera idea. Maybe a quick record and pause? He smiled and said he didn't feel ok with that and said he was sorry. I told him it was ok and I thanked him for even walking back there.

After the flight was over, I walked out of the airport and waited for my cab to take me home. I noticed his limo was parked at the end of the terminal.

He walked up to the limo and leaned against it in that cool Johnny Depp way.  Now, these were the days before the crazy paparazzi. They could basically go anywhere and not have to deal with cameras or video cameras.

 As he was waiting for his driver to bring his bags, I quickly got my video camera out and tried to hide behind my suitcase and take a quick shot.

Gosh, he was pretty......

I saw him turn his head toward my direction but I thought I was invisible. I was not.

He waved and smiled and then got into his limo.

That was so cool of him.

Whether he is Jack Sparrow, Tom Hanson or Edward Scissorhands, he is and will always be the epitome of cool.

Mr. Marlon Brando Makes an Offer I had to refuse.

  It was the Spring of 1997 and I was boarding my flight from New York's Laguardia Airport LGA and on my way to Los Angeles LAX. It was a normal trip of mine. Flight departs at 6:30pm and arrives in LAX a little before 10pm. Then a 24 hour layover before my 10pm red eye back to NY.
  As usual, I was working the first class cabin and was in the galley preparing for the flight. Getting the credenza in the first class cabin ready for the passengers. Carafes of juice and water. White wine, read wine and champagne. Warmed mixed nuts and yada yada.

 I noticed Mr. Brando boarding and taking a seat on the right side of the cabin and in the second to last row. He took the aisle seat though no one sat next to him at the window. Odd, since most celebrities like the privacy of the window seat. Now, to most people, Marlon Brando is the Godfather and that's how they picture him to look. My vision was of the hunky Brando from A Streetcar Named Desire. White T-shirt rolled up...mmmmm.

Yep!
well that was 1951 and it is now over 45 years later and it shows. He is, to put it politely, on the fuller side. His hair is longer and thinner and it is pulled back into a tight ponytail. He fastens his seat belt and that was that. Or so I thought.

 Before departure it is standard to walk up and down the aisles making sure everyone has everything they need. Bags stowed, drink, blanket, snack, fastened seat belts, tray stowed, etc.
I watched from the galley, as a flight attendant walked up one side of the credenza and around the other side. She was stopped by Mr. Brando who had a request. I wasn't sure what it was but she proceeded to lower the window shade for him and he thanked her. I then noticed another Flight Attendant had walked toward the front to grab something from our beverage cart that was hidden behind the credenza. As she walked down the other side of the cabin, Mr. Brando stopped her. He asked a question and then I see her raising the window shade. As she does this, he leans over to check out her backside.
I giggled but was a little surprised. Now, the seats on a 767 in first are big. to lean over two seats to close the window shade meant you would really lean over someone. I started to wonder if he really cared if the window shade were down or up or was he just checking out backsides.
I decided to test Mr. Brando and sent a couple of other Flight Attendants to the front, to see if this would happen again.
The first one walked around and was stopped by Mr. Brando. She threw me a little side glance and leaned over to close the window shade. And boom!!! He checks out her backside.
I sent two other Flight Attendants in front and the same thing happened to them. At this point, that window shade had gone up and down a few times.

  I decided it was my turn. I walked slowly up the opposite side of the cabin in first and slowly toward him, not looking directly at him. He grabs my wrist and says, "Hi, can you please do me a favor and lower the window shade. It is to bright in here?" I say yes, of course.
As i lean over, I'm ready for what is about to happen and while I'm leaned over him and touching the window shade, I turn my head and say, "Are you getting a good look? If not, I can turn my hips a little."
He looks shocked at first and then lets out a heart chuckle. He tells me I'm spunky and he likes that in a lady. Well, if he likes spunk, he will love me!
He proceeds to tell me that he likes my teeth. Weird! Not my smile, but my teeth.
He starts to get flirty but I have to go because we are about to depart. After we depart and we are able to start our service, he stops me again.
He asks if I live in LA and if I'll be off when we land. I tell him, I live in NY but will be staying the night in LA. He perks up and asks if I'd like to go to dinner with him. I tell him that I'll get back to him. He goes on and on about how he loves and exotic woman and I look like his perfect woman. It was months later when I goggled his wives and lovers and found that they had some similar features to me.

As the flight continues, I'm getting some serious "looks" from Mr. Brando. Though he told me to call him Marlon, I couldn't. Seemed strange to me.
I knew dinner meant a lot more than dinner and I started to panic.
Could i go along with this?
It would make a great story!
An epic story! If only I could picture him as Marlon Brando, circa 1955. If only...
But, I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. Damn!!!
So, I gave him my name and the number of the hotel and hoped he wouldn't call.

I'm pretty sure he thought he had a chance with me. 
For a moment, I thought he did to.