30-Something Reality

Over One Simple Little Photo...

It is a beautiful morning and I have been out since before dawn to get some photos of the beautiful sun rises you can see here in Washington D.C. . The morning had been pretty uneventful so I decided that it was time for coffee. I stopped at a local shop and grabbed some coffee, a table and sat down. It wasn't very busy yet so I pulled the SD card from my camera and put it away. Placing the micro sd card in my tablet, I began working on editing my photos. I had always wanted to be a big name cause of my photos but I knew it would never happen. But I did of course do portraits for my friends when they asked and had always been happy with what I put out. 

My camera bag was down at my side and I was leaning back on the wall with my feet proped up sipping on my coffee. I'm not a skinny woman, I'm a plus size woman... but still pretty in my own right. Short brown hair with a few high lights and low lights, blue-gray eyes, and dimples when I smile. I usually keep to myself and dress kind of casual. Today I was wearing a black zip up hodie over a "Love a Pit Bull" Tshirt. and jeans. I even decided to be smart and wear decent hiking boots for the walking I had done this morning. I usually just zone out with my head phones in but today I only had the left side in so I could hear anyone on my right coming up. I was alone so I always made sure I knew what was around me when I was in a bigger city. I'm from the country... NOT used to the hustle and bustle. So when I hear a man's voice and it is CLOSE TO ME I have a reason to jump!

"So what kind of camera do you use?" I turn my head quickly and stare into the most beautiful hazel eyes I have ever seen!  His raspy voice was sexy and his smile was killer! "I didnt' mean to startle you."

I leaned back and grabbed my coffee and smiled. "How do you know I dont have a permit and my 357 Mag. isn't in there?"

"Cause you seem like a revolver kind of girl and I actually spotted you earlier when my brother and I were out for a bike ride."

"I did wonder if my eyes were playing tricks on me in this photo..." I turned my tablet around and there they were... Jared and Shannon Leto, riding their bikes down the side of the mall under the Cherry Blossom trees... "I thought I had lost my mind when I saw this. I guess I wasn't going crazy thinking I saw the Leto brothers in DC."

"Yeah... we didn't think anyone would recognize us that early in the morning." He smiled. 

"So is that why you tracked me down? To make sure I don't put this photo up?" I put my tablet down and picked my coffee back up.

"Actually no.... DIdn't know you had taken it to be honest!" He sat back. Shannon Leto was actually sitting in front of me in the middle of Washington D.C! "I actually was wondering how the shot of the Lincoln Memorial you took came out..." I saw him fold his arms across his chest and smile. That smile! It could be the un-doing of just about any woman on the planet. I wasn't going to let it be mine.

"Are you kidding? You tracked me down to see how a picture came out? That is unbelievable! Why in the world would..." I paused, sat up and spun around to face him completely. I leaned in and said softer, "Why in the world would Shannon Leto, the drummer in one of the BEST bands in the world track down some 30- something, heavy set woman in a hoodie, JUST to see how ONE photo turned out? I'm not the typical type of girl you OR your brother track down. So if you are looking for an easy lay cause you think some woman is going to fall at your feet cause you are sexy behind a drum set, honey you might want to find one of your 20-something groupies for that one..." And with that I grabbed my camera bag, tablet, and coffee in one swoop and stood up to walk away. I turned around confident and mortified all in one motion and ran SMACK into someone spilling the remainder of my coffee all down my hoodie. I looked up and wished I could have shrunk down into a whole in the floor. I stared up into the bluest eyes I had ever seen and just about fainted! "Makes it even more ironic that I make a fool of myself infront of the both of you anyway. Just reminds me why I stay to myself out in the sticks with my dogs and my revolver..."  I step aside and try to walk away. When I feel long strong fingers grasp my arm and hold on so I can't push past.

"So just cause you aren't what the world thinks is socially beautiful doesn't mean what you are isn't the beautiful you are meant to be!" Jared looked down at me in the eyes and motioned for me to sit back down. "Please, sit, let me order us another round of drinks and we would LIKE to sit and chat with you. Human to human... No formalities, just three people who love photography."

I looked back at Shannon who had a shit eating grin on his face and just let it all go. I sighed and went back over and sat down. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was sitting with the LETO BROTHERS! This was un- real! I felt like I was dreaming! Jared proceeded to pull up a chair and turn it around and sit with the back of it facing us.... typical movie move!

I sat back and took a deep breath, "I really should have brought LoLa." I took another deep breath and covered my eyes. "There is no way this is really happening...I'm not sitting here with you... I'm dreaming..." I uncovered my eyes to see them both sitting there smiling at me almost laughing! "You are serious! Oh my goodness...."

Jared spoke first, "Why can't it be happening and who is LoLa? And it kind of isn't fair that we don't know your name...I have gathered you know who we are..."

I stared at him. It was really him. The blue eyes, the tattoos, they were all right. The voice... I wasn't dreaming he was sitting there! Shannon too! The triad on his neck was right where it was suppossed to be. No other man could have those hazel eyes... I took a deep breath and sighed, "I go by Siren, it's a nick name I picked up when I was 19...LoLa is my service dog. I have panic disorder. I keep her with me when I go to the city but since I was coming to DC, I didn't bring her. She's a pit bull. I don't want any problems with the yuppies up here." I looked at them and I took one more deep breath and spoke..."And this can't be happening because I'm just NOT THAT LUCKY! I've been a fan of  Mars for a while and your music is what has..." I stopped. "I'm just not this lucky..." I pulled my left arm out of my hoodie to reveal my tattoo on my left forearm. DREAM OUT LOUD sits over music notes and FINALLY FOUND MYSELF and of course my typical Treble Cleff. And in the word 'FOUND' is the Mars symbol from the bands sybolic name is used for the 'O'.

Jared and Shannon looked at each other and smiled. Shannon spoke this time, "Today you are Baby Doll... "......I looked up and stared at Shanoon in shock. I took my right arm out of my hoodie and showed them the tattoo on my right forearm... 'Baby Doll' Shannon looked up and smiled, "Yup! Today you are that lucky! And all over one simple little photo!"