For a few years, I worked at Goorin Brothers in North Beach (in San Francisco) and one day this guy came in with a bunch of his friends. They were obviously a bit toasted from drinks they were having in the neighborhood but all very friendly, funny guys.

They kept calling one gentleman “Geri” and I immediately hit it off with Geri. He was telling me about how he recently went surfing in Half Moon Bay and simply loved the Bay Area. As a lifelong Bay Area native, I appreciated his enthusiasm and encouraged him to move here, telling him he would absolutely love it, even if he just got a small apartment, despite the rising rent costs in the Bay Area. We really did get along very swimmingly, as me and my co-worker helped him & his friends to pick out some hats.

At one point, he stepped outside.

My co-worker asked: “Um, you know who that is right?”
I replied: “uh…no?”
Co-worker: “That’s Gerard Butler.”
Me: “Um…I’m not sure who that is.”
Co-worker: “Have you ever seen 300?”
Me: “….wait. The lead guy?”
Co-worker: “Yes!”
Me: “But…that guy has black hair in that movie…”
Co-worker: “Oh my GOD he’s an actor and he dyed his hair!”
Me: “….oh.”

So when he came back, with this knowledge, I still tried to be courteous to him and it seemed to be to a benefit because he later invited both of us to a screening of his new movie in downtown SF. My co-worker couldn’t make it so I took my boyfriend at the time to the theater.

Well, as we walked up, security intensely walked over to us and said “excuse me, what are you here for?” and before I could finish, I heard someone go “MOOOONIIIIIIQUUUEEE!”

It was Gerard Butler. He came running up to me at full speed, picked me up and twirled me around with a full hug. The look of defeat on my boyfriends face is a look I will never forget.

Anyway, he was happy to see me and lead us into the theater where he announced his new film “Machine Gun Preacher.”

He was a very friendly guy and this is one of my favorite stories. I hope you are doing well today, Geri!