PAULA TRICKEY
BERGEN, NORWAY - CHARITY EVENT
20th-24th April 2006

In my town, nonetheless

This week has been some week, let me tell you that. I remember raving on about how no one of interesst ever came to my country and here I was, coming back from Easter break only to get the bomb dropped on me that there was gonna be a charity event with the "Hollywood knights", which is a basketball team consisting of actors and artists. And that charity event was gonna take place in my town. A classmate told me about them, telling me that "Logan" from Gilmore Girls would be there. Even though the center of Bergen isn't all that big (and I live in the center of the town), it felt like a long shot to bump into the celebrity guests.

It was mere coincidense that I even looked up when and where the charity event was going to take place on the correct day (Thursday 20th April). I read that the very same night there was going to be a VIP party at a club nearby, we're talking ten minutes walk tops. So I decided to check out the scenery, see if I could get a glimpse of the ordeal. When I got there I ended up standing by the railing of a big red carpet. So there I stood together with other fans, most of them younger than me. It took two hours before the guests finally arrived, by that time there were rows of people behind me, so I knew that the waiting was worthwhile as I was close enough to ask for autographs. One of the girls next to me had an extra piece of paper that I got, since I had been unfortunate and left my little notebook at home.

Paula was the second guest to enter the carpet, she talked to the press and then started signing autographs for fans down the row (I was at the end), sadly I had this big light behind me, making me less visible, despite my blue and green hair... lol. When she had finished signing down the line, she waved bye to the fans and went in. We were a couple of unlucky ones who didn't get an autograph that night.

My luck turned when I went for ice cream on Saturday (22nd April). There's a mall near my place that sells real good ice cream, so I decided to head over there and get some. Of course I hoped in the back of my head that I could maybe, possible find the hotel the guests were staying at, but I far from expected it. A friend of mine had told me the name of the place, but having not grown up in Bergen, I had never before had the need to memorize hotel names, so my luck that the hotel was on my way to the mall. On top of it all I spotted a bus waiting outside and several people sporting "Darkstarpromotion" jackets. I headed over and noticed that none of the guests were out yet and I knew they would soon have to be leaving for the basketball game they were playing.

Paula was actually the last one to exit the hotel and by then they were in a hurry. I did however hold my book ready on a blank page, with a ready pen in my hand.

ME: "Excuse me, Paula? Do you think I could get your autograph? I didn't manage to get it at the party"

PAULA: "Of course."

She ignored my measley pen and brought out her own personal marker and signed my book. Thinking about a friend of mine back home, who's a big "Pacific Blue" fan I asked an other question.

ME: "You think you could sign one extra for a friend of mine? She lives fourteen hours away from here."

PAULA: "Fourteen hours away!?! Of course"

ME: "She's a really big Pacific Blue fan."

PAULA: "Oh, really?"

ME: "As am I"

She finishes signing the other autograph, making it nice and pretty and I ask one last question.

ME: "You think I maybe could have a hug?"

PAULA: "Sure you can have a hug"

And she hugged me.

I thought she was really sweet for taking her time to do these things, despite being in a hurry, she even posed for a couple of pictures for some other girls there as well. I had a camera with me, but I stood on the wrong side to be able to take a picture. But what did that matter, I had gotten the other things I came for, so I was very happy.

I thought that was it, but wouldn't you know it. On my way to school on Monday (24th April), which always go through the Train Station I all of a sudden spotted people sporting "Darkstarpromotion" jackets. I headed to the exit and there I see almost the entire group standing there. I didn't go up to them, as they looked busy and I didn't want to interrupt anything. I just stood by the entrance watching them until they went in to catch a train (saw on the news later on that they were on their way to see the fjords). The last time I saw Paula was when she passed me on her way into the station and then I headed for class, which I was very late for... lol

I haven't scanned the autograph yet, when I do I will put it up here.