Brad and Angelina stop for the cameras

The night was warm with people crammed together standing on their tip-toes and craning their necks. Standing in front of the Arlington Theatre on a Saturday evening, waiting. The night air was shimmering with the illuminated screens of point and shoots and cell phones. The brightly lit sign of the Arlington read Angelina Jolie.

In between films I decided to make the walk from the Metro 4 to the Arlington to see one of the worlds biggest stars arrive in style and walk the red carpet. I, like many, lacked a press pass and a ticket to get into the event where Jolie was receiving her award for Performance of the Year from the Santa Barbara Film Festival. The crowd had built up and gates were set up extending from the front of the theatre to the other side of the street. Everyone was tense and excited, then the limo pulled in and people lost it, including me, a screaming fan. Cameras began flashing even before the star stepped from her ride.

A shiny black Yukon XL pulled through the gates and from the crowd side, out steps the one and only Brad Pitt! Waving to the crowd dressed in a dapper gray three-piece suit. From the other side comes the gorgeous Jolie, wearing a simple, glamorous gown.

Instead of making a b-line for the red carpet the celebrity super couple began to make there way around the crowd of crazed people. Jolie and Pitt took to signing autographs, taking pictures and meeting the people that came out to greet them. The couple was humble and just as beautiful as the pictures portray them to be. Airbrushing was not a factor.

I had my camera posed to get my shot. And I did. As soon as I saw that they were signing autographs I pushed my way to the front, with-in a split second I made my place from six feet back to the front of the line. This was a moment not to be shy. I panicked, what were they going to sign? I reached into my pocket and pulled a piece of scratch paper that I had movie times written on. I thrust my arm out just in time ‘Brad! Brad!’ He placed his sharpie to that piece of yellow, lined paper and scribbled his initials. I got it; I had looked my all time favorite actor, someone of admiration on my part, in the eye and got his autograph. I didn’t quit meet him, but this was close enough. Satisfied and a little star struck I made my home, mission accomplished.