Okay, so I attended the HRC (Human Rights Committee) Gala dinner and auction on July 14th 2007. The HRC has been actively campaigning and working to change legislature around the united states that discriminates against a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently in more than 30 states, a person can be legally fired from his job because he is gay/bi/transsexual regardless of job performance. Gay couples cannot adopt, share insurance or pensions, have HOSPITAL VISITATION RIGHTS or even take charge of their own children, should their significant other die, in such states. George Takei, Officer Sulu from The Original Star Trek, is an out gay man, a member of the HRC, and a brilliant spokesperson on such issues. He won an equality award that night, presented to him by Leonard Nimoy, with a vip appearance by Lucy Lawless!

Gavin Newsom was there, as well as John Edwards’ wife and a few other political leaders as well.

As soon as I heard about Lucy Lawless’ attendance I jumped at the oppoutunity to go, though I know neither heads nor tails about such fundraisers. I’m 19, after all, but I figured—when was I ever going to see Lucy in SF, my hometown? There was frightfully little information on the website, so I just jumped and bought the ticket to go. 225 dollars, thanks to a student discount, became 125, and no longer prohibitively expensive. My dad, learning that I was going by myself, sprang for a second ticket, and organized us to get matching tuxes. (Ain’t he sweet?) I knew what the organization was for, so of course that was a reason also. (If Lucy was attending a white supremacists’ ball, I sure as hell wasn’t going to attend XD)

Well, I wanted some reason to stand out to her when I got her autograph (IF I got it) so I drew her portrait, the best I could possibly manage. I used a photograph of her from a magazine, a scan of which I found on her fanpage, and was set. Not to sound egotistical, but while not professional, I believe myself to be a very competent artist. I even added my deviant art url below my name, on the odd chance she should ever look me up later.

SO, sketchbook in hand, father in tow, we arrived right on time, and I began my search. Okay, not true. I had no idea how these things worked. I did not even assume I would be able to meet them until after. (I would have been sorely disappointed if my father was not there. I’m a total wuss when it comes to meeting people I admire, I admit.) We walked up and down and looked at the silent auction pieces for a while when I spotted someone famous; George Takei was standing right behind us! I froze and my dad was oblivious. When he passed, I nudged my dad.
“That’s George Takei!” I said, motioning. My dad leaned back to me,
“I thought we were looking for Leonard Nimoy.”
“Him too, but George is winning the award tonight.” I hissed. My dad said ‘oh’ and dragged me over to him. “Let’s get him to sign your sketchbook ” I protested feebly when Dad just waltzed over with me in tow and exclaimed, “GEORGE!!”

George turned around, his eyes falling on me, and I’m sure I was just red. My dad introduced us, and I explained quietly,
“Hello. This is my first HRC event—“
“Your first? Very good!” He replied, looking at me earnestly.
“And I have to admit,” I continued, “I came because of you; your winning the award.”
“Oh, bless your heart!” George said to me, quickly grasping me in a swift hug. I was struck at how kind and warm he was, and my smile split me from ear to ear, though I was quickly going cotton-mouthed.
“I have not yet had the opportunity to draw your portrait, Mr. Takei, but I had done one for Lucy, with the hopes of getting an autograph, but it would do me the greatest honor, if you could sign a blank page in my sketchbook, so I can fill it later.”
He smiled, “Just tell me where to sign.”

We dropped the book on the table and I fumbled my way to the nearest blank page, which he signed vigorously with a sharpie. We posed, and my dad snapped a photo. I shook his hand and we left with profuse thanks.

As we walked away, my dad smiled at me, “To think, if the awardee is just walking around, Nimoy and Lucy must be too!” I laughed, and was heartened greatly, though was still shaking quite profusely, though NOW my manhunt had began.

For the next two hours, I searched the hall, back and forth, entrance to ends, looking for the celebs. I passed the mayor more than once, and a senator, but they were already mobbed. By the time we all were to be seated, I even employed the doormen and the volunteers to keep an eye out for me. No luck. Dad even snuck me backstage once to see if she was in the make up room. No dice, just more volunteers. I had a sneaking suspicion I’d learn they were in the VIP room, a room which I could not enter, as I was not affiliated with a corporate sponsor. It was just as well, they weren’t in there.

By seven we were all seated, salads were on the table, and the speeches had begun. The Emcees were alright, the hoop dancer was superb, and the speeches were moving. Dinner broke out, and there was a sort of intermission. Twenty minutes later, and Lucy was on stage in a tight, slinky, shiny metallic bodysuit which made an appearance at a concert prior (I recognized it from photos) as well as these funny little antennae. She came on and introduced herself as Celesta (I poke, I surmised, at oddball lesbian Anne Heche) and marveled for a few minutes on the same subject of human rights, and how those in the outer galaxy could not understand our human ways, even pulling a dollar out of her cleavage to illustrate how money had to be stored energy, because people worked really hard for the green piece of paper, and it could be used for great gain. All in all, her speech was less than ten minutes before she darted offstage. My dad was up in a flash—
“Now’s our chance!”

We excused ourselves and wandered backstage again, though it was all quiet save for techies. After poking about for a minute, I approached one,
“Do you know if Lucy is coming back onstage?”
He shrugged and said no, he didn’t know, but she ran off to the other side. Back to the dressing rooms went my father and I, not once being even looked at by security. They did not give a rats ass where we were. I saw Lucy’s retreating form in a long elegant beige dress, her tresses falling about behind her, as she poked back in for makeup.
Not daring follow, I found a woman in a polkadot getup who was looking at us expectantly.
“Are you with Lucy?” I asked, she explained yes, she was in charge of her for the evening. We explained that I sorely wished to meet her, if only for a brief moment, so as to give her the portrait (I showed it to her). She looked a little nervous and left me at the door. “I’ll see what I can do, wait here.” And wait I did as she disappeared into the makeup room.

A few minutes went by, my dad and I standing silently beside one another. Presently Lucy appeared, walking surrounded by two techies and her assistant. She shot me one look, particularly sour and pouted, as she passed. I thought for sure, I was in deep trouble for daring to ask her anything. But, it was explained, she was due back onstage to manage the auction. I’d probably be sour too if I had to do that. She, I surmised, flew in to do this charity work, when she would rather be kicking back in her cushy home in LA.

Still, I persisted. My dad vanished to find an old highschool acquaintance of my older sister, and Lucy’s assistant returned.
“She’s going onstage, but will be back sometime for makeup again, wait here.”

Wait I did. Dad after some minutes of my standing in silence returned with Sharine for a happy reunion, and an elated phone call. Well, Sharine eased my nerves with the news that she had met and took pictures with Lucy earlier.
“When?” I exploded, “What time? I was up and down here all day!” It was shortly before we all were seated. I was sour, thinking that Lucy had already done her obligatory fan visiting (though to be honest, most of the people there I would imagine would not be able to recognize Lucy outside of Xena garb. Changing from a dark, smoldering brunette to a sunny blonde can do that.) and was to do her task and depart.
“Don’t worry, she’s super nice, I’m sure she’ll love her picture!” We chatted for a few more before Sharine left, and I was summoned again to wait in a narrow hallway.
“Don’t move from this spot, and I had nothing to do with this!” Her assistant darted away again. Dread pooled in my feet and I went shaky again. What would I say? Open with an apology? Show her the portrait as she walked past? I waited there for damn near an hour, if not more. Fortunately, Sharine returned with her friend Tom and two others who also wanted to meet Lucy. With company, we chatted quietly for a few minutes when the stage went quiet. I spoke with Lucy’s driver, and Leonard’s driver for a few more when Lucy came down the hallway. She saw us and immediately darted into her dressing room.
“She’ll have to come out sometime!” Said Tom,
“Hi, Ms. Lawless, we’re your stalkers.” I joked meekly.

A few minutes more passed when the door opened, and Lucy poked her head out.
“Hi Lucy!” Sharine said, “I met you earlier, can we talk with you for a few moments?”
Lucy stepped out with a bright smile, and I was absolutely floored by how tall she was. Honestly, the only woman I have ever seen that height was actually a drag queen. She looked at me expectantly, because everyone else was silent.
“Hi, Lucy,” I stammered, shaking once again like a leaf. “I was waiting back here for you, because I wanted to give you this.” I withdrew her portrait, and handed it to her.
“Wow!” Lucy exclaimed, “You gave me great hair!!”
“You do have great hair!” Sharine exclaimed, by this point we were all beaming.
Lucy glanced down at my scrawled url below my signature,
“sycho…girl?”
“It’s Tiyal, Tiya, like my name, with an ‘L’.”
“sycho Tiyal? That’s a little alarming!”
I began to explain when the laughter told me she was joking. I never even thought of it until she said it.
“So, do you want me to sign…?” I shook my head, and produced a copy of the portrait,
“That one is for you; I have a copy for you to sign, if you would.”
She looked at me;
“You should keep the original!”
I shook my head vehemently,
“That one is for you.” I must have sounded like I was about to cry, and honestly, I probably would have, had it not been for everyone’s jovial kindness. She grabbed my sharpie and my sketchbook and signed her name on my copy while Tom and the others took photos. Lucy had to stoop so far to be on level with me. They chatted for a moment about how she landed Xena, which I know is a question she’s had to answer a thousand times, “It was all luck.” Before long she was summoned again to be onstage. I wanted to tell her I’d see her at Comic Con, To ask if she’d be at the Burbank Xena convention, and if Renee would be there, but she was gone. We all returned to our seats, and the smile did not leave my face, even after I had gone to bed. The experience, the kindness, the memory will keep me smiling for years to come. For now, I have to work on another image for comic con! Two weeks baby!