Saturday morning while I prepared to take a light jog through downtown Culver City, I had the crazy idea of taking tourists on a “wicked” one hour walking tour through the scandalous history of the “Heart of Screenland.” It made perfect sense since I enjoy sharing the darker side of our show biz town whenever friends drop by. I enjoyed the thought for a moment. Then reality seeped in and the idea of organizing, publicizing and being responsible for such an endeavor seemed like more of a burden than fun. So I picked up where I left off - headed out the door and started my jog.
I made my way downtown and as I turned the corner at the old Culver Hotel I twisted my ankle. For a moment I thought maybe it just needed a minute and it’d be OK but as soon as I put weight on it again the pain was excruciating. "Oh well, nothing happens by mistake." I thought. It’s obvious I won’t be continuing with my jog. So I wondered what’s in store for me now? As I limped over to the fountain next to the hotel honoring Leo, the MGM lion, a happy young Indian couple caught my eye. They were standing in the plaza referring to what looked like a map of Culver City landmarks. Then they'd look up and around and back down at their landmark map. I hobbled over to them and asked, “Are you on some sort of scavenger hunt?”
“Yes” they replied cheerfully. “It was offered on Groupon, we thought it’d be fun, this is the first time they’ve done one in Culver City.”
Now that I was closer I got a much better look at their map. It was a series of 4” x 8” cards held together with a ring. Each with card had clues on them, some where in the form of a question like riddles, some had photographs, others gave nearby landmark hints. Most of these I knew so I asked, “Are you having any trouble with finding some of these? Cause I live here and know just about everything that's in Culver City.”
I am so glad I asked. Soon we were having a great time together. I was enjoying solving the riddles with them and adding whatever interesting trivia I knew regarding each of the landmarks we identified.
“We should have you join us, we’d win for sure!” said the young lady with a big smile.
After deciphering a couple more riddles we went our separate ways. But before I left they insisted I take a photo with them and said that they were going to dedicate this scavenger hunt to me. Their names were Eldhose and Pinku. In our short time together I learned that the young couple grew up in India and met through, as they put it, “the Indian version of Match.com.” They explained how their parents found them for each other “but the decision to get married was ours to make.” Three years later they still seem like newlyweds.
I told them about the crazy idea I had before my run, how I was happy I got to live it out in this unique way with them and that if it weren’t for me spraining my ankle it would have never happened.
“It was serendipitous!” said Eldhose.
Thank you, Eldhose & Pinku for being all the proof I need that; in my world, nothing ever goes wrong.
I made my way downtown and as I turned the corner at the old Culver Hotel I twisted my ankle. For a moment I thought maybe it just needed a minute and it’d be OK but as soon as I put weight on it again the pain was excruciating. "Oh well, nothing happens by mistake." I thought. It’s obvious I won’t be continuing with my jog. So I wondered what’s in store for me now? As I limped over to the fountain next to the hotel honoring Leo, the MGM lion, a happy young Indian couple caught my eye. They were standing in the plaza referring to what looked like a map of Culver City landmarks. Then they'd look up and around and back down at their landmark map. I hobbled over to them and asked, “Are you on some sort of scavenger hunt?”
“Yes” they replied cheerfully. “It was offered on Groupon, we thought it’d be fun, this is the first time they’ve done one in Culver City.”
Now that I was closer I got a much better look at their map. It was a series of 4” x 8” cards held together with a ring. Each with card had clues on them, some where in the form of a question like riddles, some had photographs, others gave nearby landmark hints. Most of these I knew so I asked, “Are you having any trouble with finding some of these? Cause I live here and know just about everything that's in Culver City.”
I am so glad I asked. Soon we were having a great time together. I was enjoying solving the riddles with them and adding whatever interesting trivia I knew regarding each of the landmarks we identified.
“We should have you join us, we’d win for sure!” said the young lady with a big smile.
After deciphering a couple more riddles we went our separate ways. But before I left they insisted I take a photo with them and said that they were going to dedicate this scavenger hunt to me. Their names were Eldhose and Pinku. In our short time together I learned that the young couple grew up in India and met through, as they put it, “the Indian version of Match.com.” They explained how their parents found them for each other “but the decision to get married was ours to make.” Three years later they still seem like newlyweds.
I told them about the crazy idea I had before my run, how I was happy I got to live it out in this unique way with them and that if it weren’t for me spraining my ankle it would have never happened.
“It was serendipitous!” said Eldhose.
Thank you, Eldhose & Pinku for being all the proof I need that; in my world, nothing ever goes wrong.
Pinku, Darrell & Eldhose in the "Heart of Screenland," downtown Culver City.
*Right as I finished writing this Eldhose sent me an unexpected Facebook message to ask how I was and to let me know that he and Pinku are going to be doing another "CityRace" urban adventure hunt. One more coincidence, and reassurance, that I'm in the right place doing the right thing, right now.
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