Andrea’s Encounter

Andrea met Hayden in Reno, NV on July 27 and in Sonoma, CA on July 28 during the 2005 Bullrun Rally

If anyone had told me two days ago that the events that I am about to describe to you were going to occur, I would have laughed aloud. But as the pictures attest, it was real. I’ve looked at them about a hundred times now, checking to make sure it was real and not just a wonderful dream.

So Wednesday morning I’m at work, and checking the “Desiring Hayden” website for any news and updates on our delicious boy, as I do every morning, and I read that he is participating in Bullrun 2005. Then I read that they were making a stop overnight in RENO on their way from Salt Lake City to LA, and I spit my coffee out and sat up straight. Eyes wide, heart pounding, I impulsively booked a room at Circus Circus. I fully expected that they would be closed off, or not taking reservations, or booked up, knowing that a party with tons of celebrities was happening there. But to my amazement they accepted my reservation, and then my plan began to take form. Leave work early, get money and gas, pack an overnight bag, and bring something for Hayden to sign just in case.

I ran out of my office at 2:30, telling my boss I had a doctor appointment. Well, I *did* have a fever and went to the one who’s the best at helping us out with that. ;-) With haste I rushed home and packed, got my camera and many sets of batteries, changed and got on the road. The entire drive there I drove with urgency, sweating it out and worrying that I wouldn’t get there in time, I probably couldn’t hope to see him, there’d be security, etc. I sighed and told myself if nothing else it would be a fun adventure.

I pulled into Circus Circus at 8:25pm, checked in, and hit the skyway shuttle to the towers where the hotel rooms are. On the shuttle ride to my room to drop off my luggage, some teen girls were giggling and whispering about Paris Hilton, one of the Bullrun participants. An older girl with her dad spoke up and said, “I haven’t seen Paris, but I just saw Hayden Christensen, you know, the Star Wars guy.”

I literally bellowed, a little too loudly and excitedly, “WHAT?? YOU DID??! WHERE?” A few people turned to look at me with some amusement, but I didn’t care. She and her little sister responded excitedly that I was excited, and showed me the pix they took. It worked in my favor because I saw he was wearing the same green polo shirt he was wearing that morning in the pix from SLC. Oh, what I’d give for that shirt that he wore all day, driving in the hot sun….but I digress. ;-) So invigorated with renewed hope, I raced to my room to freshen up and ran back down to the main casino floor.

I did quite a bit of walking, for probably about an hour, combing every square inch of the casino area. I made my way outside to where the cars were all parked; They had closed off the street on front of Circus Circus and all the cars were parked along each side of the street. I looked around for the yellow Lamborghini, and there it was. My heart raced excitedly as I took pictures.

I went back inside and lingered around the Mandalay conference room, where the VIP party was taking place. Apparently they weren’t allowing people to smoke down there, so there were quite a few Bullrun participants upstairs lingering and chatting between the door to the outside, where the cars were parked, and the escalators downstairs to the party. I began to get worried that I wouldn’t find Hayden. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I knew what he was wearing and I’d recognize him anywhere from any angle, but the placed was so full of people I feared hope was lost. I worked up my charm though and mingled with the Bullrun participants and employees. Before long they all knew who I was looking for and tried to help me. One girl said Hayden was going from the VIP party to the outside where his car was parked, so I planted myself by the Bullrun table so I could see and intercept him. Then about 5 people came up the escalator and I was looking the other way talking to one of the British guys. My ears perked up though when I heard one guy say, “There goes the Star Wars Guy!” and I whipped around and said “Which way??” and he said “THAT WAY” and I took off.

I couldn’t see where he’d gone, but I followed my instincts over to the Blackjack tables, looking down row after row. I looked down the last row, and I saw him. I immediately recognized his physique, his stance, the green shirt and the heavenly blonde curls peeking out from under his baseball cap, his perfect butt….;-) My heart pounded in my ears and I almost blacked out with dizziness. I just kept saying to myself, “OK, breathe, breathe” as I walked toward him and readied my camera, sharpie and May 2005 GQ.

As I approached him, he had his back to me and he was standing facing the blackjack table next to another Bullrun guy, talking to him. I heard his voice and began shaking, unable to believe that I was standing a few feet away from him. He was preparing to place a bet. He struggled to upright his luggage, which he was carrying with him. When he settled that out, I approached him and said, “Hi Hayden, I’m Andi.” He turned around, looking a little confused for a second, then he looked right at me, smiled that smile that could melt the polar ice caps, and said “Hi, Andi!” Time could have stopped right there. He Said My Name! I smiled back shyly. I noticed he was fumbling with his drivers’ license, his B of A bank card (which did not have his picture on it as some do), and some cash, which he had gotten out to use to place a bet, so I backed up a little and said, “Oh, I don’t mean to bother you while you’re doing that…” and he immediately said, “Oh no, that’s ok, let me just place this bet.” He smiled again at me and turned to lay a twenty dollar bill and a one dollar bill on the table. The dealer lady quickly won the hand and one of his friends laughed and said, “See, that’s why I never play, I just watch!” So then Hayden turned to look at me and I said, “Would you mind if I took a picture with you?” And he said, “Yes, here, let’s do it this way.”

He took my camera from my hands, put his arm around me, pulled me close to him and took a self portrait of us. His face was on my right shoulder, he shot the pic left-handed. He leaned in close to me to take the picture, very very close, as you’ll see from the pic. Then I handed him my GQ which he signed, and I told him, “I know you’ve probably had a hundred people come up to you tonight and say this, but it truly means a lot to me to meet you.” He smiled a big, genuine smile and said, “Thank you!” I thanked him and turned to check out my picture, while he lingered at the table. It was mostly of my head, with him peeking out. I’m so glad I checked it on the spot. I paused and was still standing near enough to him to say, “Would you mind another one? This one was mostly of my head.” He turned to me with concern to look at it, and said “Oh, was it a bad one? Yes, let’s take that again.” Like he actually cared that I got a decent picture. I’m telling you he is SUCH a sweetheart, SO gracious and nice and genuine, not at all what I expected from a celebrity. One of his Sith teammates standing nearby volunteered, “I’ll do it Hayden.” Hayden then put his arm around my shoulders, standing on my left. I put my arm around his waist and held him, just marveling to myself that I was standing there with my arm around his waist. He felt skinnier than I expected, but muscular and solid. His arm around me felt warm and welcoming. We lingered there for awhile while the guy was trying to take the picture. He fumbled with it to try and figure it out, and finally I walked over to him to show him how to use it. The whole time Hayden had his arm around me! I asked him how fast he went, and he laughed and said, “Oh, fast enough! Yeah.” I was struck by how distinct his Canadian accent is in person. His voice is low as well…he speaks in low tones and his voice is deep. Very sexy. (I found out later he broke 200 mph) So then he got the pic and I thanked him again and he said “No Problem!” I reached for his hand and he pulled me into a hug and I said, “Again, so good to meet you!” and he released me and nodded and smiled again. I was struck by a few things visually of course: His eyes are SO vivid, his lashes so long and curly, and his lips so sweetly pink. Pictures don’t do him justice in my opinion, but I’m biased.

At that point, I felt as though I could die and I’d die happy. I rushed to my room to put away my magazine safely, and call everyone I know. I must have shrieked like a freak for 10 minutes as I told everyone. My poor friends, all thinking I’m a lunatic.

I changed into something cooler, as I was overheated and flushed from the events, and headed back downstairs to see what else was up and if Hayden would come back down from his room. I didn’t see him again that night, but I still had an absolute blast. I indulged in a few Cosmos and joked around with my new Sith friends, Hayden’s teammates. They and the Bullrun employees I had been asking before about Hayden were happy to hear I’d gotten what I came for and that my trip was a success. We hung out most of the night drinking and talking and laughing; They were all SO nice, particularly Stuart Alexander (I believe that was his name), an older British guy in his 40’s that was an absolute riot. I managed to get a VIP pass to the party below after the party was over. They were being tight fisted with them and not letting people go down there, but when things started to wind down, and I asked one of the guys, saying I wanted it as a souvenir, he palmed it to me and said “Just don’t try to go downstairs.” I thanked him happily. I also chatted with some of the guys who were I believe Australian. I asked one of them, “So are you guys going to San Francisco?” and he said, “I think so, but it’s supposed to be a secret! How do you know?!” I smiled coyly and said, “Oh, I have my ways.” They thought I just happened to be there and wanted to know how I found out where they were going to be and I mentioned the Desiring Hayden site and the article in the SLC paper. I asked when they were leaving in the morning and was told noon. Anyway, we hung out until about 1:30am, when everyone started to disperse and either go to bed or to the strip clubs. I can report that our sweet boy did not participate in those shenanigans; He was tired and had retired to his room to his lucky, lucky pillow. ;-)

I could barely sleep. I tossed and turned excitedly, trying to calm down. I finally fell asleep around 2:30am.

I set my alarm for 7:30am, since I had to call my boss to “call in sick” I sounded pretty pathetically ill as I mentioned “bad food”. Then I set my alarm again for 9am and went back to sleep.

I woke up at 8:45am wide awake and unable to sleep anymore. I was anxious to get downstairs and make sure they hadn’t left yet. I packed up and got my luggage out to my car, and literally ran to where the Bullrun booth had been the night before. It was gone, and my heart sank. I ran outside and was immediately comforted to see all the cars were still there. I wandered around and took more daytime pictures of Hayden’s car, Tove’s car and others. I spotted a Bullrun employee and asked him when they would be leaving. He said Noon, so sighing in relief I looked at my watch and saw that was 2 hours away. In dire need of coffee, I had some breakfast and coffee and got a juice, and then made my way back outside to plant myself in front of Hayden’s car.

So there I sat on the sidewalk, waiting for about an hour and a half before things started bustling. I made the lovely acquaintance of Michelle, a fellow HC fan girl, and she was so friendly and fun to hang out with. I was so glad to find SOMEONE else to giggle and gasp my “meeting Hayden” story to, as I hadn’t stopped grinning from ear to ear and bursting with joy since the night before. So we hung out and chatted, and soon we spotted Tove. We both really wanted to meet him, and so we went over. He was holding his laptop and I said, “Would you sign my lammie?” He chuckled in surprise that I would want such a thing and said “Sure!” Michelle and I talked with him and took pictures of each other with him. He was so gracious and nice and genuine, just like Hayden. I must add he is quite a looker himself, much better looking in person than pictures show. Granted, he’s not the dreamy perfection that his brother is, but I’d certainly hit that if I could. ;-)

So we waited some more. We both scored a “Sith Happens” shirt from our awesome Sith pal Stuart, which I had been wanting SO BAD. Soon Hayden’s driver came out to the car and took it to get it washed and fuel up. The car’s windows were covered in fingerprints from people trying to look in the windows, and the front of the car was caked in dead bugs from the drive through the desert, so it really needed a wash. He brought it back all shiny and parked on the other side of the street, so we moved. Soon Hayden came out and opened the passenger side door. Tons of people began crowding around him and I was glad I had intercepted him the night before when no one was around. I followed him around snapping as many pix as I could, and then he got in the car. I was most impressed by the way he handled the fans. He signed as much as he could as efficiently as he could, taking care to especially get the kids taken care of. When another lady walked up to him to get an autograph he looked at her very apologetically and said, “I’m SO sorry, I really have to go…” The way he said it didn’t sound like a blow off, he seemed really sincere, and the Bullrun organizer was announcing over the loudspeaker for him to get in his car, they were waiting for him. He got in and I squatted down on the sidewalk to snap pix of him in the car. I called out, “Good luck!! See you in San Francisco!” and he looked right at me, smiled and waved at me. Oh man, there is nothing like Hayden looking at you and smiling. I mean, Dear God. Really.

He was in the passenger seat and as his driver roared off, we screamed and hooted and I jumped up and down for joy, high off that smile. J I quickly planned my next move: Find the next rally check point. This guy was handing out the postcards with the next point instructions and I grabbed one. “Sonoma CA, Infinion Raceway”. I almost dropped dead; I live 30 minutes from there and I pass it on my way home anyway!!! I said my goodbyes to Michelle and my other Reno friends and took off at 1pm.

On the road I doubted I’d see any Bullrun people, but lo and behold, I encountered some! I made sure to honk and wave at all of them, enthusiastically waving my lammie so they’d recognize me. Everyone that passed me or I passed waved appreciatively. At one point I had about 5 of them around me, and we were all honking and waving our arms out the windows and screaming. The whole thing was like everyone was high on the best road trip EVER. Sun shining, warm day, clear roads, tunes blasting…just FUN. At one point a hilariously unexpected and quite sexy show took place. A convertible full of HOT guys in a Bullrun participant car passed me and I hooted and waved at them. One shirtless dark haired guy in the back seat did an obvious double take looking at me, and he smirked devilishly as he stood up slightly in the back seat, grabbed a tube of sunscreen and began slathering his muscular, tight tanned chest with it. He was turned around in his seat, wanted my attention and surely got it. For a split second I thought of flashing him but then I chickened out. ;-D (lol) So they kept driving by me very obviously to all flirt with me, and the guy in the front seat went Alpha Male and didn’t want to be outdone, so he turned around, took off his t-shirt and flexed his muscles to show off. He too was tanned and muscular. I laughed my ass off, it was so silly, but they were quite hot and sexy, and what a thrill that was to flirt with a car full of hot guys for 10 miles!

Time seemed to go by much faster on the drive back to the bay area. Traffic was better going North West. I got off on 37, where Infinion Raceway is, with again, no expectations. I figured the place might be closed off, I didn’t know which gate they would meet at, and I was totally winging it. I drove into Gate 1, and wearing my lammie, I asked one of the gate dudes if he knew where the Bullrun people were supposed to meet, because “I’m supposed to be there”. (hold back the snickers!) ;-D He very eagerly directed me to the out of the way place up on the hill over by where they have the little ATV go-kart racing cars and mini dirt bike track. I would’ve never found it if he hadn’t told me.

I pulled up and decided I wanted to wear the Sith Happens shirt so I’d blend in better, since all the members of the Sith Team were wearing them (except for Hayden and Tove). So I’m towards the back of the lot, far enough away from the club house and stand to be discreet, and I pull off my top to put the t-shirt on. As my head comes out of the shirt I was discarding, HAYDEN pulls up in the yellow Lamborghini. **OH—MY—GOD!** I’m sitting in the car in my freaking black bra. At least it was a sexy one. ;-D I don’t know if he saw me or not. So I gathered my stuff quickly and casually walked up to where everyone was. I greeted a bunch of the guys that had befriended me. Everyone was so nice.

Stuart saw me and I talked with him for a bit. Meanwhile, Hayden and Tove are standing a few feet away from me, and I tried to remain calm. I walked up to them, and as I was walking up, Hayden happened to turn my way and see me. He smiled in recognition and I said, “Hey, did you get a ticket between Colfax and Auburn? I passed you on the side of the road and saw you pulled over with a cop.” He laughed a little embarrassed (SO ADORABLE!) and did the chin scratch we all LOVE and said “Yeah, everyday I got pulled over. Everyday!” I asked another Sith guy if he’d snap a picture of Hayden and I.

He took the picture and again I had my arm around Hayden’s waist and had an internal heart attack. I thanked him and went to grab a Diet Pepsi and wander around mingling. I was really trying to play it cool and not be too in Hayden’s face with the camera, because I didn’t want him to get uncomfortable and I really didn’t want to get busted and kicked out. I was the only one there not involved in the race or the filming of the event. The sun was hot and I’m fair skinned, so I stood leaning against the fence in the shade next to the small grandstands. I kept my eye on Hayden, unable to peel my eyes away but still trying to look casual, and grateful for the shades that covered my eyes so he couldn’t tell I was staring. ;-) Talk about a feast for the eyes. So he mostly hung out outside, and a little bit after the photo was taken (I continued to snap incidental pix), he and a Sith guy came over to enjoy the shade where I stood. There he was, just standing next to me, leaning on the fence. My mind miraculously exploded with topics of conversation, and so I asked if he was familiar with Rochester, NY, which is where I am from. Rochester is just across the border from Toronto, Canada (as you know, his hometown). He knew exactly where it was and we talked about the ferry from Rochester to Toronto, which has been plagued with financial and political woes. We talked about a bunch of local stuff since we’re both familiar with the area. We talked about lasagna (His favorite dish and my specialty), driving from Reno to Sonoma, the fact that the roads are gravel and not concrete and thus very bumpy once you get West of Sacto. We just stood out there, drinking pop and talking. Every time he smiled, laughed, made eye contact with me, the whole time I kept thinking “I am going to wake up any minute now. This cannot be really happening.” You talk about surreal, this was surreal. This went on, with us casually talking to one another, commenting about little things here and there in passing, all afternoon. I just still cannot believe we stood there and had an actual conversation.

Eventually things wound down. Various people rode the ATV race cars around the track; One guy hurt his shoulder when he flipped it over. Luckily Hayden decided against participating in that; I smiled and laughed and said “You’re probably sick of driving, right?” He nodded and smiled sheepishly, “Well, tomorrow’s the last day, so….” And he trailed off.

Cars lined up to get ready for departure. Hayden walked over to his car and then back over to Tove’s car to talk with him. I stood behind him while they talk, thus the gratuitous shot of his butt as he bent down to talk with Tove. ;-) I lingered nearby and as he walked towards his car, he walked towards me, actually towards me, to stop and say goodbye. I said “Good luck!” again, and he reached for my hand and then hugged me. He held my hand in a shake for what seemed like forever, and smiled at me and said “I was really nice to meet you! Thanks again!” and I enthusiastically thanked him back and said bye. As our hands released quite slowly, I dragged my hands down his all the way to his slender, long fingertips. His hands are so big, but soft and delicate. That last hug and hand contact left me absolutely reeling. I managed to gather my senses and get in position to take a picture of them leaving. As they pulled away I got a few more pix and screamed “GO SITH! WOO-HOOOO!!!!!!!!” And they honked at me!!!!!!!!!

The drive home and all day today, I have been tingling with joy, disbelief and ecstasy. I do believe this weekend calls for another marathon SWEIIIROTS viewing, in celebration of my success. Meeting him was proof that Hayden Christensen is not only the most breathtaking example of physical beauty ever created, but truly lovely and sweet both inside and out.