Would I find love at LACMA's jazz night?

FOR OUR MEET-CUTE, I BROUGHT SNACKS AND HE SAVED US SEATS

- BY CHRISTINE TERRY

CASEY BEIFUSS For The Times

We were invited to Los Angeles County Museum of Art's jazz night by our mutual friends, Rich and Nicole. I, the self-appointed queen of snacks, brought a plethora of goodies and drinks from my Sherman Oaks apartment. This was one of my very first forays back into the world postCOVID-19 vaccine, and I was mostly ready to mix and mingle again with the masses.

Nicole waved me over to the chairs up front, coveted seats that Alex had saved by getting there an hour early on the bus. I said “Hi” and extended my apologies for being late.

“Tho thsorry,” I sighed with a slight lisp from my new Invisaligns. (I would later learn Alex thought my orthodontian-induced speech impediment was pretty cute.) “I parked so far away I might as well be in the Valley.”

Alex chuckled.

I would soon learn that this die-hard Westsider had not owned a car since his 2001 Cadillac DeVille’s transmission blew up on the 5 Freeway four years ago. I passed out thimbles of sake I brought to share and noticed a woman sitting next to Alex. She was smiling at the group. I asked her if she'd like some too.

I thought Alex was pretty cute in his light maroon jacket —the kind that’s perfect for those May gray evenings and one that highlighted his wispy blond hair. But I figured the smiling sake lady and he were together.