The familiar close-out music of “The Tonight Show” was playing as we came out of commercial and were back in Burbank for the last few moments of the show. A beautiful Hollywood starlet and Jay Leno were bantering good naturedly. Leno was holding a red file folder as he noticed we were back from break. It looks like they were talking about the folder itself as adrenaline raced through my body - and fear - because: That was my folder. My submission was inside.
Did they like it?
“Whoever sent this in FORGOT THEIR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION” Leno bellowed as the starlet guffawed and the audience roared in mocking laughter.
Leno mock took the papers out and “looked” for a name and contact information that obviously wasn’t on there to the audience’s glee and the starlet’s utter delight. It was that half-embarrassed kind of joy - she put her head in her hands at one point as Leno milked it for laughs. “Guy sends in a submission and DOESN’T PUT HIS NAME OR HOW TO GET AHOLD OF HIM ON IT! GREAT STRATEGY!”
I almost cried. There - sitting right in front of me on the coffee table as I watched in horror, was the sheet with my name, phone number and e-mail.
- My dream last night
