"It looks like you should totally own it."

So, I've already failed on my "one a week" goal. Sorry. Sometimes you just gotta flake on stuff...
I worked at a store on Melrose for a hot minute. It was the only job that I actually kept during my stint in Hollywood. The place was called "RED BALLS". It was the most alternative, original, LOUD and somewhat over priced shop on the strip. There were huge silver balls on the front of the place. If you have ever been to LA you probably know the spot. It was a staple through out the 80's hair metal years, the 90's hip hop minute and on a fast fading decline in the 2000's. It was (and still is) tough on store owners knowing that their businesses were inevitably on a fast mudslide to nowheresville. It was bitter. Everyone in the music business, whether you were on the Rock side of the world, a New Starlet, a washed up hack or an up and comer, you came to Melrose for cutting edge fashion and customization of your "look". It was a fun street to hang out on. You never knew who was gonna POP up. It was a non stop hot spot for paparazzi. Those dudes were hardcore! They would tip us clerks if we called them when anyone important strolled in. Stores would even call one other to give a "heads up" on the celebrity traffic. They equalled $$!! It's only smart business.
The place I worked was owned by a very moody German dude. He could be your best friend or tell you to "get the fuck out and never come back", which is a totally separate story. He kept the music on 10 at ALL times. The loudest on the block! Usually, it was some German house/super upbeat dance junk that was painful to even listen to at a low volume, much less at ear bleeding decibels. We catered to anyone with stator in the entertainment world with on sight alterations from an amazing seamstress. So, if something fit you a tad bit weird you could have it instantly groomed to your liking. How convenient, I know. Bastards.
This was a day just like any other. I came in spinning from the night before, got a little pick me up in the back and my work day started. It's really no different working in a retail store in Hollywood. You get a shipment , you sensor/tag all the merch and organize it like you would at any clothing shop in the world. Everything else was completely different. Famous clientele, a constant party in the back, friends in and out all day. At that point in my life I don't think I could have landed a "radder" job. The pay was piss but any money was was cooler than no money.
I was folding t-shirts (like I did ALL DAY LONG) and this hand tapped me on my right shoulder. I turn to greet the person and there was Mrs. Toxic herself (yep the "slave for you" that hit you "baby one more time") smiling and said with a twangy little southern voice, "You mind if I try these on?". I said, "Mind!? Of course not!". She was with her huge, 300 lb plus black body guard and he was not messin' around. We shut and locked the doors so no more traffic came in like we did when big time celebs cruised through. When she went into the dressing room it was just the three of us. Her bodyguard looks over at me right away and says, "Look, if you wanna say something to her say it to me first and go let the rest of the crew know that, now." I was like DAMN...he is one scary dude. So, she is right there in the changing stall throwing pieces out needing different sizes and I was the gofer. I was cracking up in my head. I must say though, she was extremely sweet and very nice. She was in her hay day. She could have come in and been a total bitch like most of those IT girls. She wasn't like that at all. Finally, she came out in this red leather suit that she later wore in one of her music videos. She says, "Can you zip this up?" "How does it look?". I said very convincingly, "It looks like you should totally own it." She laughed. It needed some alterations but nothing major. She bought a bunch of stuff that day and it was a super strange 30 minutes of my life.
Like a total dork, I asked Mr. Scary Security Man for a pic with the starlet. She declined. BUT she did send a promo pic signed to me to the store that I still have to this day. My "awesome" boss got the mail and opened my personalized autograph and wrote "I love you" right on the pic and totally ruined the chances of me selling it on ebay. Uugghh!! Oh well...