California Friend

A couple years ago, I got a notification from Instagram that someone named Nina Herzog started following me. The name sounded familiar without being someone I knew - a celebrity that I couldn't quite place. There's no reason a celebrity would be following me, so I thought it might be some sort of scam. When I searched for her, I figured out that while she has an IMDB page, she's more of a musician than an actress, that it almost certainly was her actual account, and that she probably followed me just to get a follow back. It worked. (I also realized that I was actually thinking of the film director Werner Herzog.)

Around American Thanksgiving of that year, she posted something about the struggles she was having with family gatherings and in particular that her mother was trying to get her to sign up for a dating site. It was said in a light hearted way, but I gave her my advice anyway. To make family events better, I find some way to help so that you aren't stuck in awkward conversations. I usually do that by helping out in the kitchen. I also said that when it comes to dating, that I try to tell my parents (mostly my dad) that it's something I'm not comfortable having them help me with. She appreciated my sincere advice, so I then offered an alternative. She could say she already met someone. "I'm willing to be your fake Canadian boyfriend." She laughed. Since then, I've called her my fake California girlfriend.

We still message back and forth occasionally. She admires my baking and I admire her singing. Last fall, before everything, she was in a play in Los Angeles titled "Salvage". She was disappointed when I told her I couldn't come and concerned about the health problems that made it impossible. When she mentioned that her mother and sister were involved in health care this spring I felt worried in her behalf. It's a nice little online friendship.

Someday, I'd like to see her perform live, talk to her after the show, and, if it's possible, bake for her. For now, I'll settle for the virtual.

For Now, a song by Community Arts Project: LA, Rachel Mazer, Tom Player, Nina Herzog, Allee Fütterer