New York City. Midtown. West Side. I found myself standing next to Leonardo DiCaprio. I did not know it was going to happen either. That's what made the whole night seem like a dream. I only found out that I would be in the same room as him about 3 hours before it happened. That's very little time to prepare for such an event.

But let me start from the beginning.

I recently picked up this random job from a woman who lives nearby. She posted on Facebook that she needed help with a film screening. When I asked her what that meant, and she thoroughly explained what I would have to do, I jumped at the opportunity. My job was to just check in Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members for a private screening they were invited to. Too easy.

So that night, I went to the movie theater knowing that this crowd was larger. Usually the private screenings have between 25-50 people; this one was held at a 350 seat theater.

The fact that this one was bigger already gave me an idea that something different was going to happen tonight. But truthfully, all I knew was that my boss was going to be there (usually I do these by myself), and that we were going to check in 350 people, and all those people were going to see the movie The Revenant.

When I got there, my boss hadn't arrived yet. So I was waiting around and noticed that a line for the film was already starting. So, I sat at the table they were waiting in front of and started checking social media on my phone (I didn't even have the list of people yet, my boss did). All of a sudden, about 10 extremely tall men came up to me, and one of them said, "Hi, my name is Sam, and we will be taking care of you tonight. We are the security for you, and whatever you need, we will take care of." Imagine my surprise when I thought I was just checking people in, like a normal job, and then I had all these men telling me that they were going to take care of me for the night. Thankfully, that's exactly when my boss walked in, and she took it from there. With all the conversations she had with the guards, I was just there on the side, nodding and trying to look like I knew exactly what was going on. I didn't.

Again, still, at this point, I had no idea what was happening.

I then followed her into the theater. She wanted me to put papers that said "reserved' on certain seats. (Again, still no idea what was going to happen). But then she started throwing around names, like: "oh, I wish I remembered where Regis likes to sit." **Um, OK, I guess Regis Philbin is coming tonight** Then, "So, we will have Leo sit here for the Q&A, and Forrest will sit here, and Will will sit here." **UM ALRIGHT, LEO FUCKING DICAPRIO IS COMING TONIGHT!??** At this point, I pull by boss aside, very calmly, and say: "so uh... what exactly is happening tonight?" She says, "Oh, we are having a Q&A with some of the actors of the movie The Revenant." **OH ALRIGHT, LET ME JUST FREAK OUT RIGHT NOW!**

So, I put the '"reserved' papers on the seats and went back downstairs with her to start checking people in. We did that for an hour, and then my boss turned to me and said, "Well, you can go home now. I mean, unless you want to stay for the Q&A?" I knew I wouldn't get paid for staying around, but I told her, "I think if I missed this opportunity, I would regret it for the rest of my life." So while the movie was playing, my boss and I chatted in the lobby for 2 and a half hours. The only thing that was on my mind was that I was about to be in the same room as Leo DiCaprio. So, 2 and a half hours later, I grab the waters for the actors, and I go on stage and put them at the base of the chairs. I couldn't be in charge of Leo's water, because it had to be taken to him by "his people". Ugh whatever. At least I touched it, right?

After I went on stage to put the waters down, I swiftly returned to the very back of the theater. As I was waiting for the moderator to introduce the actors one by one, that's when it happened. For a short 20 seconds, I was side by side with Leo DiCaprio. He was going to walk down the aisle when his name was called. As he was waiting, he was smoking his fancy silver vape, and there was a woman who was in the back row of the theater who turned around and praised DiCaprio on his work -- he smiled and nodded at her. No words.

I couldn't help but just stare at him. His slicked back hair and the thought of all the movies I've seen him in came rushing through. I mean this is the face that is in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Titanic, The Wolf of Wallstreet, The Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet (I could go on). But alas, his name was called, and off he went down the aisle. It was nice while it lasted, and he really did an amazing job in the Q&A.

So that's it. That's how I came to be standing next to household-name-actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Hope you enjoyed the story.

Here is one of the many blurry pictures I took from that night: