Matrixed

27 Jun 2006

I worked in the big smoke for about 6 months at one stage, and any time I was walking around town, I'd look up at all the tall buildings. Not because I was amazed at the big city, but because I was trying to find the building they filmed the Matrix at. You know the scene, where Neo goes out on the window ledge and tries to climb around a concrete outcrop. He chickens out, and the Agents get him. That scene.

Now, I'm no Matrix fan, but I love scene-spotting when I know a city. "That's not the headquarters of Evil Corp Inc, that's the City Library!" I yell. (Just don't watch The X Files with me, I tend to yell out a lot.) But with The Matrix it was the other way around, I was trying to remember the building having only seen the film once, ages ago! After a few months of skyscraper gazing, I reckon I finally found it. - Any Matrix fans out there, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

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As an aside, about the same time I was in the big smoke, Keanu (my mate, Keanu) was filming the sequels. So one evening I'm hanging out with some of the other hostelers upstairs at a quiet local pub, when one of the group rushes up all breathless.

"You'll never fuckin guess who's downstairs! Keanu fuckin Reeves!" at which most of the group pushes tables and chairs out of their way in a mad dash to have a gawk. I sat still and drank my pint along with the other couple of people who didn't want to look so gullible.

A minute or two later a couple of the girls came back all giggly and swore it was true. But I wasn't going fall for it. Eventually half the group returned, and all claimed that indeed Keanu Reeves was downstairs, at the bar, ordering a drink. Still not convinced, I decided I'd indulge the big joke and have a look.

So I walked down the narrow stairs and just as I was about to walk through the arched door into the bar, this gaunt pale face suddenly appeared right in front of me, motorcycle beanie perched on his head and pint in his hand... sure enough, Keanu Fuckin Reeves! More than a bit surprised (me that is) at the familiar face before me I acted as nonchalantly as I could "'scuse me, just tryin' to get through here," I said as I passed him, and walked into the bar and a distinct hub-bub of amazed people.

After I'd ordered another pint I wandered back up and found the rest of the group gawking at Keanu and his (girlfriend?) playing a game of pool. When they'd finished their game, one of the other hostelers asked Keanu if he wanted to play a game of doubles, which he did. - I think he took off after that, rumbling away on his Harley. Cool.

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