Bohemian Beauty

I pull into the driveway of the Intercontinental in Double Bay. I think, as I do every time I pick someone up from this ritzy hotel, “This is where Michael Hutchence hung himself.” A long limbed woman climbs into the back. I turn to greet her. Wow. She’s gorgeous. Probably in her forties but mostly wrinkle free, her well nourished skin stretching over immaculately sculpted cheek bones. I ask her where she’s from. “California,” she replies in an odd, un-placeable accent. “I no longer consider myself American – for obvious reasons.”  I laugh and we discuss what it’s like living in a country run by an orange faced toddler. I mention that she doesn’t sound very Californian and she confesses to originally being from Norway. Ah – this explains a face that’s possibly graced many a magazine cover – she’s a Viking Goddess.  I ask her what she’s doing in Sydney. “I’m out here with my boyfriend – he’s a musician in a band.” I think for moment, double checking that we’re heading to Ultimo – not far from the ICC Theatre where a certain legend happens to be playing later that night. “Uh – your boyfriend – he doesn’t play with Bob Dylan by any chance?” The Goddess nods nonchalantly. “Yes. He’s his steel guitar player.” I do my best to play it cool. “Whoa – that’s fucking awesome!” I fail. She smiles. “So your boyfriend gets to play ‘Lay Lady Lay’ – maybe the best steel guitar song ever?” Again she nods. “Yes he does”. Feeling blessed at having access to someone from Planet Rock, I start yabbering away about recently seeing the ‘George Harrison: All Things Must Pass’ documentary. She agrees that it was amazing. I then mention ‘Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World’ and she has not only seen it, but knows a number of the native Americans who were featured. We continue to chat until, far too soon, I drop her off at an Ultimo pub. “Thanks for the lift. Nice talking to you.” “Yes – you too. Oh – and say g’day to Bob for me.”