5 Dolla Date #1

The Concept: A 5 Dolla Date is exactly what it sounds like. Two people. Five bucks. This, like TGIM is part of my New Year's Resolution to spend more time with humans, but unlike the 'We Are The World' feeling of TGIM, 5 Dolla is an exercise in creativity. And I'm sure there's anti-consumerist subtext in there somewhere, but that's a little heavy-handed for a Friday.

The Meeting Place: Caffe Beano, uber-cool coffeeshop off 17th Avenue. Rob is one of The Regulars, a group of intimidating film guys, theatre guys and one dude who sells firecrackers for a living. I arrived before Rob and sat observing this weird young raver-kokapelli guy playing a small flute. Inexplicably, Raver Guy closed his eyes and got a Buddha smile on his face. Seconds, later, a cute blonde ran over and kissed him so deeply, I blushed. I tried the same meditation, but no cute blondes materialized for me.

The Human: Robert Hilton, film producer, logistics wizard and location master. I met Rob during the brief and bizarre period of my life when I was a personal trainer and posture analyst. (What would you do with a Dance degree?!) Rob is 6' 6" and is one of the kindest and most generous people I know. Until yesterday, I hadn't seen him in five years. I can't remember why we lost touch, but he's one of those people when you meet up again, all that time doesn't matter. (*Photo stolen off Rob's Facebook. All the ones I took were crap.)

The Fiver: The inaugural 5 Dollas is from my jeans. It was change from buying the post-dress-rehearsal beers after Wil offered to buy me a beer and then the place only took cash and he looked all sheepish. Only Robert demanded we use his fiver (I'm telling you: generous). He ran next door to the fancy cheese shop and came back with my favourite brie from Quebec, Riopelle. I unwraped it and asked if it was five dollars worth. Rob said, "No. They wouldn't cut five dollars worth." Oh. It's a really fancy cheese shop.

The Date: Our two-hour experience began with us sitting down with coffees and me saying, "Okay. Five years: go." And then Rob told me all about a brutal ski accident that left his tibia shattered into a million pieces and how three weeks later, while he was still on crutches and sleeping in a hospital bed, his fiancee broke up with him. "I hate her," I said. "Don't hate her. She's a beautiful woman. You two would be best friends," Rob said. He's crazy.

But then he told me about his new job with Certain Films and the documentary they made about the Alberta oil sands: Downstream. Check this out: IT'S BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS. Are you kidding me? And then Rob's boss Randy Bradshaw, the big man from Certain Films, walks by. I see where this 5 Dolla Date is headed...

The film hasn't been released yet, so I can neither confirm nor deny that Rob and I had a cheese picnic in Beano while watching the film. It is unclear whether or not the film rocked my world and left me a blubbering mess before my opening night. I can, however, assure you that the doc is a must-see.