Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman

I love the movie “Pretty Woman”. Do you remember the part when no one will let her shop and she needs help for a dinner party?  She goes to the kind concierge of the hotel and he helps.

I was on a house hunting trip in Bordeaux, France with a 3 year old in tow. I had 5 days to find a house or I would be living with my in-laws. I didn’t want that! We had sold our home and our planned move back to the U.S. had been spontaneously canceled for a better job offer. There was no relocation agent to help me. A secretary from my husband’s company had set up some appointments but the houses were all awful. I called my Mom back in Utah crying. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t speak French at the time, my husband was in a meeting and I had 4 days left to find a house. My mom, clever as she is,  asked if it was a nice hotel with a concierge. I answered of course. She reminded me of the part in the movie “Pretty Woman” where Julia Roberts asks the concierge for help. My Mom told me to go pull a Julia Roberts and get some help. I did just that! At first the concierge just looked puzzled and explained it wasn’t really his job. I begged and ask him to please make appointments for me and give me a map and I told him I would deal with it the rest myself. Please!  A half an hour on the phone and he had made 5 appointments and I had a house. Relocation agents can be great but if you need to, dare to go out there on your own and use your charm. My Mom was right to remind me of “Pretty Woman”. I felt pretty empowered that day and for the next 4 ½ years we lived happily in that home.