I was working on a film in Denmark. A real one. Some big Danish director. I'd met a guy at a bar who said he knew a guy who was a set designer and that he'd give him my number. I got in the art department but only for set ups. No days on set. But whatever.
     My job was mainly to empty out these rooms in the old abandoned hospital on Amager so the real art department people could come in and build it out. I did this for three lonely days. I passed the time by playing Danish pop radio and taking numerous breaks to go exploring. It was on one of these breaks that I had this sweet idea for a short.
     Without divulging too many of the details, it required a beautiful young girl and an old abandoned hospital, two of the only things I'd been introduced to in Denmark. The only problem I had was that a critical plot point was based on this story my ex-girlfriend had told me about something that happened to her when she was in college. I felt both afraid that she would refuse to let me use the story and excited because it gave me an excuse to call her. I tried to go back to work after that but all I could think about was her and this story.
     I had to walk ten blocks to find a pay phone and when I finally found one, she wasn't home. I had to make three trips total but nobody on the movie was paying attention to my comings or goings so it didn't matter. When I finally got a hold of her, she gave me permission to use the story as long as I gave her proper recognition, detailing exactly how she wanted her name in the credits. Once that was all talked about, I spent the next forty-five minutes listening to her talk about her new boyfriend.