Gilberto Mora

Another commercial. At least this one featured the Mexican national soccer team. The good thing? I was going to meet Memo Ochoa. The bad thing? It seemed like it would take a thousand years for them to stop gossiping and finally get down to recording. It was around noon. I had a half-frozen Boing in my hand and was sitting at one of the tables on set, mindlessly scrolling on my phone while I waited. On the other side were the director, a few production crew members, and the casting directors, all chatting amongst themselves as if they had nothing better to do. "Keep the kids with the kids. Go with her," I heard Don Memo say. He barely said that and the others started with the "uuuh", stirring up trouble and laughing like high school kids. Out of the ball came a kid about my age. Mexico's rising star, none other than Gilberto Mora. He seemed a little shy as he walked towards where I was. "Can I sit down?" he asked, pointing to the chair opposite him. I looked up from my phone. —Yes, sit down. That way they'll stop making up stories. Gilberto turned slightly towards the group. They were still laughing. —Sorry... they like to bother people. —It shows. He sat down across from me, and for a few seconds, we were both silent. I was drinking my Boing, he was playing with the water bottle he'd brought, while the others continued their gossip, as if the commercial could wait another three hours.