On Saturday, February 22nd, 2020, Zero had just finished a grueling brunch shift and popped across the street to his go-to spot after work to unwind. Less than an hour later, Christine walked in—flustered and distracted—and sat down at a table right in front of him. She had tickets to a stand-up show across the street and ducked into the nearest restaurant to avoid an ex she'd just spotted.


She immediately caught Zero's eye and he complimented her jacket. A spark quickly ignited and a moment unspooled between them like something inevitable. Between the compliment and the growing bustle of the restaurant, he invited her to join his table and share a plate of shishito peppers. It wasn’t long before they realized they had both just ended long-term relationships on the same day—the day after Christmas.


With a double-take and a few probing questions from Christine, they slipped into a lively banter about film, music, and art. Their conversation flowed so effortlessly that Christine ended up missing the first 45 minutes of the show, but she couldn’t help but be drawn in by Zero’s easygoing charm.


Not ready for the conversation to end, Christine invited Zero to join her for Todd Barry, the comedian she planned to see and they both loved. Despite having worked an eight-hour brunch shift at the venue, Zero agreed. The night continued at another bar across the street, where the conversation and fun came naturally. At one point, Zero played “Kiss From A Rose” by Seal on the jukebox, sparking the entire bar to erupt in a spontaneous sing-along.


As their marathon night wound down, Zero asked for Christine's number and suggested they meet again. Her reply: "Text me in two weeks." (She was determined to preserve a perfect night without thinking about the future.) Thankfully, Zero followed up, and Christine jumped at the chance to meet again, realizing just how much she had missed talking to him.


Two weeks later, they had their first official date: watching Last Action Hero (1990) on 70mm at The Music Box Theatre, followed by their first kiss under the Lerner and Rowe injury attorney sign outside Continental Lounge on California Ave. They haven't stopped experiencing film—and each other—since.