The Ludmila Confessions

After we finished cleaning the house and the maid left, Jack was out at the pool relaxing. I layed down on the living room couch reading. First, I lit that big fireplace full of pine trees and pieces of firewood; the smell was glorious and the fire was roaring. The house looked so clean and pretty and I was proud of all the work we had done for the New Years party.

Cleaning in one of the gardens

Out of nowhere came the sound of Santa Ana, strong winds blowing in. It was a nice warm wind that we sometimes get when LA is cold in the winter. Usually, the Santa Ana winds are welcome because of the warmth; anyone who has lived in L.A. knows that moment when the sun goes down and it becomes another climate. The temperature drops drastically, from cold to very cold.

Since it was going to be a beautiful evening, with the sun setting and the cold night just beginning, it seemed like a perfect time to light the fireplace. I did that and went back to the couch to look at the fireplace roar with stars like sparks, the Christmas tree glittering and the smell of pine through the house. It was beautiful, sensual and romantic.

Talking to the maestro about what I want built new

I was just about to call Jack in to have a drink with me, then I heard him scream “FIRE!” Most ranch-style homes at that time had a roof made of wood shingles. Then I smelled smoke and saw Jack running to save the little animals that I was raising. To my horror I realized we were caught in the fire! It only took seconds for it to catch. I did not notice that I was walking over hot coals to save the little birds in their cages on our big table. In no time everything was gone, the roof of the whole mansion collapsed, the wood panels in my office were in flames, making it impossible to save all of my work, including my modeling and acting pictures in my office. The firemen arrived, but it was too late to save some things except some of my boxes of my pictures in the garage and a few other things.

Almost everything in the house was burned or damaged by water, but thanks to God a few things were saved. Jose was not home at the time because he was out bicycling somewhere, and when he arrived later that night, we were sitting on the floor by the dirty pool full of ashes. Burnt pieces of shingles from the roof were falling down everywhere. By the time Jose arrived we had finished safeguarding the animals as well as we could.

Much later, we went to a hotel. The three of us were exhausted not only from the sadness and shock but from the physical work. I was just not there or anywhere, really, I guess you can say I was in a state of shock. It was already getting to be morning so Jack was soon on the phone calling the insurance companies and taking care of business. Jose was still asleep, and we were all in one big room. I proceeded to order my breakfast of champions, although it should be called breakfast of losers instead! A double bloody Mary. No one else wanted one, but I certainly did.

Later that day Jose and I took some white pills, a few quaaludes, and we went to see the greatest house I ever had, now completely destroyed. I certainly did not understand my life. I was just a selfish brat, like “what Lola wants, Lola gets” that was me.

Needless to say the New Year party never happened, instead it was dinner for two in our room, because the insurance wouldn’t pay for three people in a restaurant. Jose had to remain incógnito (unknown).