Wednesday, October 11, 2006

M meets Mr. Drummond

Today a few friends were over, we were talking. M told a story that I think he has told me before but I forgot about.
The whole story summarized into one line is basically... when M was about 18 he met Mr. Drummond. You know, Mr. Drummond from Different Strokes. Arnold and Willis's Dad.

Back then, M was working in his hometown. Gorgeous place. If you haven't travelled around there, you really should. (Just don't take FiFi your pet chihuahua for a walk in the woods....cougars) ANYway... one summer, M was working as a bus boy at a nice local restaurant, it was in fact one of the nicest restaurants in town. French. And, as it would happen, one night, who should come for dinner but Mr. Drummond- or Conrad Baines. (this a long time after his run of fame on the TV show.)

Now, what would you do if a celebrity walked into your place of work? Or school, or hangout spot? Acknowlege or not acknowlege?

M chose to not acknowlege the celebrity factor, out of politeness. He decided to treat him like everyone else. Although today he says he thinks he should have acknowleged the fame factor..... the reason being that he found himself in the men's room alone with Mr. Drummond as M was frantically trying to change the paper towels in the paper dispenser, and it was going all wrong, the towels wouldn't come out right, totally jammed, so when he would try to pull a new piece down only a tiny piece would rip off.... all the while Mr. Drummond was waiting with dripping hands. M said that at that point, it would have been good to acknowlege that he knew who Mr. Drummond was because his hands were shaking with nervousness as he was trying to change the towels, and Mr. Drummond looked at him with this, "I know you know who I am." look. M says that he thinks that at that point it probably would have encouraged him rather than annoy him, because he wouldn't have been interrupting his dinner or anything.

So, what about you, if you met a celebrity in your travels today.... would you acknowlege the celebrity factor or not?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Um. I wouldn't. Not me. I would definitely be too timid.

...and who is Mr. Drummond anyway? :P

ames

Tiffany said...

Conrad Bain has an identical twin brother named "Bonar" and I got his autograph at a hockey game one night when I was eight years old. (Bonar lived in my city) So I guess I would recognize the celebrity factor... depending who the celebrity was. I would even recognize a sibling of a celebrity I guess.
I can see M frantic over the paper towels, very funny!

The confused foreigner. said...

Bonar - that's classic! Mr. Drummond's brother lived in Canada. Cool.
Oh yes, Ames, ask your mom and dad who Mr. Drummond is.... you may need to mention Arnold and Willis too. Or the name "Diff'rent Strokes"
Twas a little before your time.
-K:)

polarpegs said...

Does going to school with Mike Modano count?


Living in Vancouver there tended to be a few celebrities around. Once when my brother and two kids were visiting for my wedding we were standing in line at Superstore and ended up being right behind Brian Dennehy and his family. We pointed out to the kids that he was a movie star (in kid language) my 9 year old neice went right up and asked him "Are you a movie star?" He looked at her with all his haughtiness and replied, "I am an actor." ... Yea didn't really inspire us to become his greatest fans

The confused foreigner. said...

What a coincidence!- I ALSO went to highschool with MIke Modano!!.
Ah, yeh, prob doesn't count cuz it was pre fame. (mostly... could you call playing for the Raiders fame?)

I'll have to go google "Brian Dennehy" I actually don't know who that is...

Anonymous said...

Over the years,I have come across several different elebrities.(just the right place at the right time.)
I leave them alone so that they can enjoy their activities in peace.
If we happen to catch each others eye, I just smile and nod. They respond in kind.