CHARISMATIC MEGAFAUNA

By Quiconque

Brush with Celebrity

Last weekend, Ashyknees and I stopped by Starbucks with some other friends to pass the time before the curtain went up on Mother Courage at the Delacorte Theater. The chi-chi kids' apparel store next door featured luxurious miniature sweaters in the window, which got Ashy's knitting fingers itching.

"I wish I could knit that," she commented. "But I don't have anyone to knit for."

I reminded her that our good friend from college just had a baby girl.

"Oh, she doesn't want anything new for the baby," Ashy explained, which made sense since this was our friend's third daughter. She probably has more than she needs in terms of baby clothes.

Ashy seemed to struggle with her urge to create. Finally, while we were waiting for her elaborate drink to be made, she'd reached a decision. "I'm going to make that sweater, and if our friend doesn't want it, I'll give it to orphans."

Just then, a good-looking, well-dressed man approached us. "Did I hear you say 'orphans?'"

Ashyknees got embarrassed, "Oh, I was just making a comment. It was stupid. I wasn't really talking about orphans."

The stylish man explained, "I own a company that gives money to orphans. So, when I heard you mention orphans, I came over."

Ashy and the man spent a few minutes apologizing to each other for their malentendu. All the while I thought that the man was strangely familiar and vaguely famous. However, I didn't know who he was, and could not insert myself into the conversation to explore my ignorance. "Enough talk about orphans. Are you famous?" would have been highly inappropriate.

That the man was stylish, there was no doubt. He wore a medium blue button-down shirt, blue and white striped pants, and white driving moccasins. Only the most confident can pull a look like that off, and he did without it seeming studied. I guess that's why Esquire magazine has named him the second best dressed man in the world.

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LINKS

DIARYRINGS

READING: Od Magic by Patricia McKillip

WATCHING: Psych marathon on USA