{This photo is by Norma Tub on flickr}
Okay so Baltimore has its famous natives that have been known to stop by every now and then, a la John Waters. Once, I even had a dream that Edward Nortan was the bagboy at the grocery mart and Mike Rowe {the "Dirty Jobs" guy} was my plumber. I don't know if either of them ever come to Baltimore, but it was a pretty cool dream.
Spotting a famous person in Baltimore is bit different than in New York City. A) New York as many times more famous people and B) New York is a part worldwide popular culture and Balimore is sort of an insider's culture and makes it more special when you see someone "famous". I once saw Anthony Bourdain, a food journalist with a Gonzo twist, outside of Mo's seafood when I was driving down the road. Sure enough, he mentions the restaurant in his opening sentence. Once, even, my brother was on a plane with Cal Ripkin Jr. coming from Baltimore and headed to our tiny Florida town {who woulda thunk it?}. He didn't want to alienate him, so he held his tongue. He already had his autograph anyway, I guess.
It's a special thing when you see someone you recognize from somewhere big.
So the other day I was with a friend and we were walking in historic Fell's Point looking for something to eat. It was a weird time of day, like 3 maybe 4, so the Sushi joint we wanted to go to was closed. We decided to go to the Daily Grind and get smoothies or something {too hot for coffee}. There is this one stretch of cobble stone street that is not friendly to pedestrians so we walk across to the other side of the street with the greatest of caution.
When we finally get to the other side, I take a breath and look to the side we just came from, noticing that construction is going nowhere with the old set of Homicide that they are planning to turn into a hotel of some sort. Melinda comments on the jewelry shop on our current side and I look at the little cafe that is sitting on the corner we are standing at. On the side of its building, there are the usual cafe-esque tables with umbrellas over them and sitting at the one closest to us is a group of people with papers, hunched backs, and some sort of mocha on ice. These aren't "business" people in suits. They are creative types working on their current project. I know creative types when I see them because I am one myself. Keep in mind this is all happening in a span of about 10 seconds, maybe shorter. The blonde Sophia Copola woman who is facing toward me takes a sip of her coffee and nods as the man across from her says something. The woman to her right is writing something down on her identical version of the paper "Sophia" has in front of her as well. Both women aren't particularly glittery enough for me to take note at what I am looking at.
But as Melinda starts walking with me in tow, I notice the man has a querish posture. His hand his at his head gracing his thinning hair. His black turtle neck must have been hot, but when I saw it I noted how beatniky is was. This is when it occurs to me who this is. I never got conformation. He never turned around to show off his awkwardly handsome face graced by a wonderful pencil-thin moustach. But the back of his head was most definatly John Waters.
Unfortunatly, I remained silent and didn't say anything. All I did was stare for a bit longer than normal and catche a grimacing expression from the waiter who was standing outside the doorway. I was too chicken to say "Hey Melindaaaa, let's walk down this street and get a peek!" Blasphemy!
When have you ever spotted someone famous in your town when you were just minding your own business? Did you say anything? Or did you silently die inside?
Your shy bird,
Abbie
ps My dad once saw him about thrity years ago when we was at an ATM.
pps My friend saw him at the Penn Station
