Star Quality

There's a small yogurt place in my neighborhood. It sells soft-serve yogurt, no fat, at a reasonable price. For another dollar they will put fresh fruit on top--prime, best quality stuff. The store is tiny, and it is jammed with Tetris, board games, Wi-fi, and numerous college students.

Today I walked in and somebody famous had dropped by. He is a television star from probably Seinfeld, and is now starring in a play in my city. The proprietor/inventor of this business gives all kinds of discounts to people who can imitate Seinfeld characters, or answer trivia questions, or score at level gazillion at Tetris. He Loves Seinfeld TV. He is also having a good time with his business. It's still personal, so slinging yogurt and cutting up mango is not a rote activity yet. Almost two years in business now.

So, The Star's entourage was filming and taking pictures. The Star and the Proprietor were trading free yogurt, autographs, jokes. Brett, the owner, had met a hero. He was having a blast, plugging his company and learning about the actor's new gig. Probably all this will go on Facebook or Twitter eventually. But you could see he was mesmerized.

To me, it was a constellation, or twin star.

Brett is in his early twenties and has already started a small business that employs up to ten college students. It's a great concept and is already a nascent chaiin--I think a new one is opening in Baltimore. Who is a hero here?

Maybe they are both heroes in their own lives, the stars of their story.  The one man brings glamor--and surely it's difficult to achieve success in show business. But in exchange, you get recognition, free yogurt, and the big bucks. Brett won't get the recognition. He pays wholesale for yogurt. Maybe someday, he'll make the big bucks. He's just as much a star, although I'm sure he doesn't think so.

Photo: i'm only here for the food.com