My course set, I pull up to a pump and head in to pay for my gas. I see right away that I will have to wait as a rather large man is paying for a goodly amount of snacks with a fat roll of cash held in his left hand. As I'm waiting, simply wanting to be in my easy chair, I notice the man is talking to the cashier in a marked nasally voice. Wow, I think, this guy's voice is something else. As he continues talking something starts tugging at my brain.
Something familiar.
The man then realizes a line is forming behind him. He then graciously turns to apologize for the delay.
Even as the words are coming out of his mouth and part of my brain is pairing the face before me with the distinctive voice, my higher brains are telling me "No. It isn't him. This man just looks like him".
Then he smiled.
The gap between his upper incisors clinch it.
Holy shit. I'm staring at
"Sorry I'm taking so long," He offers sympathetically.
I'm still in shock. I've been completely blindsided. I just smile and say "No problem."
He continues his transaction and I want to make small talk or to make some indication that I've recognized him. But everything I think of sounds forced. And I look at him again. He's in a sweat suit. It's late and he looks tired. I've worked with more celebrities than most people will even meet in a lifetime and I know how random idiots flailing about can be tiresome.
He looks at me again and I settle for just giving him a knowing smile. He holds my gaze for a second and smiles back. It would occur to me only later to ponder if he thought I was cruising him.
The cashier rings him up and Louie speaks up apologetically.
"I'm sorry. Could I get a plastic bag for those?"
He again turns to me and sighs "I'm turning into my mother."
I laugh good-naturedly.
He gathers his goods and tells me "You have a good night, now."
I wish him the same, barely containing my laughter.
I step up to the cashier who is completely oblivious to who he has just waited on. I can't be alone in this experience! I quickly turn to the girl who has been behind me. Her mouth is wide open. She turns from peering out the door back to me.
"Was.." She begins.
"YES IT WAS!" I shout and bust out laughing.
We chat briefly about how bizarre the whole situation was and then we move on to pumping our respective fuels with smiles on our faces. I spend the entire drive home calling everyone I know to share the tale.
And with that, I give you my lamest celebrity moment ever.