Moments make the difference

Isn't it funny how just one incident can make an impression - good or bad - about other people, places or things?

Many times, people say, "Oh I don't like so-and-so," and yet you find that person perfectly admirable. Or it could be the other way around. First impressions tend to be the longest-lasting, but it might not be fair to decide about someone or something based on a fleeting encounter.

For instance, suppose you encounter a famous person somewhere, and you ask for a moment of their time for an autograph or a selfie or a handshake, only to be told they didn't have time. Sometimes they're sorry and sometimes they're abrupt.

But there was the time that Peggy and I ran into John Lowenstein, the outfielder for the Orioles during some pretty good seasons (1979 - 1985) and we were plenty happy when he seemed to be as interested in getting to say hey to US as we were in meeting HIM. He asked our names, and some baseball questions, and then we went on our way, happy. And it was the same when we met Brooks Robinson in the jewelry store. The greatest third baseman of all time acted like we were special, and that made us quite happy.

We've all heard stories that go the other way, but there are reasons, a lot of the time. I mean, I'm the King of All Unimportant People, but there are times when I'm busy getting my deli order in or filling the gas tank or having blood removed from my right arm, and if someone were to come up and start talking, I might be a bit busy to reply.

And then I think of the time I was watching the Dallas Cowboys game and they showed the owner of the team, one Jerry Jones, sitting in his palatial owner's booth.  And then he took off his eyeglasses and held them over his head.

And some lackey appeared in a trice to take the glasses and wipe them with some sort of special chamois, gently handing them back to Jones.

And I think wow, that's pretty high-handed, and I remember the guy I know who, back in the days when wrist watches needed winding every so often, would hold his arm up in the air, a signal for his wife to come over and wind his watch.

Celebrities - they're just like us! Just richer.