Mixing with the famous

Mo Farah at St Mary's University College

I shall be glued to the tennis this afternoon for two reasons. 1. Andy Murray is playing, and 2. My youngest son is there watching. He has a week off work and rather that go away (he says it's too cold) he is booking tickets for things instead.

I did suggest to him that I was free on Monday and could go with him, but that offer was not taken up! He is meeting a friend afterwards. This friend works for Sky TV and has a 'media thing' (as my son put it) afterwards with Andy Murray. So I said, will you get to meet Andy Murray? Sadly not.

It got me thinking about famous people we meet and how tongue-tied and stupid we feel. When you recognise someone do you make a thing of it or quietly observe? I've met a few poets and authors at book signings - I once had a lovely chat with Marina Lewycka (A Short History of Tractors in the Ukraine) and have shaken hands and had a family photos taken with Geoff Hurst (1966 World Cup Football Player). That's probably as famous as it gets.

My younger son met Mo Farah at his University and had a photo taken with him, while my older son, who works for a leading High Street Electrical Component Store, has met and served some famous comedians and football players. He says he treats them normally like any other customer. He is so sensible!

Why do we put these people on a pedestal and fall over our words? Inside they are just like you and me. Some of them must hate being spotted on the street, constantly oggled at and wish to slip by unnoticed. I often feel sorry for the Queen, I wouldn't want her job - all those boring dinners and shaking hands with people you might not like!

But we do struggle with the famous. I know my mind goes blank when I approach people. I cannot for the life of me remember what I said when I met The Goodies years ago on signing their book for me, but I bet it was something stupid like how much I liked them. Obviously I did. Why would I be there otherwise? It's a funny old world.