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Tonight at work started out as a typical Monday night in Key West...slow. I did some business, more than expected, but near the end of my shift, I noticed a guy, a very short guy (and by short I mean far shorter than me...we're talking 3'6" here, my friends) trying to check out our menu display at the front door. Unfortunately for him, said display was not designed for people of his stature. As he tried to look at it, though, something about his face struck me as awfully familiar. Could that be him? Then he came in the door and asked to see a menu, and that voice and British accent were just as familiar. Now I was certain...it WAS him! But for the life of me I could NOT remember his name!
My manager sat him, his wife, and his two kids in my section. The wife and kids went immediately to the bathroom, and I approached the table with a question in my mind. However, I was afraid that if I was wrong, my guest would think that I thought ALL small people looked the same (which I don't).
JESTER: "Pardon me, and I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way....but weren't you in Willow?"
HIM: "Yes. Yes I was."
JESTER: "This is driving me crazy, but I know your name, and for the life of me I can't remember it."
HIM: "Warrick...."
JESTER: "That's it! Warrick Dunn!"
HIM: "Um, no. Warrick Davis, actually..."
JESTER: "Oh, duh. Warrick Dunn is a football player. I don't know what I was thinking."
JESTER'S BRAIN:
Yes, boys and girls, I waited on Warwick Davis (his first name is pronounced Warrick) and his family tonight. For those of you going "WHO?", think the lead character in Willow; the Leprechaun in the movies of the same name; Wicket the Ewok from Return of the Jedi; Marvin the Paranoid Android from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Professor Filius Flitwick from the Harry Potter movies; etc., etc., etc. Basically the most famous and prolific small person actor of our generation.
Did I mention that Willow is one of my favorite movies of all time?
And yes, I called him the name of a running back for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. And while Warrick Dunn is small by NFL standards, he is still a healthy, large, athletic, black football player. Warwick Davis is.....not. Needless to say I was VERY embarrassed.
But, being the consummate professional I am, I still gave Warwick and his family (lovely wife and kids) excellent service and answered some of their questions about Key West, this having been their first visit.
Now, my manager asked me if I was going to ask for his autograph. Duh, no.
1. I am a professional, thank you very much.
2. This is Key West. We don't fawn over celebrities. We let them enjoy their time down here. There was no "Mr. Davis" this or comping of that. He was Warwick, I was (Jester's first name). And he (and his family) were all very lovely in every way. (Trust me, I would have trashed him if he was an ass. Y'all know me!) I was so revved.
And since it came out that I was a magician, they asked me to do some magic for their kids. Well, DUH!
So I got to do magic for Willow himself.
And....I SMOKED them.
Absolutely entertained the kids. Well, his son was a bit too young to get much of it, but his daughter was entranced, and he and his wife were flabbergasted. Hey, I AM pretty decent at this magic thing, after all. So, I did a few tricks for them, blew them away, and still kept an eye on my section. (It was a slow night, after all.) And of course, not being one to miss an opportunity, I DID mention that if I ever need a magician, I do travel. And produced my business card out of thin air from behind his wife's head. (Had been pulling playing cards out of his daughter's hair countless times up till then.)
So tonight was great. Am I stoked because I met a celebrity? No, that happens to me often, especially in this town. But...
Gas to get to work tonight: approximately $1.00.
New work shirt because I had none clean: $9.67.
Sales rung up tonight: $900+
Doing magic for freakin' Willow: PRICELESS!
How cool is THAT?
My manager sat him, his wife, and his two kids in my section. The wife and kids went immediately to the bathroom, and I approached the table with a question in my mind. However, I was afraid that if I was wrong, my guest would think that I thought ALL small people looked the same (which I don't).
JESTER: "Pardon me, and I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way....but weren't you in Willow?"
HIM: "Yes. Yes I was."
JESTER: "This is driving me crazy, but I know your name, and for the life of me I can't remember it."
HIM: "Warrick...."
JESTER: "That's it! Warrick Dunn!"
HIM: "Um, no. Warrick Davis, actually..."
JESTER: "Oh, duh. Warrick Dunn is a football player. I don't know what I was thinking."
JESTER'S BRAIN:
Yes, boys and girls, I waited on Warwick Davis (his first name is pronounced Warrick) and his family tonight. For those of you going "WHO?", think the lead character in Willow; the Leprechaun in the movies of the same name; Wicket the Ewok from Return of the Jedi; Marvin the Paranoid Android from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Professor Filius Flitwick from the Harry Potter movies; etc., etc., etc. Basically the most famous and prolific small person actor of our generation.
Did I mention that Willow is one of my favorite movies of all time?
And yes, I called him the name of a running back for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. And while Warrick Dunn is small by NFL standards, he is still a healthy, large, athletic, black football player. Warwick Davis is.....not. Needless to say I was VERY embarrassed.
But, being the consummate professional I am, I still gave Warwick and his family (lovely wife and kids) excellent service and answered some of their questions about Key West, this having been their first visit.
Now, my manager asked me if I was going to ask for his autograph. Duh, no.
1. I am a professional, thank you very much.
2. This is Key West. We don't fawn over celebrities. We let them enjoy their time down here. There was no "Mr. Davis" this or comping of that. He was Warwick, I was (Jester's first name). And he (and his family) were all very lovely in every way. (Trust me, I would have trashed him if he was an ass. Y'all know me!) I was so revved.
And since it came out that I was a magician, they asked me to do some magic for their kids. Well, DUH!
So I got to do magic for Willow himself.
And....I SMOKED them.
Absolutely entertained the kids. Well, his son was a bit too young to get much of it, but his daughter was entranced, and he and his wife were flabbergasted. Hey, I AM pretty decent at this magic thing, after all. So, I did a few tricks for them, blew them away, and still kept an eye on my section. (It was a slow night, after all.) And of course, not being one to miss an opportunity, I DID mention that if I ever need a magician, I do travel. And produced my business card out of thin air from behind his wife's head. (Had been pulling playing cards out of his daughter's hair countless times up till then.)So tonight was great. Am I stoked because I met a celebrity? No, that happens to me often, especially in this town. But...
Gas to get to work tonight: approximately $1.00.
New work shirt because I had none clean: $9.67.
Sales rung up tonight: $900+
Doing magic for freakin' Willow: PRICELESS!
How cool is THAT?
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