The Final Year

  Do you ever run into a random
celebrity and think you recognize them because you know them personally? I used
to work at a computer store, and occasionally we would have (mild, and/or
"where are they now") celebrities come in to shop. When working in
the consumer business you tend to get a set of regulars that come into the store
again and again. When a celebrity (or someone I know outside of work) walked into the store, it usually took me a moment to realize that they were not a mere repeat customer.
  Today
I had that same feeling, but it was only later that I realized just how bizarre
the situation was. I was minding my own business, driving down Lake Ave on my way
to school. It was Saturday, the sun was shining, my audiobook was playing, and
I was in a good mood. I had been coasting downhill behind a shiny dark red
Prius, trying once again to decide whether or not I like its design, and
remarking to myself on the hugeness of those tacky yellow stickers hybrid
drivers are forced to slap on their bumpers if they want to ride in the carpool
lanes. Anyway, I eventually got lost in my book again, when suddenly I heard a
quick staccato of beeps somewhere in my vicinity. Naturally, I looked up, and
saw the driver of this Prius beside me, gesturing frantically in my direction. I recognized her
immediately, but assumed she must be a neighbor of mine or something. I rolled
down my window obligingly.
  "Your LEFT REAR TIRE is VERY
FLAT!" She screamed over the din of car engines. Puzzled by several things
at once - where I knew her from; how flat the tire was exactly; was she, in
fact, a crazy person or trying to get me to pull over and stop so she and her
bruiser, crackhead boyfriend could rob me - I simply nodded, said thanks, and
began rolling up the window.
  "It
only looks like it SOMETIMES!" she bellowed again. (?) I paused with the
window halfway up, and rolled it back down again. She was looking at me, as if to speak. I looked back at her expectantly.
The light was
threatening green. Suddenly, it occurred to me that she might be done, in
which case I was now gaping at her unabashedly. Where did I KNOW her from? I
muttered another thanks, just to put an end to the ungodly awkwardness, and quickly rolled up my window for the second time. When I
stopped at the nearest gas station I found that my tire was, indeed, very slightly low, (?) and
that’s when it hit me. She was an actress. I had seen her in stuff. What stuff?
I couldn’t remember. I certainly did not know her name off the top of my head.
I decided that this would take some investigation, so when I finally got to school (after putting a few more psi into my tire) I
looked her up online. Her name is Jean Louisa Kelly, and she’s a main character
on the show "Yes, Dear" and was in Mr. Holland’s Opus and Uncle Buck
(and she’s friends with Jennifer Garner). But I swear she’s been in a lot of
other stuff, because I haven’t seen that TV show much, and I haven’t seen
either of those movies in a very long time. It was a strange situation, indeed.
I just hope I didn’t come across as a psychopath, staring like a cat at a fishbowl.
  Anyway,
that’s how Jennifer Garner’s best friend made me late for school.
The End

ps - here’s a picture, so you know who I’m talking about: