On my way in to work tonight, I noticed my very favourite piece of flair in the world — a rectangular button promoting the DVD release of Charlie’s Angels in 2000, one featuring a rather inspiring view of a spunky, red-headed Drew Barrymore, the Charlie’s Angels logo and the word “DYLAN” emblazoned in a rollerrink retro font. I have always liked wearing this button, an affinity which has only grown stronger as the button grows older. Tonight I decided to wear it for reasons that the world would only reveal to me later.
With the button hanging dutifully from my chest, I worked the night away. At one point, a particularly bizarre and mousy customer — exactly the sort you might imagine is renting not one but two videos alone on a Friday night — asks me to help him find Twisted and The Passion of the Christ. I do some searching through the return bin and come up 1 for 2.
“I’ve got Twisted,” I said.
“Where did you get that?” he asked.
I was confused; I got it from the return bin. “Huh?”
“Your button. Where did you get that?” he said, pointing to my DYLAN.
“Oh,” I said. I couldn’t quite remember. I came up with something that seemed to make sense. “They gave it to us to promote the movie when it came out on video in 2000.”
“I’m the president of the fan club,” the customer said.
Again, confusion reigned. “I’m sorry?”
“The Charlie’s Angels fan club. I’m the president. Not for the new ones, the old shows. She’s my favorite of the new ones.” I would later find no mention of this organization at all on the Internet, which should give you some idea of its scope.
At first I felt the desire to retreat from this very strange stranger revealing to me what in my mind is embarrassing information. My body language changed; my shoulders closed inward to protect my button.
Then it hit me: this must be why I put this button on today — to give it away to someone who will like it even more than I.
Quickly, I removed the button and handed it to the customer. “Here,” I said, “You should have it. I mean, you’re the president and all.”
So, as it begins its new life as just one more item in the menagerie of Charlie’s Angels superfan’s collection, I look back to the time when it was the only item in mine.