"bother me! bother me!" (m)

I'm pretty sure it was 1987.  I know because I was wearing one of those synthetic fabric, Dynasty-inspired dresses with the big shoulder pads and the elastic band around the hips so the top part of the dress bloused over.  In retrospect, that was the beginning of the end of being thin because that style dress hid alot of sins and was flattering.  The dress was black and red.

Anyway, this is not about the dress.  I was in NYC for a meeting with my advertising agency.  We had just finished dinner and I couldn't wait to get back to my hotel room to relax and take a break from thinking about home perms.

I was staying at a hotel on 6th Avenue across from Radio City Music Hall.  It was a high-rise building that was always busy with conventions and business travelers.  I remember waiting for the elevator, seeing drunks, smelling cigarette smoke and listening to insipid piano music from the bar.  There was a large bank of elevators and I failed miserably at "gaming" which one was going to arrive first (just as the numbers go down towards the lobby, the elevator I'm standing in front of stops forever on the fourth floor).  Finally, I see an elevator door open and I race to get in, sticking my foot in to keep the door from closing.

Relief.  I'm in the elevator and there is only one other person.  I turn to look at the person, and it's Bea Arthur, the television actress.  I LOVE her.  She's staring forward, not acknowledging me.  I want to tell her how much I admire her, but do I dare?  Would you?  What if she thinks I'm an idiot?  I see that we have several floors to go before we reach either one's destination.  I'll feel ridiculous if I say something and she just looks through me.  I decide to wait until we're almost at my stop and then I say: "Excuse me, Ms. Arthur, sorry to bother you but I just want to tell you that I love your work.  In fact, my whole family loves you and we watch every episode of The Golden Girls." 

She turns towards me and grabs my arm and says: "Bother me! Bother me!"

I think we made each other's day.

Today, I was sitting at the rink where my younger son trains.  I was deeply engrossed in doing my bills.  A mother came up to me and said: "Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say that your weight loss is beginning to show".

I grabbed her arm and said: "Bother me! Bother me!"