The team and I were enjoying the traditional long lunch when it happened. The monthly long lunch is a wonderful institution that serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it's a team-builder -- you get out and interact with your team-mates on a personal level. It's also a good way to break up the routine of the work week once in a blue moon (or is that blue noon?). Mostly it's a good way to avoid the office for an unreasonably long time, while you eat lunch and perhaps enjoy a beer. The only downside is that every minute spend enjoying the food must be made up for at the end of the day. Every minute of pleasure is paid for by an equal minute of pain.

So where was I? Oh yes. On this particular occasion, we splurged and went to the slightly-expensive-but-worth-it Cardero's at Coal Harbour. I was halfway through a chicken ravioli when Kurt Russell's chin entered the restaurant, followed shortly by Kurt himself. Some action heroes, like Schwarzenegger, enter a room chest-first. But Kurt's dominant feature is a jaw that's so impressively large, it's a wonder that he doesn't have stability problems when he walks.

The waiter seated him alone at a table for two by the window, and there he stayed without attracting any undue attention for the twenty minutes or so until we left the restaurant. And this made me wonder: is it common for well-known Hollywood actors to show up in public without being disturbed by fans? I'm fairly certain that Kurt couldn't go anywhere without being recognized. Why didn't anyone walk up and say "Hi, I enjoyed your performance in Vanilla Sky" or "Say, aren't you..." or at the very least "ohmygodohmygodohmygod"?

I've seen this before. A while back, Kevin Costner moseyed on past me in a food fair and stood in line at Starbuck's like anyone else. Some people noticed him, but left him alone.

Is this politeness? Or is this recognition that these people are like anyone else? Except, of course, for the fact that they're stinking rich. I think that most fans would like their favourite actors and actresses to feel comfortable. After all, these people live their lives hounded by the press and crazed fans -- maybe they deserve a little space.

Another possibility is that nobody really cares all that much.

I finished my pasta, we settled the bill, and walked out the door, half hoping that we'd run into Goldie on our way out.