Blanche Hamilton just loved being the centre of attention. As to why that was, that was anyone's guess. Nonetheless, not a day went by when she didn't get the attention she sought. On the other hand, if anyone-and in particular, Harry Venton-got even slightly more attention than she got, she would be very, very unhappy about that...and that is an understatement.
So not surprisingly, then, one day, Harry was on his way home from work and had plans to go to the local film festival, albeit with the sole intention of getting a few celebrity autographs. He got there fairly early, and where the fans would be shortly, there was still hardly anyone waiting. So he stood at the gate to wait. Some celebrities, specifically the stars of a motion picture being screened at a nearby theatre, were scheduled to arrive there in less than two hours.
Unfortunately for Harry, Blanche showed up with a notebook thicker than an encyclopedia and a pencil case filled to beyond capacity. Upon spotting Harry, she immediately gazed at him with disdain and looked with her nose curled up at the tiny little notebook and two pens he had in his hand. Harry, meanwhile, ignored her and, in fact, was oblivious to her presence. That is, until she snarled: "Well, I see you're prepared for some autographs." At that, Harry turned, glanced at Blanche, and then looked back away. She then said, sarcastically: "So what's that? Your diary? What? Are you hoping to get your diary autographed? That is so lame!" Still, Harry ignored her. So she continued: "You know, I don't see why you bother coming to these things. You know you're not getting any autographs with a puny little notebook like that." Yet again, Harry ignored her. After she finally got the hint, she then said: "Like, why are you ignoring me? Can't you see I'm talking to you? You're so rude!"
At that, he finally said: "Well, you're giving me a migraine headache right now. That's why." In response, Blanche gasped and turned the other way. She then said: "Well, fine, then. Who wants to talk to you anyhow?" Afterwards, she waited for the celebrities arrived.
Less than two hours later, just before the celebrities arrived, there was a bigger crowd. Harry, however, was still in his spot at the front of the crowd waiting for them to arrive. Blanche, though still in the same spot she was two hours earlier, was slightly blocked by other people who were taller than she was, and she wasn't liking it at all. Finally, the celebrities did arrive-one by one in a caravan of black limousines. First, the male lead in the movie that was playing that evening stepped out and waved to everyone. Upon seeing a few notebooks and pens from screaming fans, he approached them and granted them his autograph. Harry, though he barely made any noise, got an autograph, too. But he also wanted his picture taken with the celebrity...and he got that, too.
By the time the actor reached Blanche, however, time was running short and all he gave her was a wave, not even an autograph.
The rest of the film's principal cast members arrived and stepped out. They also signed autographs, and Harry managed to get them all. He even got a few pictures taken with some of them. Blanche, though, got an autograph from only one them. She didn't even get any pictures taken with them. As a result, when the crowd finally dispersed, she spotted Harry as he was about to take his leave. She shrieked at him: "Hey, you!" At that, Harry turned around and spotted her. She then continued: "You think you could lend me some of your autographs?"
"Well, I'll sign my name in your book if you'd like," Harry replied. In response, however, she became furious. Thereafter, Harry turned around and took his leave, further infuriating Blanche. She shouted: "You can't do this to me!" He ignored her and just went his way. As he walked away, she added: "Well, you know what, fine! Forget you!" As soon as he was out of her sight and out of her earshot, Blanche shook her head, kissed her teeth, and as she walked away, she mumbled to herself under her breath: "That's so unfair! He gets what he wants, and I couldn't even get a picture from anybody."
The next day, as Harry was on his way to work, he was approached by Dick Hamilton-Blanche's father-who looked at him very, very sternly. He was not happy at all. Not knowing who it actually was, Harry simply asked: "Hi, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" At that, Dick screamed at the height of his lungs and shouted in response: "Nobody treats my daughter the way you did and gets away with it!"
"Huh?" said Harry, puzzled, "What are you talking about?"
"You prevented my daughter from getting autographs at the festival last night!" Dick yelled. At that, Harry said: "Whoa! Wait a minute! I didn't prevent your daughter from doing anything. In fact, I don't even know who you are, and in fact, I don't even know who your daughter is."
Just then, however, Blanche stepped out of her father's SUV nearby. Harry glanced at her, then he glanced back at him. Harry then said: "Oh, you're her father? I see. Well, sir, if you don't mind me saying so, she is a bit of a brat, and she seems to think that the more she rants and raves, the more attention she is going to get." Harry took a deep breath, and then he continued: "Well, your daughter is in for a very rude awakening! If she thinks she's going to get my attention that way, she's most certainly mistaken."
At that, Dick and Blanche huffed and puffed at him for about two seconds. Then, they proceeded back to the SUV. As he was getting into it, however, Dick jeered at Harry and told him: "Well, this isn't the end of it, we'll have you know!" From inside the SUV, Blanche rolled the window down and shouted to Harry: "Yeah, you autograph stealer!" She then rolled up the window as the SUV drove off.
Meanwhile, Harry resumed his trek to work, thinking to himself: "What's their problem? They've got issues, man!"
