by Rix Quinn
Have you ever been told you look like somebody famous?
A couple of years ago, several friends and I sat around a lunch table and tried to judge who our companions resembled. My friend Jim said, “Quinn, you just have a generic face.
“That’s not an insult,” he added. “You look like somebody everybody knows, but whose name they can’t remember.”
Jim was right. As I surveyed our group, I quickly identified people who looked like presidents, movie stars, astronauts, or comedians.
But I look like the guy you see at the mall, but you can’t remember which store I work for. Or I resemble a teacher you liked in high school, or someone you see downtown at a coffee shop.
Sometimes I’m grateful for my average face. In my 20s, it was a real money-saver. How?
In my town, two seminaries train folks to be ministers. I’ve had many jobs in my life, but preacher is definitely not one.
However, for a few years, one restaurant recognized me as a young, bright seminarian. Whenever I went there, they greeted me warmly and asked how my studies were going.
I told the cashiers they had me mixed up with an actual preacher, but they didn’t believe me. They frequently gave me free soft drinks or a complimentary meal.
I have wondered what happened to that young preacher who looked like me. Did he eat free as often as I did?
I often took my first dates to that generous restaurant. If that date didn’t like me, I hadn’t spent much money on her.
Sadly, my face aged out of the eager young student look, and I began to resemble somebody’s cousin.
I became the guy you think you saw at a family reunion, but you are not sure what branch of the family.
My face is slowly sagging into that of a kindly uncle, one who tells funny stories and is welcome everywhere.
Which means that pretty soon, people may think they actually know me…and I can maybe get offered some free meals again!
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