You know, you always hear about stories of celebrities who when they are pulled over by the cops or they are put in some kind of undesired situation they exclaim, “Do you know who I am?” And, though being knowing seems to be one of the biggest desired accomplishments of this current era, what does it really mean?
 
I believe that everyone wants to be that Some Body. Certainly, in the world where we find ourselves living in—the place where people have become, “Known,” and “Famous,” for archiving absolutely nothing, that has become the desired obtainable dream. That is what everyone seemingly seeks; right? To be that Some One, that Super Hero, that Rock Star, that Some Thing. They want to do that without being the actual source of anything new or true or pure or right or actually noteworthy. Okay… But, what does any of that really mean?
 
I mean, there is that being, “Known,” on the small level. Like, if you ever watched that TV show, “Cheers,” the theme song goes, “Where everybody knows your name.” The character(s) would walk into the scene, and everyone would call out their name. There is that sense of belonging in all of that.
 
I remember the first time I experienced something on that level. I would go into these restaurants, frequented by my uncle, and everyone would proclaim, “Hi Scotty.” “Scotty,” though that was not his actually name, that is the name he went by when he was a professional boxer prior to World War II. “Young Scotty,” as our family came from Scotland. And, that is the name that everyone knew him by.
 
Prior to that, my father was a major player in his game. He was the manager at the L.A. Forum when it first opening and that is where he actually died. He would walk into a room there, and the seas would part.
 
Me, personally, as a Taoist/a Buddhist, I have always only sought to be humble. I aways avoided such false accolades. But still, there is that need to be known by the people who know you; right?
 
I had an interesting experience, today. I walked into a restaurant that I go into all the time. It was a bit crowded, but the staff all greeted me. My lady and I were waiting for this table to be cleared when this new staff member came up to me and told me I could sit anywhere I wanted but not at that table. What!!! Why!!! I could have argued the point. “Do you know who I am!” But me, being who I am, I just left. Fuck her and fuck that! I’m not going to go back there any time soon.
 
Now, I’m sure, the rest of the cast and the crew at that restaurant really came down on that person who didn’t know me—as she drove me out. …One of their frequent, regular customers who has gone in there for years. But, that didn’t change the reality of the reality. Someone was not willing to accept my Be-ing.
 
Here’s the thing, you can fight for your standing. You can question, do they not know who you are? Or, you can just remain silent—live in your own actuality—knowing your own truth and your own self-worth and leave.
 
Me, my lady and I, we went to another nearby restaurant, one we hadn’t been to for a few weeks as we had been in Japan—where they were all so happy to see us/me, “Where have you been!!!”
 
Here’s the reality…  We can all hope to be that somebody. I mean, so many people in this day and age try to become that something that they project themselves to be. They (you) can yell and scream, “Do you not know who I am?” Or, you can just fall back into the Zen and realize that all that you think that you are—all that you wish to Be-Come, is only as temporary as the reality of your life. And, what you see yourself as, is never what is interpreted by someone else. For in their mind, they are something, but you are nothing. The only reason you matter at all is because you are a piece of the puzzle in their life. So, truly what are you?
 
“Do you know who I am?” Nope. I have no idea.