Heroes (and NOT the TV show)

[hyphenate]

We've all got heroes, I think, regardless of whether they're people we know, athletes, actors, or even historical figures.

Thinking about your hero or heroes, what is/was it that you found surprising about them? Is/was it something that turned you off to them, or was it something that made you respect and idolize them even more?

Once, a very long time ago, I learned something about one of mine. He was a member of a rock band, and the story goes that a blind man who was looking for donations was being harassed by a drunk, and my hero made him stop harassing the man, and ended up putting a $100 bill into the blind man's cup with no fanfare at all. It's little stories like that that make people aware that our heroes are regular people, too.

Another story for me is first hand: I went to meet one of my heroes, and it was a public event, and while he was talking with people, I respectfully stood away from the conversation until he was finished, intending to approach him afterward. I found out he was an asshole, though, because the minute his conversation with them was over, he walked right past me, ignoring me, and into his car. I learned that day that not everyone is a nice person, and that some people think they're too good for some others.