Lasse Anrell: That`s a huge question
I have a hard time with stars.
And stars have - at the best - a pretty hard time with me.
The best read of the week, I found in an advent calendar. A star meets a real star - or possibly the other way around.
The star is called Alexander Skarsgård.
Moviestar, hunk and girl idol.
The real star is called Jonas Stark.
Football player in Gävle, Hammarby and now lately in Västerås.
The meeting between the two is potrayed in the advents calendar published day by day on Hammarby footballs homepage. Famous and less famous people publish greetings to football lovers. Almost every football team has an advent calendar on their homepage. Often it's fun reading.
Alexander's greeting is a wonderful story about what it's like to get close to one of your idols. Alexander is a great supporter of Hammarby. The kind that goes to all the matches and even to trainer matches in ice cold preseason. A true fan.
One night he met his idol in restaurant Kvarnen.
It was almost too much for him. He felt nervous like a 13 year old freshly in love. This is what he writes:
- Hi Jonas!
- Tja.
- Nice to see you.
- Same to you Alex.
- So fucking cool to see you again. Västerås, huh? Cratz and Markan? What a thing...
Strengthened myself with a large sip of flat tab beer and went straight for the core of the irony.
- I just have to ask, how does it feel?
- What?
- To be Jonas Stark, how the hell does it feel?
That's a huge question. Not everyone might understand it, but Jonas Stark became almost mythical in Hammarby circles for his scoring by heading against Örgryte when he, with the risk of his own neck, threw himself senseless into the penalty area and made a goal that meant the way to the first and historic gold for the team, lay open.
Skarsgård continues:
- Do you understand what you have meant to me? And still do. What you have done in Bajen, you have done, if you understand. And I love you for it even now.
- OK, thanks...
- Of course! Do you remember the jump heading goal on Söderstadion, when you shot in with your head first right among a thousand fat defence thighs?
- Yes.
- It was fantastic. Symbolised somehow life for many fans. Head first. No doubt. Everything for Bajen. Do you still go and check out something on Bajen these days?
- Not directly. Not that interested in football, believe it or not. Like theater and music. Went to see you on Södra teatern last winter. What was it like to play Albee?
- It was fine. But hell Jonas, don't you have the best job in the world anyway? What was the difference between Cratz and Linderoth? Did you like it in Denmark? Is it true that Eskil and JO Waldner slept in the bushes outside Berns some years ago?
And it went on like this until we picked up our jackets ten minutes later. I must have been terribly annoying.
Annoying or not. Jonas Stark probably thought it was a little funny. He is no Nacka where everyone wants to offer him a beer and society and admiration.
I always avoid my idols as much as possible - even if I could probably meet them as often as I would want.
I don't want to be disappointed and I don't want them to be disappointed. But I was really taken in by Skarsgård's reflections. The idolism is so huge. The fall can be so terribly big. Shyness makes me and many others go in the other direction instead.
Or take a few extra sips of the beer and become repetitive. But Alexander dared and he certainly did right.
I always stand back and will never know.
I also wonder quite often what it feels like to be Jonas Stark...
Alexander ends:
- Jonas. Sorry. Hope you understand that every question and comment I made was loaded with love and limitless respect. Have a wonderful Christmas and good luck with your family, football and studies in Västerås. I wish you all the best. And by the way, how the hell does it feel to be Jonas Stark?