Wherever you live in the world you have probably picked up the news this week of the death of Dave Prowse, who played the role of Darth Vader in the Star Wars films. Yesterday my former wife sent me an email reminding me of an event during our time together.
We were shopping n our local supermarket when a message came over the public address system, telling us that we had a chance to meet “the most evil man in the universe.” Prowse was in the store promoting bed-linen for children with motifs from the Star Wars films. Our younger son was with us on that occasion, and we took him to meet “Darth Vader” in person …. and to buy some pillow-cases. I seemed totally incongruous to be encountering “the most evil man in the universe” in Pudsey ASDA!
By coincidence I heard from my son earlier this week, telling me that he has just begun to introduce his six-year-old son to the Star Wars films. It looks as if enthusiasm for the series is going to be passed on to the next generation. An important element in the growth of that enthusiasm was that encounter with Dave Prowse in the supermarket. When he agreed to play the part I doubt very much that he thought that his place in posterity would be assured by a bedding promotion in a small Yorkshire town. He was a nice guy, and my son remembers the encounter with a good deal of pleasure.
Continuing the theme of “posterity” initiated by yesterday’s post, I can’t help thinking that we have no means of knowing how or if we might be remembered by a future generation, and we certainly have no control over that.