Loading the "asterisk" file from a CBM floppy drive means that you want to "load the previous file again."
First load any file you want, then clear the BASIC mem by typing NEW and then load asterisk from the drive. You'll get your previous piece of software.
Some people mistakenly assume it always gives the first file of the disk. This only happens if the drive was just reset or switched on.
The method for getting the first file is:
LOAD ":*",8
Add a colon in front of the asterisk and the drive will know to load the first file.