Over the course of my 58 years, I’ve encountered numerous people who achieved fame for various reasons – some of which might not be sources of pride for them.
Before my earliest memories, my Dad was involved with the Jaycees in Odessa, Texas, and they often assigned him to be the liaison to the celebrity featured in that year’s rodeo. On one occasion, he spent a couple of days with Irene Ryan, who is better known as Granny from “The Beverly Hillbillies.” I heard my whole life that she came to dinner with us when I wasn’t even a year old and held me when I was a baby. Of course, I have no memory of that, but the thought of it still makes me smile.
Another close encounter was at a Broadway show, “Aspects of Love,” in 1990. I was in New York with the chorale from Florida Community College at Jacksonville, and on a night off I got a last-minute ticket to the show and had a great seat in the balcony. During intermission, I went to the lower level to make my way to the orchestra pit to say hello to one of the musicians. As I walked down the aisle, I saw someone who many people wouldn’t freak out over, but this guy was a bit of a hero – Mike Wallace from “60 Minutes.” I slowed down to make sure I could reach his row at the same time he exited it, and when we were face to face I had my moment of verbal brilliance. “Hi.” That was all that came out, and he nodded and walked on. I’d give quite a bit to relive that moment and not be stupid the second time around.
I’ve also met a couple of folks who are more infamous than famous. James Peter Christian was an inmate at Avon Park Correctional Institution, there for a few murders he committed in the early 1970s. Dubbed “The Slasher in Black Satin” (because the first two victims were found in a bedroom where there were black satin sheets), he had long since become nonviolent and was living up to his last name as a devout Christian. The other infamous fellow was Bernie Tiede, who I met when he was handling my grandparents’ funerals. I remember him as a friendly, attentive and extremely helpful guy who put my mother’s mind at peace during a time of extreme grief and stress. This was a far cry from the person many people came to know after he shot his employer, Marjorie Nugent, in the back several times and stuffed her into a freezer. If you want to know more about him, watch the movie, “Bernie,” with Jack Black, who does a phenomenal job of recreating the Bernie Tiede I remember.
Finally, there’s another hero – someone who makes a difference in my professional life every day. Years ago, I watched the movie, “The Ron Clark Story,” with Matthew Perry, and I was inspired by Ron’s ability to teach and inspire students. He later opened a school in metro Atlanta, and I sent my then-wife to spend a day at a seminar at his academy. In 2017, I became a full-time teacher and a few years later decided to investigate his teaching methods for myself. I’ve been able to meet him on a few occasions, and he’s as amazing as any video, book or article would indicate – probably moreso. Ultimately, we shouldn’t put anyone on a pedestal, but there are times when we’re justified for looking up to certain people. The important point there is to learn from their lives and see how we can pursue the same kind of excellence as we see in them.
