Re: fan, meeting his idol in person

[Guest guest]

Awww...so heart warming! :-)

Robyn wrote:

> Thursday, June 29, 2006

>

> The voice on the video

> For this fan, meeting his idol in person was an

> emotional workout.

>

> By DEEPA BHARATH

> THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

>

> Squeals erupted on the big, yellow school bus as it passed by the

> open door.

>

> It was a fleeting glimpse. But it was enough.

>

> There was no mistaking that fluffy hair and those short black-and-

> white striped shorts and glittery black tank top.

>

> " It's him, , look, " Reyna told her 13-year-old son, a

> special education student at Middle School in Westminster.

>

> " It's ! You've been waiting for this. Look! "

>

> bounded onto the bus loaded with 's class, teaching

> aides and his teacher Findlay.

>

> " Hellooooo, " called out as he walked through the

> bus. " Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! "

>

> That silky voice was not alien to . He was familiar with its

> power to motivate and the way it seemed to tell him everything was

> going to be just fine.

>

> But today, didn't want to hear it. He sank in his seat.

>

> It was too much. It was too weird. And it was too, well, too real.

>

> There was something about that attracted to the

> television screen even when he was a little boy. For years, his

> mother had exercised to " Sweatin' to the Oldies, " one of the fitness

> guru's best-selling videos.

>

> And as Reyna exercised, would jump and dance with her.

> ' voice brought a smile to his face and a spring to his step.

>

> So it was only natural that he was jubilant when his teacher started

> the school day every morning with a video.

>

> She's used the videos in her special education classes for more than

> a decade.

>

> " It gets them going, " Findlay said.

>

> Nguyen did a little side-to-side movement on his wheelchair.

> Janet Almanzar gently waved her arms to the beat.

>

> Five years ago, Findlay sent a video of her class exercise to

> . But by the time watched it and got back to Findlay,

> that class had moved on.

>

> But about three months ago, Findlay sent a letter signed by her

> class telling how much they enjoy dancing to his videos.

> That letter got them an invitation to ' Beverly Hills studio

> to exercise with him.

>

> " Everyone was excited about this trip, " Findlay said, as the school

> bus left. " But with , it's something else. "

>

> is 13. But inside, he's a little boy, his mother said, with

> the mental capacity of a kindergartner.

>

> He was more than just thrilled at the thought of meeting his hero.

>

> It made him fidget. It made him stamp his feet and clap his hands.

> It gave him the giggles. And sometimes he just stopped and stared

> into space.

>

> On the bus, he waved to passing truck drivers. They waved back.

>

> As the bus turned onto Melrose Avenue, passed a video around.

>

> " Sweatin' to the Oldies – 2. "

>

> 's dark eyes danced as he held the video in his hand and

> looked at ' image on the cover.

>

> Soon, he'd meet him. Maybe he'd shake his hand or even get a hug

> from him.

>

> Very soon.

>

> When you're a kid, meeting your hero face to face can be a strange

> thing.

>

> It's not that you don't want it to happen. In fact, you anticipate

> it. You wait for it. You dream about it. And yet, when the person

> you're so used to seeing on a television screen appears before you,

> you do what comes naturally.

>

> You freak out and use your mother as a human shield.

>

> All could think of days before he got on the bus was meeting

> and turning into his best buddy. But now, he stood

> motionless on the sidewalk clinging to his mom's T-shirt – frozen,

> wide-eyed and spooked.

>

> " C'mon , " coaxed the boy. " Give me a hug. "

>

> shook his head.

>

> " No, no, no, no, no! " he yelled frantically, his eyes shut and his

> palms covering his ears.

>

> When looked a little concerned, instructional aide Pat

> reassured him: " He'll be all right. He will. "

>

> Inside the studio, music blared as sneakers pounded the hardwood

> floor.

>

> stood way in the back tapping his toes. mingled his

> regular class with his guests. On the gym's walls were pieces of

> artwork the students had sent to before their arrival.

> 's was in the back.

>

> " Hey, I made this, " he told his mom, pointing to his picture, the

> one of with the big, puffy hair. " I made it for . "

>

> His mom nodded and gently pushed him forward.

>

> " Go , " she said softly. " Look, it's . It's

> him. "

>

> moved on to the floor. For every four steps he took, he

> moved two steps back.

>

> But then, everyone else was dancing away to the soul medley that was

> playing. moved to the front and turned up the volume.

>

> " There ain't no mountain high enough

>

> Ain't no valley low enough

>

> Ain't no river wide enough

>

> To keep me from getting to you. "

>

> slowly moved his hands up and down. He kept moving toward

> as he watched his friends get into it. Bui was

> jumping his heart out. Guillen couldn't stop doing push-ups.

> giggled as she did jumping jacks.

>

> " Listen, baby

>

> Ain't no mountain high

>

> Ain't no valley low

>

> Ain't no river wide enough, baby. "

>

> 's feet slowly moved to the music. He stepped side to side.

> He lifted his knees. He stretched his arms up and then sideways. He

> was now listening to every word that said.

>

> " C'mon , " called out to him. " Dance with me. "

>

> took the center with as others formed a circle. He

> laughed, moving now to a disco beat.

>

> Suddenly, looked at his own T-shirt. He looked at '

> picture on it.

>

> He gasped.

>

> " ! " he exclaimed, as he clutched the shirt with one

> hand, and pointed to ' picture.

>

> " That's right, , " yelled over the music.

>

> The boy stopped for just a moment and looked at his mom.

>

> Then he pumped his fists in the air and his feet pounded the floor.

>

> was dancing with .

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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>

>

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