Ron Meets Wayne...
dateline November '97!
One of the highlights of my year took place during the 3rd week of November
1.) I got a new job and
2.) I saw and met Wayne in concert. (That counts as 2 highlights, but, oh
well...)
As to Wayne... I took Rachel, my 9 year old, to his concert at Park Avenue Baptist
Church in Titusville, FL and we arrived early enough to catch front row seats (love it
when that happens). Wayne soon appeared (along with James, Taylor guitar in hand) and did
a wonderful concert. Very heartfelt. Very warm. He told the audience that this was the
first time he'd been in Florida where he wasn't sick. Nice to catch him on a 'well' day.
:)
The church, where he played, held a finger-food-fellowship afterwards, and Rachel and
wandered over -- thinking, maybe, just maybe, we might run into Wayne. No chance. :(
So we grabbed some munchies and after about 15 minutes, headed back for the
church. And who do we spot inside through the windows...? Down near the stage? Would you
believe Mel Gibson? (ha ha). No. It was obviously elementary, Mr. Watson
I said to Rachel, "Quick! There he is!"
"Come on, Daddy," she says, catching my excitement. "Maybe we can get back
in."
She was right. None of the doors were locked, so we walked back in, and down the center
aisle, where Wayne was signing a young lady's scrap of paper. We no more stopped walking,
when Wayne walks right up to us and asks, "How you doing tonight?"
"F..F..Fine," I replied. (I didn't actually stutter this out... honest.
:)
"How far did you come tonight?" Wayne asks.
"About an hour."
Wayne's eyebrows shot up. "An hour? Wow."
I handed him my CD of "Field of Souls" and he proceeded to sign it for me.
As he was writing, I asked him, "Have you... by chance... ever seen the web page I
did for you?"
Wayne s-l-o-w-l-y finishes his signature and looks up at me, a wry smile spreading across
his face. "Are you...? Uh.. Uh..."
I offered hesitantly, "GuitarRon?"
It was as if I'd lit a firecracker under his shoes. "GUITARRON?!!!!!!
YOU'RE GUITARRON?" He jumps forward, pumping my hand like a dry
well-handle. Everyone else around us takes one step backward as though in the presence of
royalty. Wayne is grinning from ear to ear. "Man, it's great to meet you!" Then
he turns over his shoulder, and shouts across the church, "HEY, JAMES! Get over here!
IT'S GUITARRON!"
Mr. Dillingham looks up from the group he was talking with, and then proceeds
to sprint across the front of the church -- jumping three rows of pews (okay,
maybe it only seemed
that way! Must be his 1st anniversary with Sonja -- January -- that gives him
the energy!) -- before finally arriving next to Wayne where he extends his hand.
"GuitarRon..." he says, with a firm handshake, "Nice to meet you.
I've seen the web page. Nice job!"
Well, talk about being blown away. Rachel is standing there with her mouth
dropped open. (Of course, so was I!) Wayne keeps shaking his head, saying,
"...I can't believe it. GuitarRon..."
He then asks me if I've updated the page lately, and I sheepishly say,"Uhh,
No. But I’m going to soon!
Because other people were waiting to talk to Wayne, I felt like I should
"share" him with others, but Wayne makes no move to go on to anyone else. He
began talking about web pages and then he spoke of his kids and how he was thinking of
getting Internet access at home. As more and more folks began to pile in, he finally
looked at me and with chin in hand, he says, "I know how to get in touch with
you." Now, what that means exactly, I'm not sure. But it sure gives me a neat
feeling. We said good-bye and parted company... and only then did I remember that Rachel
had brought my camera with her in her purse, but by then the crowds were pressing in on
him. I told Rachel that most folks don't get as long to talk with Wayne as we did, so a
photo of him and me is not necessarily a necessity. I did, however, get some neat concert
photos that I'll soon be posting.
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