Posted by The sublime Jacqueline at cache-rl04.proxy.aol.com on October 19, 2003 at 16:08:59:
Sorry about the lag time here, folks, sometimes life gets busy so this reflection is a tad delayed, but it's Kevin story worth sharing, so it had to be written. Anyone reading this site is already a fan, and for many reasons, so in a way I'm just preaching to the choir, but now I'm a fan because the man is just a great person, pure and simple. And he showed this in spades on May 30th in Philly at Wizard World East. So get comfy now because I like to tell a story in a rambling way, but it's worth the read, because it's a pure Kevin moment, and those are always a good thing.
I've never been to a comic book convention before, but when my son saw that Kevin was going to be there, we just so had to go. The Smithmeister was scheduled to be there at three in the afternoon, and we live in the real South Joisey at the beach, so I had a momentary qualm about the skipping out early from work and school thing to be there, it was a logistics thing too, but remember, the operative word here is momentary. It's in my Mom contract to have such qualms, and to do an override for the right moments in life. And in the words of the best line in 'Risky Business', sometimes you just have to say, 'What the fuck.....' So my son bailed High School early that day, (He was so happy about that) and I bailed work, (I so hated doing that....not.). We raced over to Philly to get there in time for the big schmooze with da Kevster, and got to the line for this at 3:07. Yes, 3:07, this is a key factor here, for being a comic book convention cherry thing, I thought that being there close to the time would be fine. (Fuck traffic on the Walt Whitman Bridge and AC Expressway that day.) Well, I was so wrong. The line was closed. At 3:07! Talk about feeling screwed, and not in a good way either. I looked over at my son, and saw such disappointment there, and that's when my Irish kicked in, and the no guts no glory factor. This just meant too much to him to just turn away and go home. And it meant too much to me too. I don't do the celebrity star struck thing, but this was a special moment for both of us, and I was going to be damned if I was going home without at least giving it my best. And so I sent my son off to take a look at the convention, (with a camera in hand, so I could see it all too at a later moment) then it was time for the task at hand without distraction. With him off and running, it was time to turn this thing around.
It's amazing what solutions appear when you just want something bad enough. Some people work in video stores filling out credit card applications, with me, I just went into CO, Charm Overdrive. Not larceny or bribery, they're so not worthy for many reasons, but charm is fair game when done in the right way. I started talking with the young gentlemen that were protecting the closed off entrance to the roped off line about the convention and all, and then after the chitchat was done, asked them simply if I could just hang out there in case someone decided to leave the line due to aching concretefeetitis or wanting to see the nasty WWE rip-off wrestlers nearby a bit closer. (OMG...the wrestlers were sooooo bad, white trash running amuck in tacky spandex, they were beyond embarrassing....it was Bizzarro WWE...instead of having the Rock, they had the Boulder or something like that and they didn't care enough to make it at least original.) Since I was old enough to be their mother, (and you know you can't say no to Mom) they said I could hang out there, but could make no promises about joining the line. I told them I was fine with this, and just settled down to wait it out. A minute later someone else arrived at the closed line, and was dismayed about being turned away too. He asked me why I was still hanging around, and I told them it was simply a no guts no glory proposition and a trust in Providence. If I walked away, then it would be a sure thing that I'd never get to say hello, whereas by hanging out, at least there was a chance, and I was willing to take that chance. Comic book and movie fans are a fun and determined lot, and he understood what I was saying, and decided to join me in the vigil.
And so it started, the Waiting To Be In Line Line, and it turned into quite a party, what a great crowd of geeks, freaks and friendly malcontents. Even if nothing else happened everyone was having a good time just hanging out and chatting about their favorite movie. (My vote was for Dogma, it's the Catholic thing...) After an hour, there were about forty hopefuls all chatting away, wrapping around the outside of corded off area, occasionally eyeing the 'I'm So Last In Line' sign with a restrained but avaricious gleam in their eye.
By then my son came back, loaded to the gills with all of the handouts of the convention, half a roll of film gone too, and a big smile on his face. I was asking him about the different booths there, and silently musing about the smile. (I found out about the smile later when the film was developed, it seems that he had his picture taken with every boobalicious convention wench there.) While chatting with him, I noticed two people winding their way through the line, actually walking away from Kevin, who had opted for walking through the line to meet and greet the fans instead of sitting at the sterile interview table. Hot damn! It looked like the concrete had finally found some victims, and I was so right for sticking around. They had gotten tired of the waiting, and had decided to leave. The Liners all hooted with glee as the rope was lifted, and I was given the oh so treasured 'So Last in Line' sign. I held it up with a shit eating grin and took a bow while trying to juggle all of the items other Liners had handed to me to get signed, it was the least I could do for my compatriots of hope and sore feet. (My son snapped a great picture of this moment too, it's a keeper.)
Then the next phase of the waiting began, the hope had been fulfilled, now it was just time to kick back and watch the show. Kevin hadn't set a limit to the amount of items to be signed or time spent chatting with the fans, so it was fun to see what happened with each person, and how they would pose for pictures taken. A popular fav was giving the finger to the camera with a grin, and Kevin was so up for this, imagine that. One hour turned into two...and then into three, with Kevin only taking one short break from it all, he was the iron man of autographs. Then finally, finally...he got to us. And it was so worth it, the man is funny as hell and has charm to spare. He signed the DVD's we had brought with us and my sons T shirt too, joked around a bit and chatted, then did the pose for the camera thing. I've got some great pictures from this, my favorite is the one with just Kevin and my son, with him draping his elbow on Kevin's shoulder as if he hung out with him all of the time, and Kevin looking surprised and amused by this. It was a good moment, both were at their best.
And now for the best Kevin moment, thanks for hanging in there for it peeps.
Well, the line was done, and Kevin certainly had done the deed as far as his obligation to the convention went. He had spent hours on his feet talking to total strangers, signing things left and right, posing for pictures with everyone, and he looked tired. I saw him look up and notice all of the people waiting hopefully outside of the barrier, and I wondered what he would do, he certainly didn't have to do a damn thing. But silently I was counting on him to do something good, something great in spite of his fatigue, and I wasn't disappointed. He took a deep breath and then walked over to the Liners, and one by one, he began to chat, sign and do the picture thing some more, in spite of the fact that this would take at least another hour of his day, and he was already so tired. I was so touched by all of this, for it said so much about him and his innate goodness, and about how he really cared about the fans. It wasn't baloney, it was real. I started the day respecting him as a director and writer, and left the convention center respecting him as a great person too, for not only did his wit and wisdom shine that day, but also his down to earth compassion, and that's no small thing.
Bravo, Kevin, bravo, many thanks for sharing a great moment with all of us that day, it really was a moment in many ways. And thanks for the opportunity to show my son that sometimes you just have to take chances in life, and that it's OK to take a risk, sometimes that's the only way the best things in life can happen.