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Important People I Have Known ... by C.L. Beck

A Tongue-In-Cheek Look at the Vastly Famous People I've Met!



Last Friday I posted a guest article over at the Day Dreamer blog. I know it’s hard to believe that someone would invite me, but Christine Bryant did. Well, okay, she didn’t technically invite me. She sent a note out to thousands of writers calling for fun, witty authors who might want to write at her blog. I’m thinking that when she accepted my offer, she must have mistaken me for Dave Barry.

Okay, what? Yes, Dave Barry and I do look alike. He has brown hair and I have hair. He has eyes and I have eyes. We’re dead ringers for each other! In fact, he’s one of the many important people that I know. And if you click here, you can read all about how Dave Barry and I became personal friends.

But just so you’ll know, he’s not the only important person I’ve ever known. Roy Rogers is also on my list of best friends. He happened to be in Nevada in the ‘60s—that would be the 1960s, not the 1860s as my husband, Russ, might insinuate—and something broke down. I don’t think it was his horse, Trigger, and I’m pretty certain it wasn’t his wife, Dale Evans, but regardless, Roy ended up at the Air Force base in Tonopah, where my dad worked. Back then Tonopah was a little dinky town, sitting in the middle of a dust devil, in the wastelands of Nevada. Now it’s a little bit bigger dinky town, sitting in the middle of a nuclear, glowing dust devil in the wastelands of Nevada. And they call that progress!

But, I digress … so, I was just a kid but since Roy Rogers was my hero, my dad introduced me to him and Roy gave me his autograph. I’m sure it wasn’t given under duress, either. Well, pretty sure.

I sense that some of my readers might not believe me, so I’m posting the highly personalized autograph here. All right, all right, so it wasn’t really personalized to me, but was on a piece of 2x3 paper ripped out of somebody’s notepad, and signed by Roy. It's the signature that counts! In addition, the fact that I had my picture taken with him and he had his hand on my shoulder indicates our close, personal friendship. I would have gone to his funeral, years later, except I didn’t know where it was. And I’m sure the fact that I wasn’t invited was an oversight.

In addition to Dave Barry and Roy Rogers, I’ve also known Richard Nixon. Well, kind of. From afar. As in, “Seen him on television.” But, for what it's worth, I do have Nixon’s autograph. Honest, I am not making this up, because if I were going to pick a president to give me his autograph, it would surely not be Richard Nixon. It would be Abraham Lincoln—which might be a little tough because he’s dead.

That’s the way life goes, though. One minute you’re watching a play and the next you’re learning the strings on a harp.

Now I want everyone to realize that I’m not bragging. In fact, I’m not even sure why I’m bringing this topic up, except possibly because I have a blog due and these are the only thoughts in my brain at the moment.

So, onward and upward. The next important person in my repertoire of personal friends is … ummm, who else can I make up … er, I mean, who else do I know?

Oh yes, back to Richard Nixon. I have a picture of him and Vice President Spiro Agnew, who—for those who don’t remember Agnew—was also a crook. They’re shaking hands with people in a reception line. And I’m beginning to wonder why I have so much memorabilia from a vice president charged with extortion, bribery, and income tax evasion, and a president who was impeached and run out of office.

It just occurred to me that, despite what Russ says, I am far too young to remember Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew and even if it weren’t so, I would never have voted for them—much less been personal friends with them. So, I’m thinking that the Nixon picture and autograph are actually Russ’s junk. Umm, I mean, Russ’s treasures.

In the meantime, it wouldn’t be polite to ramble on continue much longer on this timely topic of important people that I pretend to know am personal friends with, so I’ll write more about it another time in a future post.

Until then, drop off a comment and tell me who your friends are, if they're as important as mine, and if you have their autographs.

(Sorry, but the Incredible Hulk is not a real person and so his signature does not count. No, not even if he did save your life once.)

------© C.L. (Cindy) Beck------

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17 comments:

Danyelle Ferguson said...

I have some really awesome, important friends - and yes, have many of their signatures on hand - in their books! =) And that includes you, Cindy!

Cindy Beck, author said...

Awww shucks, Danyelle, you are tooooo nice! :) You make me blush. :)

Carol L. said...

Hi Cindy,
As usual I enjoyed your post. :) The funny thing is that in the late 1970's I called in sick at work so I could take my then 5 year old son to see Roy Rogers at a Roy ogers grand opening of another of his restaurants. I loved Roy as a little girl and therefore thought my son would also. After all he was a real live cowboy. We were in the front line just below the stage and my son started whining out loud. Well Roy's son Rusty jumped down and tried his best to quiet my son.I didn't realize there were TV cameras on us and a live mike. Rusty said to my son that if he was a good boy he'd get to shake hands with Roy. My son then went on to tell Rusty "I don't even know who he is and my Mom made me come." lol lol Needless to say we didn't get an autograph as I dragged my son away.lol And to make it even worse, we were on the evening news where my boss happened to see his employee who had a cold standing with her son. lol lol
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com

Cathy said...

My mother introduced me to Jay Osmond as her 'Spinster' daughter when I was sixteen. I was mortified. When Marie told me that my hair band was really stylish it made me feel slightly better. Oi.

Anonymous said...

How could you keep such vital info from me ALL these years? Roy Rogers, huh?... What an adorable photo, Cindy! And I DO know which one you are:)... The youngest and absolutely the cutest!! Re Spiro Agnew, I'm sure those keepsakes belong to Russ... Agnew was the Governor of Maryland before he was VP... Mom might have had something to do with the photo... ??

Anonymous said...

How could you have been "hiding" such VITAL info ALL these years, Cindy??? Roy Rogers, huh? Way cool...(spelling? just trying to be "current"... give it up, I know)... The Agnew "treasures" must belong to Russ... governor of MD and all... probably a Mom connection...:)...
PS I KNOW that you are the youngest and absolutely the cutest in the photo with your close friend, "Roy." Gotta be!!!

Taffy said...

When I lived in CA, I saw Roy and Dale in KFC.
How many degrees of separation is that?

Cindy Beck, author said...

Carol L: Oh my gosh, how did your boss manage to spot you on TV? It's too bad your little guy didn't know who Roy Rogers was, especially since you were busted on being sick. :)

As a side note, Roy Rogers could REALLY ride a horse. He'd ridden horses since he was a kid.

Cindy Beck, author said...

Cathy: I am soooo laughing at you being introduced as the "spinster" daughter. Oh my gosh, did you crawl under the rug? :)

Cindy Beck, author said...

Sharon: Oh yes, I have a whole drawer of vital information like that. Well, actually, it's Russ's drawer and as you know, he's quite the "collector." He still has that little cap and coat from when he was about 4 years old! :)

Oh ... thanks for saying I'm the youngest and the cutest! I'll go for that! :)

Cindy Beck, author said...

Taffy: Seriously, you saw Roy Rogers? You are much too young to even know who he was! (How's that for a compliment? :)

I know he used to visit the Roy Rogers' restaurants when he owned the chain, but I don't think the restaurants are even around any more.

Loretta Moshier said...

Jim and I had our picture taken with Carol Channing. I also have an autoghraphed picture that Loretta Lynne gave me for helping with her bus stuck in an alley(long story) It's great, says "to Loretta, Love Loretta" one of my favorites. Cindy, you'll have to come see my "wall of fame" sometime.

Melanie said...

Well, I am married to John Quincy Adams. The embalming is sustaining things really well. He's a great listener, but not much of a talker. It's really hard to get him to mow the lawn.

Melanie said...

Well, I am married to John Quincy Adams. The embalming is sustaining things really well. He's a great listener, but not much of a talker. It's really hard to get him to mow the lawn.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

What a fun post! I met President Clinton several times, when he was the govoner of Arkansas. I met Sam and Helen Walton. I was on the ground breaking committee for the Walton's Arts Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I met JB Hunt at a cocktail party and he said my hubby had married above his head. (smiles) When I was in HS I met Senator Dale Bumpers, which was pretty awesome. I met Jerry Spinelli and his wife Eileen two years ago. OMGoodness I'm sure I'll run out of space before I can finish listing all the awesome authors I met in 08 at the Highlight's Foundation Summer workshop....

Anonymous said...

Well, I do know a great author and even have an autographed book, I also have a beautiful picture of the Salt Lake Temple, a gift from such author. Some other important people in my life include a group of Becks who have recently moved on in search of new adventures and are sorely missed.
I have pics of my favorite baseball players back in Mexico and other important personalities but the most special ones are wedding pictures with a handsome member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a picture of me and my hubby with President Thomas S. Monson. He has his arm around my shoulder. The picture was taken just before he sang for me in Spanish!! An amazing experience!! =)
Rosa Griffin

Carol L. said...

Hey Cindy,
My boss caught me because we were in the front row of the stage with about 2 feet separating us. And the camera man was taking shots of the people who came to see Roy. Too funny. We also have a picture of my daughter with her idol Kate Winslet (from Titanic) Kate was making a movie in our town of West Orange and they met and talked for half an hour and then her photographer took two pics of them and emailed them to us as well as mailed the pics themselves. All in all she was not only very kind but very nice.My daughter is a survivor of Bone Cancer when she was 8 years old and her dream was to met her. Turns out Kate lost a fiance from the same Cancer and this what pulled her to my daughter to spend time with her. :)
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com