It started with a call from a friend last friday (4/8/2001). Not an acquaintance. Only a real friend would do what he did for me this day.
Through my restaurant "Twin Oaks" I've got to meet all sorts of people. Customers, purveyors, and the passin through. Mike W., whom I am referring, to was a passin through. He's a semi driver for multiple fast food joints. Four years ago, fate decided for him to stop by my place and check us out. Long story short, he and I got along great from the start. He'd hang out with me in the BBQ room and Inoticd within the bullshitin, conversating with him was really without effort. It seemed like we'd known eachother forever. Thats not always the case i have with folks. I can be cordial withmost even though typycally most folks annoy me. But with Mike, I could tell I had a felow whose comapny I really, truly, honestly, enjoyed. Didn't hurt that he began to occasionaly chuck over my fence cases of free groceries that the chain stores wouldn't use, nor miss. Also an easiness came from the topic of golf serving as a catalyst for conversation no doubt. But it felt for me as I had a true mentoring soul sharing with me, and that I need to listen yet be myself and share with him my side, my soul, openly - and thats hard. This is something that has occured frequently with me all my life. My ability to appreciate my elders and listen to the wisdom that they are willing to share with me.
Anyways, he calls me up Friday evening, just before I leave to work the dinner service, and he says in words that I needed repeating from him. I then heard him clearly, that John Taylor #82 was gonna come over for dinner to my place to eat tonight. That he told him to come by, that we had really good food. I started to panic. I wondered, "How's Mike know John Taylor?" But it didn't matter, cause if Mike said he's comin, I know he's really coming. Mike knows I'm a lifelong Niner fan, so he he recommended our place to him. I"m feeling giddy - feeling strang. True excitement, sadly absent since childhood.
I've met many famous people in my life. John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Anson Williams (Potsie from Happy days), Steve Martin, James Cameron, Dennis Franz, Jackson Browne, Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Kelly Lebrock, Bo Derek, Yvonne De' Carlo, Matt LeBlanc, and Melissa Ethridge. Got the "giddy" only out of meeting Travolta (I was 8), and Hackman when I was 10. hackman ate in my folks restaurant which was right next to the Granada Theater on State Street, downtown SB. He lleft the restaurant and I ran after him and I summoned the courage to ask if he was really Lex Luthor, in which he patted me kindly on the head and said laughingly.."yes." Fast forward 20 years, with word of Taylor coming _ I was taken back to those younger, happiest years you can remember where you felt inside.... that happy about something.
John Taylor. One of the most prolific compliment wide receivers of all time on a team that was the most amazing success stories of all time. John Taylor, known for all to be the one that caught the game winning TD catch from Montana with less than a minute left in SuperBowl XXXIII. The man is a legend. To say that i was honered for him to eat in my place would an absolute understatement. Words cant describe how much a fan of him I am. I liked his style a lot. His speed, his skill, I appreciated his willingness to be underappreciated in some ways. Terrel Owens couldn't do this while #80 was on the other side, but his gifts were super special as well. It's magnitude of ego that seperate those two.
So with John comin in friday night, I broke the rule when dealing with celebrities. I got excited and euphoric. All just to meet another man. Weird kind of. But it was true happy emotion I had in me, and all the other employees could draw positive energy from it. He's a bonna fide hero to me. I'm stoked right now just writing about it and recalling it.
He at our semi famous baby back ribs, and his lovely companion Kim had a 5 oz. filet mignon. I doubt they've ever this good of food cooked over red oakwood coals. They ate everyting off the plate. A great indicator they liked it. meanwhile, I was texting a Bay area buddy of mine that "John Taylor isa eatin baby back ribs in my place as we speak".
There's no person ever that has eaten food in my place that i wanted to please more. I feel like I have reached a pinnacle. Just by meeting a man that worked hard, took advantage of his being at the right place at the right time playing the with the gifts that humanity gave him. Then after the stardom, livin like any other man by driving a big rig to stay busy and outta the house. Staying low key, still wanting to go on being productive. I have immense respect for this kind of person, let alone a celebrity. I will always appreciate hard work, low ego, and making it on your own.
