The second item was about who was appearing at this show, Henry Winkler.
As a child of the 70s and 80s you could find me on Tuesday nights as well as the rest of America in front of the TV watching "Happy Days." It was 30 minutes depicting what life was like in the 1950s. It was one of my favorite shows to watch. Things stopped at 8:00 in order to see what dilemma Richie and the Fonz got into that week. On Wednesdays, my friends and I would dissect and breakdown the plot lines of each episode with the same intensity as those that have studied the Kennedy Aassassination.
I had heard a few weeks ago that Winkler would be making an appearance. It would give me the chance to meet him and get an autograph as a gift for my brother. Saturday morning found me up earlier than I would have expected. A trip to Monroeville from my home takes about 30 minutes. With the inbound lanes of the Fort Pitt Tunnel closed, my drive time would be longer with the detours. I was surprised when I pulled into the parking lot of the convention center a little before 10. I realized that this was a big deal when I found the parking lots filling up quickly.
After paying the admission I quickly found the room where the autograph signings were taking place. I quickly made my way to the area where Henry Winkler would be signing. Luckily, I was the eighth person in line. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with some ComicCon regulars. We didn't have a lot in common. These guys were hardcore comic fans who told me about the ins and outs of these shows. They were nice and we discussed some of the hallmark moments of "Happy Days;" the fire at Arnold's, and jumping the shark to name a few.
After a half an hour of standing in line it was announced that Mr. Winkler was on his way. A few minutes later he appeared. I was a little gobsmacked. The man was dressed in green corduroys and a yellow sweater and was wearing a well worn fedora carrying a leather satchel. He looked more like an English professor than the man who fixed cars at Bronco's Auto Repair.
When he got back to the front of the line he stood and greeted everyone individually. Some folks had their pictures taken with him, others had pictures and personal items for him to sign. The line moved quickly, but he afforded enough time for everybody to have a short conversation with him.
As soon as it was my turn to meet him, he offered his hand and asked how I was doing. For a second I felt as if I was 6 years old. I pulled myself together and introduced myself. Mr. Winkler is shorter than I thought. For some reason I thought he would be at least 6 feet tall. Another illusion shattered by television. I thanked him for the many hours of entertainment that he gave me during my formative years and he smiled. We talked like old friends would who would meet by accident on a street corner after not seeing each other for many years. I also mentioned that to this day I can't go past a jukebox without striking it with my fist. His smile got even bigger. I was thrilled to say the least. He signed my pictures and we wished each other happy holidays and then it was over.
After walking back to the front of the room I turned around and looked at the line again. He was having the same conversations with everyone else. I felt like I had made a dear friend if only for a few minutes.
There's an old warning about wanting to meet your heroes. Often times celebrities aren't like what you would imagine and your left being disappointed because they don't match your expectations. This wasn't the case. Henry Winkler was every bit as I imagined him to be, even more so. He is a genuinely nice man who cares about everyone he meets and is interested in what they have to say.
Thank you, Mr. Winkler, for giving me a few minutes of your time. It was an honor and a pleasure to have met you.
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