Memory #27: Making My Mark *Part 3

(...continued from the previous post)

When we got to the Ritz, I was informed that, even though my name was printed on hundreds of invitations, they were able to get Peter H. Reynolds to come and be the guest of honor at the last minute instead.

Reminder, I was 23 and clueless, but in my head I'm all like: "WhothehellisPeterHReynolds!!??"

I was disappointed, but as soon as I witnessed the chaos of children rushing in with their parents, I became immediately thrilled to have some pressure taken off my shoulders. I still got to run a small workshop in the corner of the room to which many, many children flocked to. I gave them a "how-to" printout with the steps involved in drawing a cow:

Actual printout (HAhaha...hoo boy...at least I had my sense of humor)

 to which most of them replied:

or

The "workshop" lasted one long, gruesome, painful hour and before I knew it I was being told to clean up my area because it was being taken over by Peter H. Reynolds.

I don't know what I thought when I met him. I was still sweaty and shaky from dealing with the hordes of children. I cleared away my sheets of paper, crayons, and markers, while he replaced them with one flimsy easel and a giant post-it pad. "Plop!"

While the museum staff gathered all the kids around, I chatted with Peter. He barely looked at me when he spoke... I know now that he was carefully surveying his audience and mentally preparing for his spotlight moment. In the five minutes we talked, he managed to tell me about FableVision. I'm so happy that my nerves let me take away that one little piece of information. (I usually forget things when I'm nervous.)

I weaved my way to the back of the room while the hundreds of children crowded in the middle. Peter began to read from his book The Dot. The kids sat there, quiet, well behaved, and my jaw dropped to the ground. I thought, "How'd he DO that?!" When he was finished, he drew a squiggly line on his giant post it pad and asked the kids what they saw:

 They all started yelling and screaming, but he chose an answer from a little girl in the front... "Of course, it's an alligator!" Then he actually made it into an alligator.

Again, "How'd he DO that!? Why didn't the kids question the resemblance of HIS alligator!?"

Kelly and I left soon after and wandered around the Boston Common for a bit.

Here's the picture Kelly was talking about in her last comment. I look pissed off, but I'm really just trying to look cool for the camera...haha.

I knew I still had a long way to go after that day, but exactly 3 minutes after we got home I was readying a resume and cover letter.

I sent it in, had an interview... but I didn't get the job.


(to be continued...)