I’m a huge Waltons fan. I mean, I love that show so deeply. It’s a family thing- we were raised on it. It’s also an Appalachian thing- they are my people. So it is what I would deem a life-long love we’ve got going on, me and the Waltons.
Ask any of my friends. It’s my go-to show- the one I want to watch when I need a break, to relax, or if my heart needs to rest. I go to Walton’s Mountain.
[You can make fun of me if you want. I don’t care. This is one of those things, like how much I dislike game nights, that I don’t waver on even if the peer pressure is extreme.]
[Yes, I hate game nights. We’ll talk about it later.]
BACK TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT. THE WALTONS.
This week, my dear friend Kyle is at a cable network convention showing the world how rad INSP Network is [and it is]. I watch INSP Network, like when I’m working a puzzle, because they show the Waltons.
So Kyle instragrams this picture on Tuesday. Can you see the very first comment? It’s me, freaking out that Kyle is standing beside John-Boy Walton.
[You can click on the pic to enlarge it so you can see my comment.]
See, Kyle is a dear friend to me, as close to a big bro as I’ve ever had. So I’m freaking out because I’m literally one very tiny degree from John-Boy Walton.
And then, my phone buzzes.
It’s Kyle, texting me to say that he forgot how much I loved the Waltons and I said “yeah, so much” and then he sent me this picture.
AN AUTOGRAPH. TO ME.
At this point, on a freakout scale of 1 to 10, I’m about a 5. Because that’s amazing.
So I text Kyle back, because I’m very grateful. And here’s our conversation. [I’m blue, he’s white, just in case an iPhone isn’t your jam.]
JOHN BOY WANTS TO TALK TO ME?!?! ON THE TELEPHONE?!?! HIS REAL VOICE IN REAL TIME INTO MY REAL EAR??!?
And now, on the freakout scale, I’m a 9. Losing control of my hands and my lungs.
I think, “I can’t. I can’t do it. I’ll act like an idiot. I can’t breathe. Oh heavens. Oh no oh no oh no….” But before I can text back, my phone is ringing.
MY. PHONE. IS. RINGING.
[And now, on the freakout scale, I’m a 26.]
Y’all. I have famous friends. I’m around famous people a lot in Nashville. I know they are human and just like us and blah blah blah. But nothing, no NOTHING, could have prepared me for this.
I. Freaked. Out.
When I answered the phone and it was John-Boy Walton, I freaked out like you [nor I] have ever seen me freak out.
I don’t remember a single thing we talked about.
I know I cried.
I know I talked over him.
I know I apologized for not being cool and collected like Nashville people are supposed to be.
And I know it was really him because, well, I’d know John-Boy’s voice anywhere and because Kyle snapped this picture.
Y’all.
Y’ALL.
That’s me on the other end of that phone. ME! Little ole AnnieBlogs. Who can believe it.
I talked to Richard Thomas, John-Boy Walton, on the phone for approximately 36 seconds. And there is photo proof.
I feel bad that I didn’t tell him how much my family has bonded over the show, how my Mom owns every season on DVD… well, maybe I did tell him? Who knows. But I got my family on a conference call as soon as John-Boy and I hung up [freaking.out.still.] and we all were in shock.
Mainly me.
Currently freakout scale is about a 5 and I’ve hovered here for two days.
So there is the story of the time when I turned into a massive fangirl in the middle of a Monday afternoon.
. . . . .
Your turn.
Who is one living person that you are certain, if they called your phone, you would lose your marbles?
