My text message was buzzing like crazy, was it a tornado, a hurricane or some other natural disaster? No, my text messages read “The kings in town” “LeBron’s in Cville”.” Mom LeBron’s at JPJ do something”. Ok let me start from the beginning, I am NOT a LeBron James fan but my son is. He is the King of the King’s fan club. TJ, my son, has followed LeBron since LeBron was in high school. He has collected all types of memorable. Such things as a pair of converse sneakers that were made from LeBron all-star jersey.
He has a jersey and hat from every team LeBron has played on. He has seen LeBron play both in LA and Cleveland, but his favorite piece of memorable is an action figure from when LeBron played on the Olympic team. The action figure is still in the box and is ready for LeBron to sign.
So the plan was in motion. Our smart phones were on, Facebook was up, and our group text page was already hot with messages. I thought to myself ok LeBron is playing in Philly the next day, too far to drive, so he has to be flying. I googled flights to Philly from Charlottesville and Richmond. No flights, so I knew he was flying private. My Sherlock Holmes instincts were kicking in. I have experience in the private flight world so I knew where he would be leaving from. The plan was in action. I was going to get LeBron to autograph the action figure. The kings MVF (most valuable fan) was getting his lifelong dream.
As the game was going on at JPJ I was receiving minute by minute updates. I knew how long it would take to get to the airport. My plan was to leave at half time and sit and wait, and that’s what I did. I sat and waited and sat and waited, thinking to myself this could be the smartest or the dumbest thing I have ever done.
My text went off, it was my son “mom his seats are empty”, the plan was now full steam ahead. I was like a mother lion waiting on her prey. I was going to do this, I was going to be The Mother of the year. I knew 20 minutes, if he was coming I had twenty minutes to wait. I was now joined by a little boy and his dad. The little boy was armed with a basketball and sneaker. We were ready. Tick Tock Tick Tock, then it happened, in pulled two large black SUV’s. Oh shit, I thought, it’s LeBron James. Right here. My adrenaline was racing through me as if I had just hit a three-point winning shot. The driver of the SUV and I got out of our vehicles at the exact same time, and sure enough when the interior light went on in the back seat there was the red hoodie. I had done it! I was about to meet LeBron James. My son was on speaker phone as I crossed across the front of the big black SUV. I was now chest to knee with LeBron James. When I say he is a big guy I’m not lying? LeBron, LeBron I yelled and Mr. James ignored me and that little boy. I was in his face I was not giving up. I am a fan and I deserved a minute of his time. Well, he had other thoughts. As I tried to stop him and get him to just give me a minute a very deep voice from behind shouted, “Ma’am you can’t do that” and I replied, “Oh yes I can”. That’s about when I felt the clasp of a large hand grasp the back of my neck, that’s the moment I realized ma’am you can’t do that.
LeBron and his entourage walk passed the boy and me as if we were invisible. He never once saw his fans. The boy and I stood for some time with our noses pressed against the airport glass like we were waiting for the coming of Santa.
LeBron James stood in the airport maybe 10 feet from two of his former biggest fans and never even once turned to give us a wave.
I waited till he got on the plane and defeated I went back to my car unsigned action figure in hand. As I sat there talking with my son the limo driver came to my car and handed two mints, two mint that LeBron James had touched. Two more pieces of memorable. My friends are loving my rant and taunt me all the time sending me fake letters of apology from LeBron, fake tickets to games and autographs.
So with all the sports heroes all over social media, tweeting on tweeter, and updating Facebook pages, leading us all to believe that the fans make the athletes heroes it is not true. It is the dollar and the endorsement that makes them who they think they are.
Michelle' Blog 