It’s not every day that I had a celebrities join my class. I was approached by the principal when he had informed me that there had been a donation made to the school but there was a slight catch. After listening to the principal for a few minutes I soon learned that I had the honor of teaching a major TV personality for an episode of their hit TV show. The donation was made in hopes that the school would be willing to allow the show to film a few episodes at the school, mainly the class room, for a contest that they were running that tied into the TV show. The idea intrigued me; I never collected a famous person’s soul. I agreed but under the one very strict stipulation that I am not interviewed or filmed.
It was 2 weeks into the summer session when I arrive at the school and was greeted by hundreds of boys and girls. It was utter chaos with screaming fans everywhere. I got out of the car and noticed a small camera crew hanging out in there van preparing to shot for the show. From the parking lot there was yellow tape blocking out and sectioning a walk way to the class room. I grabbed my bag, locked the car door, and started to walk to the classroom. As I unlocked the door to the classroom I was startled by shrieking coming from the parking lot. I turned and saw a car pull in; I thought to myself that couldn’t possibly be the star of the show. I mean it was a regular car and only one man go out, but if not the star why are they all freaking out.
As I stared a little longer the man walked from the car to the yellow tap and he began to shake hands, sign autographs and even saw a few photo ops. I began to question my previous assumption and drew a new conclusion that it was in fact the star of the show. Baffled and thunderstruck I just stood there and marveled at that man. He walked with his head held high proud, and confident, but radiated humbleness. I expected him to be like all the other A-Listers, too good for everyone else, too important to be bothered by pictures and autographs, and too damn lazy to drive themselves in some $100,000 environmentally hazardous beast of a car. But this guy was different, he was genuinely thankful for each of his fans support. He finishes with the crowd and meets me at the door; he introduces himself and asks a favor if it was ok to talk to me a little before the shot to get to know me. This man was a freak, no one is that nice.
I granted his request and we talked for a while, until class was to start. He led an interesting and very fulfilling life. He was married to a beautiful woman and had 2 teenage daughters; the picture in his wallet seemed almost fake; like he took it out of one of those new frames you buy at the store with that “too perfect” of a picture, but in his case it was legit. He opened up about his childhood and the parents that raised him. He talked a lot about his brothers, family trips and his father. Stories of his father fascinated me; they were filled with moral stories, tough but fair discipline, saint-like values, and love. As he talked it became clear how and why he was the man he was.
He also explained why he was taking my class. His fame reach beyond just TV, he was also a very popular and successful radio personality. I forget the name of the show but on their weekly segment him and 4 other friends would sit around and just talk. One of his friends liked to make up games and contests. The newest contest was a friendly competition. The newest contest would be filmed for the TV show and it would be a friendly competition between sister radio show within the station. It was decathlon with events ranging from eating contests, cooking challenge, “Are you smarter that a radio star”, and a few other ridiculous games. This challenge was to see if my TV/Radio star can get a better grade in creative writing that some joker can in home eke.
The class continued for the remaining 3 weeks of the summer session, although they were only shooting for the week to get enough for the show; but he continued to come to class each day and finished my course. His writing was nothing spectacular but was still enjoyable to read. The last day of class he had thanked me and expressed a deep gratitude for the work that I do and told me that if it was anyone else teaching the class he wouldn’t have come back for those last 2 weeks… the 2 weeks that ended in him participating in the final paper.
During the nine months that followed, the TV show took off and the contest 2-part episodes were the highest ratings the network had ever seen, even beating out a top rated fantasy thriller. Unfortunately his team didn’t win and the sister show reigned supreme as the better radio show. The highlights from the contest were that the one guy failed his school experience and set fire to half the kitchen. My guy ended up in a cooking contest and blew away the completion beating out 2 professional chefs brought in as ringers. There was also a touching episode where the group got together and bought an entire 3rd grade class all iPads. At the end of the season reports confirmed a signing for a guaranteed renewal for 4 more seasons of the hit TV show. Oddly enough and against all the critics, the show was nominated for an Emmy, unfortunately they didn’t win.
The success of the show had spawned good new outside of radio and television show. Following the huge win in the cooking challenge he was contacted by a restaurateur and offered him a head chef job at a new local restaurant due to open within a few weeks. He was given carte blanche to do as he wished with the menu and the direction of the restaurant.
The night before the grand opening of the restaurant there was a friends and family party to celebrate all their success. The night was filled with love and LOTS of food. I sat in the back and watched as everyone in attendance were laughing as each person took turns to reminisce about their favorite stories of the past. The party ran all night and well into the early morning. Just as the sun was peaking over the horizon the last of the hugs and goodbyes were handed out as everyone went their separate ways. Eventually there was only an Emmy nominated- high priced head chef of the hottest new restaurant-radio star-son-brother-father-husband and his wife left. The loving married couple entered the restaurant to clean up and get ready for the grand opening. While they were clearing the tables a bell chimes, signaling the opening of a door that wasn’t locked. The stranger that entered was greeted with a smile, but no smile was returned. Quickly the smile turned to sadness and fear. The stranger had revealed a gun and while continue to walk slowly to the couple his arm with gun in hand rising. Whether it was primal instinct or just an overpowering love for his family and wife; he pushed his wife into a nearby booth to shield her and then he rushed the stranger. Two shots were fired but he continued his pursuit. Two more shots echo through the empty restaurant. He finally reached the stranger and tackled him to the ground. He wrapped his hands around the neck of the shooting stranger’s and grabbed on tight. The two rolled around as the stranger struggled to get away but as each second passes the fight began to calm and within a minute the two laid there, both lying very still.
When the police arrived on scene they were met with a crying woman in a booth and two motionless bodies. Coroner’s office confirmed the cause of death for the gunman was strangulation. As for the other body it was a bit of a mystery. He had died from a fatal gunshot, but the mystery wasn’t disputing he was shot, but that he was struck 4 times in the chest, two in which pierced his heart. The two shots to the heart would have killed him instantly. So how was he able to rush to the gunman, tackle him, choke him, and roll around? It was like was a super hero.
The widow in her grief backed up the kids and moved to an unknown location; the kids and widow are now living full lives. The restaurant never opened as it was not able to recover from the tragedy and no longer had a head chef. The contracts for the renewal of the TV Show were voided as it was signed with a cast of 4 not 3. His friends never worked in TV again and within a year the radio station closed down and the show never aired again and their mics were hung up.
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