Through my career as a reporter, I have been able to meet hundreds of people who are well-known to us all. Some for better reasons than others. Never, have I been one to ask for an autograph (unless for someone else) or a photo. Even the pictures I have with U.S. Presidents and Vice-Presidents were taken by others. It just isn't my thing. Rarely, that is.
Until this morning when I was on my way home with my son from preschool. Crossing the four-way stop intersection was a familiar soul to me. Although we'd never met, I knew it was a matter of time as we both live in the same small area. Mike Leonard? Know him? No? Well, for years I have watched his stories on the Today Show even though I have yet to work for an NBC station.
He is a captivating story teller of everyday people. He finds the humor in humanity and the beauty in heartbreak.
He recently authored a book, "The Ride of Our Lives." I highly recommend it! I found myself laughing out loud late night while uncomfortably pregnant so hard, I'd wake my husband. That's hard to do! I'm talking tears from laughing so hard. To simplify the contents: he journals a trip across country he took with some of his family-including his aging parents...all crammed into a couple of RVs. If you've ever taken on a family road trip...you know what can happen, but it was still bittersweet as well. So anyway! I spotted him walking and I just had to roll down my window. He smiled and all I could say was a stuttered, "...I love your book. I even sent it down to my parents in Arkansas, so you are really making the rounds." He genuinely thanked me and asked for my name. And I was THIS close to asking him and his family to dinner. Next time.
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