One Family's Magical Journey

a submission to Planet Ireland

August 24, 1997

Michael,

This is a story of one family's magical journey to meet you and how you have become an integral part of this family's life.

Here is our story:

We saw LOTD on Opening Night in San Diego, but couldn't wait for your autograph because Katie, our 7 year old, had school the next day. Katie has been dancing "tap and ballet" since she was 4 and has been in about 1/2 dozen recitals with full regalia. She is an avid LOTD fan and knows the show inside and out - including the "song order" and "costume changes." She watches your video and listens to the CD and dances constantly to both. Needless to say, she was "crushed" that we didn't stay after the performance to get your autograph. We got her a large T-shirt to help her feel better about leaving. She now wears it to bed nightly. We were very disappointed to later discover that you came out early that night (about a 1 hour wait), since we had already waited almost 45 minutes to calm Katie down and get her a T-shirt. Oh, for a little more patience!!! After all, it's only school, right? We told Katie to write you a letter and we'd try to get your address so she could mail it to you and ask for an autographed picture. Fortunately, we were well acquainted with the LOTD Visitor's Book (VB) by now and learned a lot in those last two days about your movements and habits (including your mailing address for Katie).

However, we continued to feel badly about Katie's lost opportunity (and "ours"!), and finally decided on a whim to return to the San Diego Sports Arena for your final performance on Thursday evening to see if we could get your autograph for Katie. No school on Friday, the 4th! We live in San Diego's North County which is about a 45 minute drive to the Sports Arena (the main reason we felt it important to leave without your autograph on Opening Night).

We arrived at the Sports Arena about 1 1/2 hours before the show was over and were "magically" the only fans in line - everyone else had tickets for the performance and were inside enjoying it! We wish we could have seen it again. However, it was almost more exciting to "hang around" the exit; watch the activity; and talk to the guards and ushers. I guess we've finally evolved into groupies!

While we were waiting and immensely enjoying the sounds of the show that drifted from the stage, up the ramp, and floated into the quiet San Diego evening, we noticed a bright red sports car parked inside at the base of the ramp. We figured it was your Ferrari and that you were probably going to drive it to Las Vegas for your next show, which opened the 4th. Well, we were ALMOST right! As it turned out, at least according to everyone working that night, you bought a shiny new red Lamborghini that very afternoon. We were told that you even gave the salesman 7 tickets to the evening's performance (probably backstage passes or some other wonderful place to enjoy the show). Why weren't we car salesmen? Oh Well!!

The tempo really picked up after intermission. Tony, the head of security for the Sports Arena, had his crew start setting up the barricades to get ready for the end of the show. Tony finally made us move from the top of the ramp to a place behind the barricade. He pointed to a special place right at the top corner of the ramp and the barricade. Thanks Tony, you made Katie a very happy girl. This location turned out to be the center of all the action!!! Once the barricades were up, they drove your Lamborghini up the ramp and parked in right in front of us (REALLY NICE CAR, Michael!). Then they backed one of the trucks down the ramp to prepare for dismantling the stage. Next came 2 of the 5 buses to load the dancers for the trip to Las Vegas.

The crowd started swelling immediately after the final bow and ultimately grew to over 200!. We started talking to some of those nearest us and everyone said the show was again WONDERFUL. This crowd was full of genuinely nice people who have all the symptoms of "groupiedom", but would rather not admit it - for now!

Everyone in the crowd busied themselves by talking about the show, the performers, etc. for about an hour until the dancers and musicians started to exit. Mostly, everyone scurried to the buses and ignored the crowd. We spotted a couple of the dancers we recognized and they graciously consented to autographs (for everyone)!

You could feel the energy level stating to rise with the remaining crowd, which I would estimate at still close to 100. Tony had previously moved several people in wheelchairs to your side of the barricade and lined them up between us and your car. Then Tony got a call on his radio that "He's moving!" That piece of information swept the crowd like a California brush fire - fanning the flames of excitement! Within minutes, you appeared at the bottom of the exit ramp. Dressed in blue jeans, dark blue blazer, white shirt, and yellow tie, you looked younger and more exuberant than ever. Your dark tan helped make your blond hair seem more yellow than we remembered.

You worked quickly through the crowd with your autograph pen in hand and your bodyguards providing ample light with miniature flashlights to help you see where to sign. When you finally reached the corner where we were, you signed Katie's program. Then you reached for an envelope she held to sign that too. Suddenly you noticed that it was addressed to you. (Katie had written you a letter and drew you a picture of the show with the intention of mailing it to you and asking for an autograph before we thought about coming tonight.) You asked Katie if this was for you, and she shyly said "yes". Then you stooped down over the barricade and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Just as quickly, you moved on to others. You gave a kiss to an elderly lady in a wheelchair, and hugged a lady accompanying someone else in another wheelchair. You also gave a young boy with a poster in the same group a "pat on the head". Then again on to the task of trying to make sure that everyone got an autograph. When you passed us, we quickly moved ahead of you to the far end of the line to try for another autograph. Your bodyguards are really sharp. They spotted us and stopped you short just, before you started a "2nd round" of signing. You quickly returned to you "shiny new toy" [The Royal Steed?], waived to the crowd, jumped in, and honked as you sped off into the night.

As we walked back to our car, we could see you speeding across the parking lot with a van full of "well wishers" bring up the rear - both honking and having fun. We took almost a roll of film in the darkness of the stage ramp. These pictures are posted at our Web Site, which is visited daily by VB'ers from all over the world. The address to the Web Site is "http://www.sandiegoshopping.com/community/sandiego/lotd".

Katie drew you another picture, which we have attached. This time she included her mailing address so that you can send her an autographed picture or something. Our address is available via email. We would all appreciate an autograph, if you have nothing else to do!

You turned that evening into a special and endlessly sweet memory that will be with us forever.

Love and Light in All You Do,

Jim Dorman, The Royal Stable Boy (and Lambo/Ferrari exerciser)
Carol, The Royal Chambermaid
Katie, They Royal Ambassador to Children

P.S.: Another example of "fan excitement" was a lady waiting near us after the San Diego Show on July 3rd. She wanted autographs so badly that she was having the dancers "sign her left hand". She had major concerns, however, where she could get "color copies" at this time of night. Someone in the crowd gave her some paper before you arrived for autographs, thus ensuring that at least she could be sure to keep your autograph.

Katie also drew you another picture. Here it is!

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All materials originating from this site are copyright Michael Flattley's Lord of the Dance and
Active Engineering Technologies, Inc. 1997.