The Tyler Experience with John Schneider
Okay, ladies! Here we go again. Forgive me if I get something wrong, everything is still pretty jumbled up. I'm still on cloud 9 and I don't know if I'll ever come back down! This experience was better than the last time, so you just sit back, relax, and enjoy what I'm about to tell you!
Chase and I started off for Tyler at 10 am. I was so excited that I was getting this chance again. On the way up there, we stopped in Buffalo because Chase had family that used to live up there and he wanted to look around, which was fine because I knew that we had plenty of time on our hands. I made sure that we left early because of that reason. I wasn't sure how many people were going to be there, so I went prepared. We made our way to Tyler, and we stopped at the theater so I could buy the tickets. When I saw the marquee, I noticed that John's name was misspelled. It kind of sucked, actually. You would think that they would have it right, but NO, they didn't. Regardless, I took a picture of it. I was happy that I was just there. Once I got the tickets, Chase and I drove around back to see if they were there, but they weren't. Later I found out that he was at the Saturn dealership, meeting and greeting fans from 12-3. If I had known that, I would've been there.
Chase and I drove around for a while because it was still pretty early. I hadn't been to Tyler since I was a little girl, so I didn't know anything about the area. Well, we made it back to the theater and we waited…and waited. Finally they started to set up for John and the radio station that was there. The line started to form and I was pretty much 2nd in line. I was happy about that. I told Chase that he didn't have to wait with me, so he went across the lobby and sat down at the tables. I didn't want to deal with the grumbling, and the whining, which he was starting to do. I didn't want ANYTHING ruining MY time with John. While I was waiting, I started talking to the people in front of me and we started talking about John. Breet and Kristin show up and they talked to the manager. They made their way over to the tables that they set up for John. Breet saw me and stuck his tongue out at me and I stuck mine back out at him. I stepped out of line to talk to them and hugged both of them. They were shocked that I was there because they thought that it was such a long drive. It was, but I really didn't care. I asked if they needed any help because I knew that they were going to be so overwhelmed. Besides, I wanted to help, but I didn't want to overstep my bounds. They said yes pretty quick. So…guess who got to take pictures for the whole time he was there? ME!!! LOL
We started unpacking stuff that John brought to sell. He had General Lees and Worth the Wait CD's, and Kristin and I started to set them up. Then, John comes in and I was like, "Whoa." I had a Joey Lawrence moment. I had to keep in mind that I was here to help and I couldn't freak out. But oh my God, did he look good! Let me add something here, just for Breet. Yes, Breet, you looked handsome, too. I owed you that from the last blog! LOL So, with that in mind, I went back to unloading stuff, and that was that.
The crowd was huge. Everyone wanted to see John. The line started to move, and I was taking pictures of everyone, plus sneaking in my own. At some point, I think I heard John say that I had the bluest eyes. I think he said that, so don't quote me. That's what I thought I heard! Not sure if that's what he said or not, I turned my head and I had to smile. Made me blush! Anyway, he went to start the movie about 7:00 and Kristin and I just like "Good grief!" Breet passed by and told me that I was doing an awesome job and he had to cut the line off. I went and told Chase that he could find a movie because I didn't know how long it was going to be. Well, it turned out to be probably 20 minutes more. John came back out and started signing more autographs. </SPAN>Y'all should've seen him with his fans. He took time out to talk to them and treat them with respect. He was so, so sweet! I know I've said this before and I'll say it again…John's not your everyday, typical celebrity. He cares about his fans. He wants them to feel comfortable around him, and they did. Also, it was so cute! There were a couple of kids that didn't believe that John was actually Jonathan Kent. He even pulled his hair back to prove that he was actually Jonathan. It was adorable that he wanted those kids to see him as that.
Finally the crowd started to die out, and the line ended. There were a couple of hangabouts, but they left. We started packing up and Breet invited Chase and I to go and eat with them. I wasn't about to say no! So I pulled Chase out of the movie he was watching and told him that Breet invited us out to eat. We started to leave and Chase pulled our car behind the General. I couldn't believe that we were actually behind John's General Lee. Or should I say "Bo's" General Lee? Anyway, we followed them to "St. Louis's Ribhouse". We found our seats but before I sat down, John saw me and he came over and gave me the biggest bear hug. I swear, I about passed out from it because honestly, I didn't expect it. He thanked me for taking all of those pictures for everyone and he was impressed that I knew how to work all of those cameras and camera phones. I told him that I didn't bother with the camera phones. I didn't know how to work them. He said that he didn't blame me and he didn't mess with them himself. He was so nice about it! I then told him that Phyllis (from Ohio) said hi, and he said hi back.
We sat back down and Chase and I ordered drinks. Everything was really nice. Breet talked to us some and Phyllis and her family talked to us as well. Soon it was time to go, and I handed Breet my Collier DVD to sign. John asked me what my name was again, and I told him Emberly. Of course, he asked, "Kimberly?" I shook my head and said, "Emberly." He asked how to spell it and we took that picture that I have on my MySpace profile. I couldn't believe that we were cheek to cheek! And that he had his hand over the right side of my face. Lord, here we go…I gotta go scream!
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Okay…(deep breath) I'm better! Anyway, we said our goodbyes and he kissed my cheek…hold on…
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Whew!!! Alright, I talked to Breet over a second about the next tour of Collier and how he's trying to get close the deal with the theater down here in Houston. Well, it's in the NASA/Webster/Bay Area, but it's still considered the Houston area. He gave me his card to call him if I had any questions, and we hugged goodbye. Kristin met us by the door and hugged both of us goodbye. I told her to tell Breet that Phyllis said hi, and she asked, "Hinkle?" I said, "Yeah." Of course, they told us to be careful on the way home and Breet said to drink a lot of caffeine. Little did he know that we had to make a trip almost a year ago to Oklahoma during the middle of the night, just to make Chase's sister's funeral. That was a LONG trip, so 4 hours was really nothing.
By the time, we got home that night from Tyler, we were EXHAUSTED!!! I know I wanted to pass out, but my body wouldn't let me. I was still too excited about hanging out with John. But I did get some sleep, finally.
So, that was my Tyler experience. It was fun, exciting, and so cool! Thanks so much to John, Breet, and Kristin for a good time and I hope to do it again.