Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 11, 1992 TAG: 9202110190
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
JUST CHECK YOUR BRAINS AT THE DOOR<
Mingling with super-mega-ultra big shots turns intelligent people into mindless fools with less sense than God gave lettuce.You've got roughly 20 seconds to say or do something to make this object of your obsession remember you for the rest of his life.
You're overwhelmed. Sensory overload. Every original thought you've ever had evaporates. You're a Stepford fan. It's as if they handed out scripts at the door.
"Oh my gawd, it's really you! I am such big fan. Your work has changed (a: me; b: my life; c: my major). I've followed your career since your first obscure (a: album; b: film; c: book). I (a: have all of your CDs; b: have seen all of your movies; c: have read all of your books).
"I know you're only supposed to be signing the (a: CD; b: poster; c: book), but would you mind signing my (a: T-shirt; b: hand; c: entire library of your work).
"Thanks, (a: man; b: bud; c: insert first name, if you're bold."
Last week - Grammy award-winning musician, environmentalist and former Eagle Don Henley stopped by Books Strings & Things in the Roanoke City Market to sign copies of "Heaven Is Under Our Feet," a book dedicated to preserving the woods surrounding Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau's retreat. Shopping mall and condominium developers threaten the forest.
I eavesdropped for two hours on those who bought some 400 books. (This was no easy task. First you had to get past Tony, who looked more like a Jersey shore bouncer than Henley's publicist.)
Here's what those bold enough to leave the script at the door, fly without a net and use their 20 seconds to be creative individuals had to say:
\ Sandy: "You were my first love a long time ago."
\ Henley: "I hope you got over it."
\ Sandy: "I did. Eventually, I grew up."
And Tamara, Andrea and Deborah who asked Henley to inscribe their book to "the coolest girls in Roanoke."
Elizabeth who pushed her book toward Henley with "I want you" written on her hand in red ink.
They came bearing gifts
Heidi brought a heart-shaped lollipop. Tim brought a fairy stone for good luck. A woman from Rocky Mount brought him a menu from Old Virginia Barbeque. Another offered him free X-rays. Kidspeak
"How old are you, Matthew?" Henley asked. Matthew held up five fingers. "Five fingers, huh?" Henley prodded.
"Yup. I used to be four fingers," Matthew announced.
"Me, too," Henley said.
Wyatt, who was three fingers, wanted his "The Berenstain Bears' Week at Grandma's" autographed.
One father had the book autographed for his 7-year-old daughter. "She really wanted to be here, but she had to go to Brownies," he apologized.
And about his attractive companion . . .
"Are you with him?" the guy asked Henley's friend, Sharon, who looked just like Julia Roberts. Maybe better.
"Yes, she's with me," Henley answered, a tad agitated. Then he turned to me and said, "Only a guy named Rodney would pull something like that," shaking his head.
Odds and ends
He was dressed in black jeans, a black sweatshirt and a pair of well-worn boots. He's a serious, intense, committed man who doesn't smile. Much. If ever there's a "Who's Who in Mingling," you won't find Don Henley's name there. He's a private guy.
We talked about the ozone layer, his trip to Capitol Hill earlier that day to lobby for another cause, stories in that day's Washington Post, Bush-bashing and those darned Republicans.
Two people seemed to make the biggest impression. One was the woman who simply shook his hand and said, "I've waited my whole life to thank you for giving a damn."
The other was the Virginia Tech student who wanted something inspirational written for his start-up group to save the rain forests. Henley wrote: "Never think a small group of individuals working together can't save the world."
In "Walden," Thoreau wrote: went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the facts of life and see what it had to teach, and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
We can only assume that Thoreau's spirit lives on at Walden Pond. Knowing how Thoreau cherished his own privacy, he certainly could have appreciated Henley for giving up his for a frenzied, 35-city book-signing tour that was dragging the poor guy off to Cleveland on his next stop in his campaign to save Thoreau's retreat.
THE PARTY LINE: If you'd like to invite free-lance Mingling columnist
Kathleen Wilson to a party or social gathering, call her at 981-3434; when asked for the mailbox, dial MING (6464) and press the key. Or write her in care of the Features Department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.