This is a reprint of an e-mail that I sent to my mother on January 18, 2004. I thought it summed up the moment best since I was still living in the glow of the experience.

Hi mom,
This weekend, Vickie and I went out to the “Hollywood Collectors and Celebrities Show” that took place at a hotel next to Universal Studios in Studio City. Among the celebrities there were:

Margot ‘Lois Lane’ Kidder “Superman movies I, II, III & IV”

Lou Ferrigno “The Incredible Hulk” from TV. Big Guy.

Charlotte Rae ‘Mrs. Edna Garrett’ on both “Diff’rent Strokes” and “The Facts Of Life”

Christopher Knight ‘Peter’ on “The Brady Bunch”

Barry Williams ‘Greg’ on “The Brady Bunch”

Kate Jackson “Charlie’s Angels”

Rick ‘Cletus’ Hurst From “The Dukes Of Hazzard” (he was dressed in his deputy uniform)

Frank ‘Lumpy’ Bank From “Leave It To Beaver”

Anyways, that’s just some of the folks who showed up to sell books and autographed photos. But of course, I went there just to see the one and only:

Adam “BATMAN” West

I saw, he signed, I GEEKED OUT!! And Frank Gorshin who played the Riddler happened to be there with him. Both were very nice and talked a little with Vickie and I. Frank’s doing a one man show called “Say Goodnight Gracie” where he plays George Burns. I asked him if he was going to be doing any shows in L.A. though I did mention that I knew he would be playing in Sarasota in Feb. He lit up at the inquiry. Adam noticed the Batman T-shirt I was wearing. I had made it myself in the style of the one that he wore on the show. He knew who I was looking for. When we approached their line, he said, “check out the Batdude…” in that unmistakable voice that I knew since I was 2. To me, he will always be THE Batman. I knew him as Batman before I knew there was such a thing as comic books (and that’s saying A LOT). None of the modern day versions will ever compare to the impact he had on me in that role. Good deeds, ethics and cool hideouts were forever etched in my skull. I guess I could get therapy for that.

These type of events draw in a ton of people, so we couldn’t hog the line or their time, so I chose my photos and paid their agents and they smiled, signed and talked a bit while they signed.

Adam asked me what I did and Vickie told him that I dressed up like him for Halloween.

He smiled and with a wink said, “I should probably get a cut of that.”

She told him then that I worked as an operations manager. He kind of stared at me like “What on Earth is that?” I went on to mention that since I have to enforce the standards, ethics and do the store’s detective work that I’ve gotten the reputation being called “Batman.”

“Well, that’s not such a bad thing to be known for,” he smiled and nodded. i was 2 again.

I got my picture taken with him (well, he was on the other side of the table) and we moved on our way. We didn’t even bother to stop at the other tables but we did take a peak at how some of the folks were aging. The biggest line by far was for Kate Jackson, and I must say she still looks wonderful since her days on “Charlie’s Angels” in the 70’s and battling breast cancer a few years back.

Just thought I’d share.
Love to all,
Scott