Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Meeting Oprah...Instalment Two

The banquet room at Rogers Arena was a hive of activity with at least 150 Very Important People anxiously awaiting the Queen Bee's arrival.  The room itself had a bar, servers milling about with appetizers and wine, several high-top tables, and a roped-off photo area with a large seamless white backdrop and three gigantic soft-boxes.

Once I realized that Oprah had not yet arrived I could finally breathe.  As I took off my leather coat, I felt like a sweaty, wrinkled mess; certainly not the same person who had stepped into that elevator hours earlier.

Danielle suggested that I take off my sweater, (which was a good call...thanks Danielle,) and I was pleasantly surprised at the absence of armpit stains down to my navel.  We hightailed it into the women's washroom to freshen up.  Danielle looked beautiful and I looked considerably better than I felt.  We hadn't missed our opportunity to meet Oprah.  All was right in the universe once more.

Back in the banquet room, guests were starting to form a line for photographs.  Our view of the photo area was blocked by the lighting equipment, so when we saw a few bursts of flash we thought it may be 'show time.'  It was only a few eager VIPs taking their own photos.

As the enormous red numbers on the room's digital clock changed to 6:25 pm,  my high expectations started to lose altitude.  Oprah would have 30 minutes to take photos with almost 200 people.  I joked with Danielle that I might have to revise my three minute speech.

Minutes later, a gentleman, (who I grew to detest,) made an announcement: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Oprah will be arriving in about five minutes.  There will be no autographs and she will accept no gifts.  When you approach Oprah, DO NOT look at her.  Look directly at the camera, otherwise you will ruin your photograph."

I looked around at the members of my group.  I think it is fair to say that the excitement of Oprah's imminent arrival was dampened slightly by this new information.  Had we just been instructed to NOT LOOK AT OPRAH?  I could live with not giving Oprah my book.  I could easily drop the speech, but the single thing I was most thrilled about, from the very beginning, was looking into Oprah's eyes.   How could I be expected to not look at her?

I couldn't believe it.  In fact, I wouldn't believe it!  The Announcer hadn't sound very Oprah-like at all.  I doubted that he was a member of her team.  Surely Oprah would not have condoned such a ridiculous instruction.

The minute Oprah entered the room, I felt better.  I caught a glimpse of her between two soft-boxes.  She was wearing a form-fitting, salmon coloured dress.  Jimmy Pattison introduced her and passed the microphone to her.  I couldn't see her as she thanked us all for coming and said, "I can't hear your life stories and I can't look at your latest books or business plans, but I will try to get through as many photos as I can."

And just like that, a new stressor was born.  I was about 3/4 of the way back in the massive line of VIPs.  I may not even get a photograph.

I had to laugh at myself.  I was SUCH a cliche!!!  There I was with my little book in my purse and my three minute speech in my head.  Oprah had heard it all before; she'd seen it all before, and this was a duty-call for her.  It was an assembly-line type of photo opportunity, and I would be lucky to get ten seconds with Oprah.

Thankfully, the line moved forward quite quickly as I tried to think of ONE LINE to say to Oprah.
Thank you, Oprah.
Oprah, you are a gift to humanity, and you're wrapped up so beautifully!
Oprah, I am so proud of you.
Oprah, I am proud to be a woman walking the planet at the same time as you.
Oprah, you have been my most inspirational teacher.
Oprah, you are my favourite teacher.
Oprah, I am so grateful to be your student.
Oprah, I walk in gratitude because of you.
Stay the course, Oprah.

I couldn't decide.  As I got within about 10 people of Oprah, I started thinking logistics.  Would I keep my purse?  Put it on the floor?  Would I still ask the photographer for a candid shot?

And then suddenly time started to move REALLY FAST!

Jimmy Pattison appeared on my right and was shaking my hand and I introduced myself and I shook his hand and said a few words about what a pleasure it was to meet him and then somebody was taking my purse and telling me that I could collect it on the other side and then there was a hand on my elbow and I was ushered up to the line as the woman in front of me moved toward Oprah and then a flash went off and then it was my turn and I was walking toward Oprah!!!

I opened my mouth and some words came out.  They weren't the words I had planned.  I looked into Oprah's eyes and she looked into mine and I walked toward her and said enthusiastically, "Oprah, I am your favourite student!"

And Oprah, in all of her grace and generosity, said: "Oh, thank you.  Thank you for being my favourite student."  And she pulled me into her and squeezed me around the waist as she said it.

I wish I could say that time stood still; that the seconds slowed down and I could remember every detail of that moment.  Truth be told, I don't remember her smell, I don't remember whether or not I shook her hand, and I don't remember where my hand landed on her.  It's all a bit of a blur.

What I do remember is the feeling.  It felt really cozy, being nestled beside Oprah.  When she pulled me into her, it felt familiar.  When she spoke to me, it felt intimate.  Her energy was warm and familiar.  

It was really noisy in the banquet room, but our heads were so close together that I could clearly hear Oprah's voice.  I remember her dark eyes and her beautiful face.  I remember looking out into a sea of white, and then it was time for me to move on.

I looked at her again, (take THAT 'Mr. Don't-look-at-Oprah-Announcer,') and I said, "Have a good time tonight Oprah," and she said, "Thank you, I will."

In the end, Oprah thanked me three times.  I didn't thank her once.

And then it was over.  I was on the other side.  I was in a bit of a fog, and a friendly, 7 ft. tall Security Guard  bent down and spoke to me as though I was a ninety year old woman who was hard of hearing, "Ma'am....Ma'am....is this your hand-bag Ma'am?"   I could see my purse, and I knew I was supposed to reach out and grab it,  but for a second or two,  I couldn't seem to move my hand to grasp it.  Every fibre of my being was still busy processing the previous thirty seconds.

Somehow, Oprah managed to make me feel special.  In that brief time, with over a hundred people to meet, she made me feel special.

My girlfriend texted me and asked, 'Was it everything you dreamed it would be?'

My answer is a resounding, 'YES!'  The details of the meeting may not have unfolded as I expected, but nothing I ever imagined was as beautiful as the feeling of meeting Oprah.


This was my 'sneak peek' Oprah photo by Greg Paupst.  I was not able to purchase the digital file, so Mr. Paupst's watermark is all over this tiny jpeg, but I have been promised two prints.  Thanks to Greg Paupst and I hope that I am forgiven for sharing this version with you.

Thank you Brett and Danielle, for giving me one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  You were stars throughout the entire evening.  Danielle: your calm, sensible presence kept me sane during the stressful bits and I am so grateful to have shared this experience with you.  Thank you both from the bottom of my heart.








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