Meeting the Genie, Mrs. Doubtfire and Other Great Characters

Iraq 2010, Deployment Balad. With it getting close to the Holidays, many Soldiers decide to take their available leave to go home to be with family. I however had already spent my two weeks with my lovely wife on her birthday back in October. Balad was not the greatest of bases, too many High Command always walking around. On the plus side they always had new movies showing every weekend like Harry Potter 4, great concerts like Trace Adkins and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. But the one I was looking forward to was the great man, Robin Williams. He was on the Holiday USO Show touring through.

End of November, Davis, pack your gear you’re heading to Baghdad to cover those on R and R (Rest and Relaxation). Great! Heading to the Detention Center, a holding point to high valued marks picked up by ODA (Black op type of Soldiers). Also tagging low end personnel who may or may not have information.

So apparently there's not a lot I can say about the area I was in, for Bagdad, detainees, classified and all. But to continue on with my story. I was all settled in, had a vehicle and was able to drive to the PX, the gym and even a bowling alley. On my third day I walked into Command to find out I was scheduled to work that night, only to find out the USO show was also happening that night, the one show I was looking forward to most. If it weren't for the fact that I was covering at the detention center, I might have been able to go. Earlier that day, not in a good mood because of missing show, I decided to hit up the gym on the other non-special side of the base. Shorts, brown Tee and I pod, not your standard issue Army crap, perks of my Unit. Just pulling into a parking space at the gym when I looked in my rearview mirror and saw what looked like a large group Holiday photo being taken. At closer look, right in the middle of this gathering was the man himself, Mr. Robin Williams.

It only took a split second to decide I was going to go and meet him. Well, as you recall I am wearing basic gym style clothing with my earbuds hanging off my neck. I cross the street and wait for the crowd to break from the photo. Walking into the yard, “Excuse me, sir.” Eh, a four-star Admiral. “Sir” two star General, you get the idea. As I hit the middle of the crowd, I feel a hand on my shoulder and hear “Merry Christmas man” turning to see Lance Armstrong walking by. Holy crap that was Lance Armstrong. Now I am just outside the small gathering where Robin is talking to a few people, signing and taking pictures. I wait out the small group and then move in. I get up right next to him and reach out my hand, He grasps my hand and I just tell him what a great honor it is to meet him. He said, “Thank you very much.” Wishes me a Merry Christmas, I returned the gesture and turned to make my way out of the crowd.

Regrets! I am stupid. All the officers and others there, all I needed was to get a scrap piece of paper and borrow a pen and I could have gotten his autograph. Hell, many others with a camera could have taken our pic and just sent it to me via email. Oh well, I have met the great man.