The Dinner of a Lifetime

For the past week, my brother-in-law has been working on the set of an educational film being shot here in Santa Fe. Last night, for the second time this week, my sister and I joined him and the crew for dinner. We were talking to the person overseeing the shoot, a kind man named Lee, when someone made a comment about him receiving royalties for a Superbowl commercial that featured MacGyver (man, icon, hero to all). It begged the question, "Why do you receive royalties for that commercial?"

Because he created the show.

At that moment, I lost any shred of cool (or social etiquette) that I possessed. What do I say? I tell him about how the show inspired me to wear one pair of shorts for a whole year in elementary school, a pair of blue cordoruy shorts that I nicknamed the survivor shorts after I stuffed the pockets full of anything that MacGyver might need in an emergency, such as gum wrappers, rubber bands, paper clips, a pocket knife, etc. I never actually needed to use anything in the pockets, but at least I was prepared for any office emergency, and at least I was really popular. Oh, wait...

I was overwhelmed at the opportunity to be able to tell someone, to their face, how their work had changed and molded my life. It was like getting to thank a doctor after open heart surgery or playing basketball with the player who inspired you to go pro. I don't know where I would be without your contribution to society, Lee. God bless all things MacGyver-related.